Schmidt believed that the Germanic tribes were divided according to cantons and that the earliest government was a general assembly that selected canton chiefs and war leaders in times of conflict.
Schmidt uskus, et germaani hõimud jagunesid vastavalt kantonitele ja et vanim valitsus oli üldkoosolek, mis valis kantonite pealikud ja kantonite sõjapealikud (sõja ajaks).