After the death of Friedrich Ebert in February , 1925 he was acting president of the Weimar Republic from 12 March , 1925 until 12 May , 1925 when the next president , Paul von Hindenburg , was elected and assumed office . As such , following the death of Friedrich Ebert in February , 1925 he temporarily acted as head of state of the Weimar Republic from 12 March 1925 until 12 May 1925 when the next president , Paul von Hindenburg , assumed office .