GERMANY. An Empire of Europe com posed of twenty-six states. The constitution is dated April 16, 1871. It includes all the German states in "an eternal union," under the supervisory power of the King of Prus sia as the Deutscher Kaiser (the German Emperor). The legislative power is vested in two bodies, the bundesrath, or federal council, and the reichstag. The members of the bundesrath are annually appointed by the several states. The members of the reichstag are elected by ballot by universal suffrage for a period of five years, and may be prorogued for a period not to exceed nine ty days, or it may be dissolved by the em peror. In case of dissolution new elections take place within sixty days and the new session must be opened within ninety days. All imperial laws must receive the votes of the majority of both bodies, and have the assent of the emperor. The bundesrath can declare war, make peace, enter into treaties with foreign nations and appoint and receive ambassadors, but if the territory of the em pire is attacked, the emperor does not re quire the consent of the bundesrath to de clare war, but can act independently. In
connection with the chancellor the bundes rath also exercises some executive functions, through committees which are substantially boards of administration and consultation.
The Code Napoleon was until later years the common law in many parts of Ger many, and the Prussian code of Frederick the Great in other parts. In 1850 a new penal code was promulgated ; in 1862 a par tial codification was effected; and in 1869 a code of commercial law was enacted which was valid for the North German Confedera tion. Since 1870 there has been a universal code for the whole empire and a common judicature was established in 1879. For later codes, see CODE.