Editing Reichswehr (section)

===Commanders===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1989-0718-501, Gustav Noske und Walter Lüttwitz.jpg|thumb|Gustav Noske (right) with Walther von Lüttwitz (1920)]]
According to the Weimar Constitution, the Reich President had "supreme command over the entire armed forces of the Reich". In general, however, he could act only if there was a countersignature by a member of the government. In terms of authority, this was the ''Reichswehr'' minister.<ref>{{Cite wikisource|title=Weimar_constitution#Section III: The President of the Reich and the National Ministry}} Articles 47 and 50</ref>

Two Reich Presidents held office during the Weimar Republic: [[Friedrich Ebert]] until 1925, followed by [[Paul von Hindenburg]]. The first ''Reichswehr'' Minister was [[Gustav Noske]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 November 2023 |title=Gustav Noske |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gustav-Noske |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> who was replaced by [[Otto Gessler]] after the [[Kapp Putsch]] in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 March 2023 |title=Otto Gessler |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gessler-Otto |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> Wilhelm Groener took office in 1928,<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 November 2023 |title=Wilhelm Groener |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wilhelm-Groener |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> and his deputy [[Kurt von Schleicher]] replaced him in 1932. Schleicher continued to hold office on a provisional basis during his two-month chancellorship.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 August 2023 |title=Kurt von Schleicher |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kurt-von-Schleicher |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> Prior to Adolf Hitler's appointment as Reich chancellor, Hindenburg unilaterally – not at the chancellor's recommendation as required by the constitution – appointed [[Werner von Blomberg]] as ''Reichswehr'' Minister.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wichmann |first=Manfred |date=14 September 2014 |title=Werner von Blomberg 1878–1946 |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/biografie/werner-von-blomberg.html |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}</ref>

The head of army command was initially General [[Walther Reinhardt]]. After the Kapp Putsch, General [[Hans von Seeckt]] took over the post and had both the [[Communist Party of Germany]] (KPD) and the [[Nazi Party]] banned in 1923.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Michaelis |first1=Andreas |last2=Felbinger |first2=Rolf |date=14 September 2014 |title=Hans von Seeckt |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/biografie/hans-von-seeckt.html |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}</ref> [[Wilhelm Heye]] followed him in 1926. Heye was succeeded in 1930 by [[Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord|Kurt Freiherr von Hammerstein-Equord]], who tendered his resignation on 27 December 1933. He was succeeded by [[Werner von Fritsch]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heeresleitung / Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) - Oberbefehlshaber des Heeres |trans-title=Army Command / High Command of the Army (OKH) - Commanders-in-Chief of the Army |url=https://portal.ehri-project.eu/units/de-002525-rh_1 |access-date=20 December 2023 |website=European Holocaust Research Infrastructure |language=de}}</ref>