Gustav Bauer
Encyclopedia
was a German
Social Democratic Party
leader and Chancellor of Germany from 1919 to 1920.
Born in Darkehmen (now Ozyorsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
) near Königsberg
in East Prussia
, Bauer, who rose to notice through his leadership of a white-collar trade union, served from 1908 to 1918 as chairman of the General Commission of Trade Unions for all of Germany. A member of the Reichstag
, Bauer entered Prince Max of Baden's
government in October 1918 as Minister of Labour, a role which he continued to hold in the government of Philipp Scheidemann
after the war. When Scheidemann resigned in June 1919 to protest the Treaty of Versailles
, Bauer became Chancellor, serving until March 1920, when he resigned shortly after the failure of the Kapp Putsch
.
Bauer resigned from the Social Democratic Party and the Reichstag in disgrace in February 1925, after it appeared that he had accepted improper payments in the Barmat Scandal
and then lied about it, but was reinstated in 1926.
Bauer later served in the governments of Hermann Müller
and Joseph Wirth
.
Changes
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
leader and Chancellor of Germany from 1919 to 1920.
Born in Darkehmen (now Ozyorsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
Ozyorsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
Ozyorsk is a town and the administrative center of Ozyorsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Angrapa River, southeast of Chernyakhovsk near the border with the Polish Warmia-Masuria Voivodship. Population: -Notable residents:...
) near Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, Bauer, who rose to notice through his leadership of a white-collar trade union, served from 1908 to 1918 as chairman of the General Commission of Trade Unions for all of Germany. A member of the Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
, Bauer entered Prince Max of Baden's
Prince Maximilian of Baden
Maximilian of Baden was a German prince and politician...
government in October 1918 as Minister of Labour, a role which he continued to hold in the government of Philipp Scheidemann
Philipp Scheidemann
Philipp Scheidemann was a German Social Democratic politician, who proclaimed the Republic on 9 November 1918, and who became the second Chancellor of the Weimar Republic....
after the war. When Scheidemann resigned in June 1919 to protest the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, Bauer became Chancellor, serving until March 1920, when he resigned shortly after the failure of the Kapp Putsch
Kapp Putsch
The Kapp Putsch — or more accurately the Kapp-Lüttwitz Putsch — was a 1920 coup attempt during the German Revolution of 1918–1919 aimed at overthrowing the Weimar Republic...
.
Bauer resigned from the Social Democratic Party and the Reichstag in disgrace in February 1925, after it appeared that he had accepted improper payments in the Barmat Scandal
Barmat Scandal
The Barmat Scandal in 1924 and 1925 in Weimar Republic implicated the Social Democratic Party of Germany in Germany in charges of corruption, war profiteering, fraud, bribery and financial misdeeds. The scandal provided right-wing political forces within Germany with a basis with which to attack...
and then lied about it, but was reinstated in 1926.
Bauer later served in the governments of Hermann Müller
Hermann Müller (politician)
' , born in Mannheim, was a German Social Democratic politician who served as Foreign Minister , and twice as Chancellor of Germany under the Weimar Republic...
and Joseph Wirth
Joseph Wirth
Karl Joseph Wirth, known as Joseph Wirth, was a German politician of the Catholic Centre Party who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1921 to 1922.-Biography:...
.
Cabinet June 1919 - March 1920
- Gustav Bauer (SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
) - Minister-President (after 14 August 1919 Chancellor) - Matthias ErzbergerMatthias ErzbergerMatthias Erzberger was a German politician. Prominent in the Centre Party, he spoke out against the First World War from 1917 and eventually signed the Armistice with Germany for the German Empire...
(ZCentre Party (Germany)The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
) - Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister - Hermann MüllerHermann Müller (politician)' , born in Mannheim, was a German Social Democratic politician who served as Foreign Minister , and twice as Chancellor of Germany under the Weimar Republic...
(SPD) - Foreign MinisterForeign Minister of GermanyThe Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs is the head of the Federal Foreign Office and a member of the Cabinet of Germany. The current office holder is Guido Westerwelle... - Dr. Eduard DavidEduard DavidEduard Heinrich Rudolph David was a German politician. During the Weimar Republic he was the Minister of the Interior from 21 June 1919 to 3 October 1919....
(SPD) - Interior Minister - Rudolf WissellRudolf WissellRudolf Wissell was a German politician in the Social Democratic Party of Germany . During the Weimar Republic, he held office as the Minister for Economics and the Minister for Labour.Wissell was a member of the SPD from 1888, and belonged to the right wing of the party...
(SPD) - Economics Minister - Robert SchmidtRobert SchmidtRobert Schmidt was a German politician and member of the SPD.Schmidt, born in Berlin, learned the profession of piano manufacturer. From 1893 to 1902 he was editor for the social-democratic newspaper Vorwärts....
(SPD) - Food Minister - Dr. Alexander Schlicke (SPD) - Labour Minister
- Dr. Johannes Bell (Z) - Transportation Minister and Colonial Minister
- Johannes Giesberts (Z) - Postal Minister
- Wilhelm MayerWilhelm MayerWilhelm Mayer was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On 4 January 1945, Wilhelm Mayer was killed after being...
(Z) - Treasury Minister - Gustav NoskeGustav NoskeGustav Noske was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany . He served as the first Minister of Defence of Germany between 1919 and 1920.-Biography:...
(SPD) - Defence Minister
Changes
- July 15, 1919 - Robert Schmidt succeeds Wissell as Economics Minister. Schmidt remains Food Minister.
- October 3, 1919 - Dr. Eugen SchifferEugen SchifferEugen Schiffer , was the German Minister of Finances and Vice-Chancellor from 13 February to 19 April 1919 and 3 October 1919 to 27 March 1920. From 1919 to 1920 and again in 1921 he served as Minister of Justice....
(DDP) enters the cabinet as Justice Minister and succeeds Erzberger as Vice-Chancellor. Erzberger remains Finance Minister. Dr. Erich Koch-WeserErich Koch-WeserErich Koch-Weser was a German lawyer and liberal politician...
(DDP) succeeds David as Interior Minister. David remains in the cabinet as Minister without Portfolio. - October 25, 1919 - Otto GesslerOtto GesslerOtto Karl Gessler was a German politician during the Weimar Republic. From 1910 until 1914, he was mayor of Regensburg and from 1913 to 1919 mayor of Nuremberg. He served in Weimar cabinets from 1919 until 1928, usually as Minister of Defence.-Biography:Gessler was born in Ludwigsburg in the...
(DDP) enters the cabinet as Reconstruction Minister. - November 7, 1919 - The Colonial Office is abolished. Bell remains Transportation Minister.
- January 30, 1920 - Mayer resigns as Treasury Minister.
- March 12, 1920 - Erzberger resigns as Finance Minister.