section_path: History of the office (pre-1949)/Revolutionary period (1918–1919)
section_name: Revolutionary period (1918–1919)
paragraph_text: Revolutionary period (1918–1919)
  
  On 9 November 1918, chancellor Prince Maximilian of Baden, handed over his office of chancellor to the leader of the Social Democrats, Friedrich Ebert. Ebert continued to serve as head of government during the three months between the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the end of the German Empire in November 1918, the beginning of the November 11, 1918, Armistice, and the first gathering behind the Western Front battle lines and trenches of the new National Assembly of the German Republic (Weimar Republic) several months later in the town of Weimar, in February 1919, but Ebert only occasionally signed as chancellor.
  
  During that time, Ebert also served as chairman of the " Council of the People's Deputies ", until a month and half later on 29 December 1918 together with the allied Independent Social Democrat party leader Hugo Haase. This council de facto took over the roles of emperor, parliament and federal council. The council called for general elections in January 1919.