Reichsverweser

During the frequent absences of Emperor Frederick II in the 13th century, he appointed imperial governors (Reichsgubernatoren) as deputies and guardians for his sons Henry (VII) and Conrad IV.

On 28 June 1848, four months after the outbreak of the German revolutions of 1848–1849, the Frankfurt National Assembly created a Provisional Central Authority (Provisorische Zentralgewalt) that was to take over the management of the executive branch for all of Germany until a constitution was adopted and a final head of state appointed.

On the following day, Archduke John of Austria was elected Reichsverweser, an office that he was intended to hold until the National Assembly appointed an emperor as head of state.

[2] In the final weeks of World War I, calls increased for the abdication of Prussian King and German Emperor Wilhelm II.

Baden's advisors had urged him to exercise the powers of the emperor as Reichsverweser in order to keep the question of the head of state open until a decision was made by a national assembly.

Beginning on 12 November, the function of emperor and Reich chancellor (and, to some extent, of other state offices) was exercised by the Council of the People's Deputies, of which Ebert was one of the two chairmen.

[4] The anti-Nazi Kreisau Circle outlined its ideas for a German constitution after the end of Nazi rule in the "Principles for Reorganization" of 9 August 1943.

After the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in March 1917, the Finnish parliament in December 1917 declared the country independent without having decided on the final form of government.

After the German-Russian Treaty of Brest-Litovsk that ended Russia's participation in World War I, Finland briefly came under the influence of the German Empire in 1918.

It led to the proclamation of the Kingdom of Finland in May 1918, for which Svinhufvud assumed the function of regent (Finnish: valtionhoitaja) until a monarch yet to be chosen took office.

[7] At the same time, the former regent Svinhufvud resigned and was replaced by the commander-in-chief of the Finnish army, General Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.

Since the outcome of the war had made the retention of a monarchical form of government obsolete, Finland was proclaimed a republic in July 1919, and Mannerheim as regent was replaced by an elected president.