of war and peace treaties now required the assent of the Reichstag Members of the government could now simultaneously be members of the Reichstag The Reichskanzler and the Secretaries of State now required the confidence of the Reichstag. They were accountable for the conduct of their affairs to the Reichstag and the Bundesrat The Reichskanzler was now responsible for all political actions of the Emperor The Emperor's rights to appoint, promote or reassign military officers were now limited by requiring the co-signature of the Reichskanzler or the Minister of War responsible for the contingent. The Ministers of War were now accountable to the Bundesrat and Reichstag for the management of their contingent The changes came into force on 28 October, transforming the authoritarian Empire into a parliamentary democratic monarchy on the British model. However, one month later, with the defeat of Germany in World War I and the November Revolution, the monarchy ceased to exist and the Constitution technically became obsolete. It formally remained in force, though, and was only changed on 10 February 1919 by the Gesetz über die vorläufige Reichsgewalt passed by the National Assembly. In fact, the Übergangsgesetz of 4 March stipulated explicitly that the 1871 constitution was still valid unless in contradiction to laws passed since November 1918. A new constitution, completely replacing the Imperial one, came into force in the Reich only on 14 August 1919. See also Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany Kommandogewalt References Bibliography External links Act concerning the constitution of the German Empire (Constitution of the German Empire of 16 April 1871, in full text) 1871 in Germany 1871 in law 1871 documents Government of the German Empire Treaties involving territorial changes Historical constitutions of Germany 1871 in politics May 1871 events