On 18 May 1848, 831 elected representatives marched in a festive procession to take their places in the Frankfurt parliament convened in the church of St Paul.1) They drafted a constitution for a German nation to be headed by a monarchy subject to a parliament.2) While the opposition of the aristocracy and military became stronger, the social basis of parliament eroded. In the end troops were called in and the assembly was forced to disband.3) Women were only mute spectators to stand in the visitor\’s gallery.4) The dominant middle classes resisted the demands of the workers and artisans, hence lost their support.\xa0
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