Heinrich Köhler
Encyclopedia
Franz Heinrich Köhler was a German
politician who served as the fifth and eighth State President of Baden and the eleventh Minister of Finance in the Weimar Republic
. He was a member of the Centre Party, and later the CDU
. Köhler represented the Centre Party in the Baden
Landtag
from 1913 to 1927.
Köhler's first political position was when he was appointed Lord Mayor
of Karlsruhe
in 1911 by Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden. After the creation of the Republic of Baden
in 1918, he continued to serve as Lord Mayor until 1920. In this year, he became Minister for Finance in Baden, a position in which he served until the 1923 elections brought the Centre Party a majority and Köhler became State President. However, elections the following year brought the DDP to power and Köhler returned to his post as Minister for Finance.
Internal differences within the Centre Party led to Köhler replacing Gustav Trunk
as the leader of the party. On November 23, 1926, Köhler became State President once again. However, he was compelled to resign on February 3, 1927, in order to accept his appointment as Reich Minister of Finance under Chancellor Wilhelm Marx
. After the fall of Marx's government, Köhler sat in the 1932 Reichstag
. After the Nazi takeover and the Reichstag fire
in the following year, however, Köhler and many others were imprisoned.
Following World War II
, Köhler was released and joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). From 1946 until his death three years later, he served in various positions in the government of the new state Baden-Wuerttemberg.
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...
politician who served as the fifth and eighth State President of Baden and the eleventh Minister of Finance in the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. He was a member of the Centre Party, and later the CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
. Köhler represented the Centre Party in the Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
from 1913 to 1927.
Köhler's first political position was when he was appointed Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
in 1911 by Frederick II, Grand Duke of Baden. After the creation of the Republic of Baden
Republic of Baden
The Republic of Baden was a state of Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic, formed after the abolition of the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1918...
in 1918, he continued to serve as Lord Mayor until 1920. In this year, he became Minister for Finance in Baden, a position in which he served until the 1923 elections brought the Centre Party a majority and Köhler became State President. However, elections the following year brought the DDP to power and Köhler returned to his post as Minister for Finance.
Internal differences within the Centre Party led to Köhler replacing Gustav Trunk
Gustav Trunk
Gustav Trunk was a three-time President of Baden. He was a lawyer by occupation and was a member of the German Centre Party....
as the leader of the party. On November 23, 1926, Köhler became State President once again. However, he was compelled to resign on February 3, 1927, in order to accept his appointment as Reich Minister of Finance under Chancellor Wilhelm Marx
Wilhelm Marx
Wilhelm Marx was a German lawyer, Catholic politician and a member of the Centre Party. He was Chancellor of the German Reich twice, from 1923 to 1925 and again from 1926 to 1928, and also served briefly as minister president of Prussia in 1925, during the Weimar Republic.-Life:Born in Cologne to...
. After the fall of Marx's government, Köhler sat in the 1932 Reichstag
Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
. After the Nazi takeover and the Reichstag fire
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany....
in the following year, however, Köhler and many others were imprisoned.
Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Köhler was released and joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). From 1946 until his death three years later, he served in various positions in the government of the new state Baden-Wuerttemberg.