Georg von Hertling

Georg Graf von Hertling
7th Chancellor of the German Empire
In office
1 November 1917 – 30 September 1918
Monarch Wilhelm II
Preceded by Georg Michaelis
Succeeded by Maximilian von Baden
18th Minister President of Prussia
In office
2 December 1917 – 3 October 1918
Monarch Wilhelm II
Preceded by Georg Michaelis
Succeeded by Maximilian von Baden
26th Minister President of the Kingdom of Bavaria
In office
1912–1917
Monarch Otto
Ludwig III
Preceded by Clemens von Podewils-Dürnitz
Succeeded by Otto Ritter von Dandl
Personal details
Born Georg Friedrich Graf von Hertling
(1843-08-31)31 August 1843
Darmstadt
Died 4 January 1919(1919-01-04) (aged 75)
Ruhpolding
Political party Centre
Religion Roman Catholic

Georg Friedrich Graf von Hertling (31 August 1843 – 4 January 1919) was a Bavarian politician who served as Minister-President of Bavaria 1912–1917 and then as Minister-President of Prussia and Chancellor of the German Empire from 1917 to 1918. He was the first party politician to hold the office.

Biography

Hertling became professor of philosophy at the University of Munich and published books on Aristotle (1871) and on Albertus Magnus (1880). From 1875 to 1890, and again from 1893 to 1912, he was a member of the Reichstag, and from 1909 to 1912 he led the Centre (Catholic) Party faction in the Reichstag. In 1891, the Regent of Bavaria made him a life member of the upper house of the Bavarian Landtag.[1]

As leader of the largest party in the Bavarian Landtag, in 1912 Hertling was appointed Bavarian Minister-President and Minister for Foreign Affairs by Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria. He was the first minister-president ever appointed who governed on the basis of a majority in the Landtag. King Ludwig III later elevated him to the rank of Count.[1] Following the outbreak of World War I, Hertling supported the policy of Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg but declined to become his successor in 1917. After the fall of Georg Michaelis in November of that year, however, he accepted appointment as German Chancellor and Minister-President of Prussia. He was the first politician to hold either post; his predecessors had either been career civil servants or military men.

Hertling was a staunch conservative who believed in total victory for Germany. Given his age and his conservatism, he was not equipped to overcome the influence of the military high command, led by Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff. Like Michaelis before him, he was increasingly seen as a puppet of Hindenburg and Ludendorff, who constituted a virtual military dictatorship in the last year of the war. Hertling presided over the last stage of the collapse of the German home front. When it became apparent that he was unable to manage the crisis, he was forced to resign in favour of Prince Maximilian of Baden.

He founded the important German Catholic fraternity Askania-Burgundia and was a member of K.St.V. Arminia at Bonn. His great-granddaughter is actress Gila von Weitershausen.

References

  1. 1 2  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). "Hertling, Georg, Count von". Encyclopædia Britannica (12th ed.). London & New York.

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Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Political offices
Preceded by
Clemens Graf von Podewils-Dürnitz		 Prime Minister of Bavaria
1912 – 1917 		Succeeded by
Otto Ritter von Dandl
Preceded by
Georg Michaelis		 Chancellor of Germany
1917 – 1918 		Succeeded by
Prince Maximilian of Baden
Prime Minister of Prussia
1917 – 1918
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