Word: reichstag
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Everyone knew the Chancellor would use this weapon rather than risk a vote of no confidence (which would force his Cabinet to resign). But most Deputies expected the new Reichstag to live at least long enough for Herr von Papen to explain his scheme of lifting Germany by her own bootstraps out of Depression, his famed "One Year Plan.* Instead, before the Chancellor could start explaining, up popped Communist Deputy Ernst Torgler, shouting denunciation of President von Hindenburg for signing a decree earlier in the week which made the One Year Plan...
...voting began Germany's welterweight Chancellor dashed up to her heavyweight Speaker, held out toward him von Hindenburg's decree dissolving the Reichstag. Brushing this aside, 210-lb. Hermann Goring shouted: "Can't you see that a vote is taking place?"; drew thunderous cheers...
Baffled, though only for an instant by mighty Goring, Chancellor von Papen flung the decree of dissolution at the Speaker's desk, stalked from the Reichstag, drew catcalls. Voting continued. Tellers kept on counting, as though the Reichstag were undissolved. Presently they announced: 513 votes of no confidence, 32 of confidence, five abstentions...
...consider the dissolution decree invalid," cried Speaker Goring, "because it was presented by a Government which the Reichstag has overthrown...
Amid pandemonium the Deputies voted "adjourment until tomorrow," thus constituting themselves a Rump Reichstag. Rumors flew that 84-year-old Paul von Hindenburg would declare martial law, call out the Army and disperse the Reichstag with bayonets should it dare to meet. Not anxious to be pinched or prodded, Fascist Göring said that, after all, perhaps there might be no rump session...