Wilhelm Cuno
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Carl Josef Cuno (July 2, 1876 - January 3, 1933) was a German
politician
who was the Chancellor of Germany from 1922 to 1923. He was born in Suhl
, Prussian Saxony
. Cuno's government is best known for its passive resistance of the French occupation of the Ruhr Area
(1922-1923). Cuno's government was also responsible for its poor handling of economic problems. In order to pay off the state's debts, the government under Cuno printed vast amounts of money, leading to hyperinflation
which peaked in the summer of 1923. A wave of strikes
began in August 1923 and on Cuno and his cabinet resigned on August 12, 1923.
Cuno received education as a lawyer in Berlin
and Heidelberg
. He was employed by the Reich Treasury Department in 1907. During World War I
Cuno was involved in arrangements for food supplies for the German army, but quit civil service to join the Hapag
shipping company in 1917. In December 1918 Cuno was promoted to the Hapag's general director. As an economic expert Cuno participated in the post-war negotiations on reparations and peace terms. The importance of his position as Hapag executive increased after the company became one of the leading shippers of goods between the U.S. and Germany.
Informally representing the interests of the Reich government abroad, Cuno rejected several proposals to assume the post of foreign minister, but agreed to form the Cabinet after the resignation of Joseph Wirth
. Cuno was appointed Reich Chancellor on November 22, 1922, by presidential decree and formed a government mostly composed of non-party economists and members of the German People's Party
, German Democratic Party, German Center Party and Bavarian People's Party
.
After the downfall of his government, Cuno retired from politics and returned to the management of HAPAG.
He was a member of K.D.St.V. Arminia Heidelberg, a Catholic student fraternity that is member of the Cartellverband
.
Source: Lebendiges virtuelles Museum online
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who was the Chancellor of Germany from 1922 to 1923. He was born in Suhl
Suhl
- Geography :Suhl sits on the south edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes. This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest...
, Prussian Saxony
Province of Saxony
The Province of Saxony was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1945. Its capital was Magdeburg.-History:The province was created in 1816 out of the following territories:...
. Cuno's government is best known for its passive resistance of the French occupation of the Ruhr Area
Ruhr Area
The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
(1922-1923). Cuno's government was also responsible for its poor handling of economic problems. In order to pay off the state's debts, the government under Cuno printed vast amounts of money, leading to hyperinflation
Hyperinflation
In economics, hyperinflation is inflation that is very high or out of control. While the real values of the specific economic items generally stay the same in terms of relatively stable foreign currencies, in hyperinflationary conditions the general price level within a specific economy increases...
which peaked in the summer of 1923. A wave of strikes
Cuno strikes
The Cuno strikes were nation-wide strikes in Germany against the government of Reich chancellor Wilhelm Cuno in August 1923. The wave of strikes demanded and helped bring about the resignation of the Cuno government on August 12, 1923, just nine months after it began...
began in August 1923 and on Cuno and his cabinet resigned on August 12, 1923.
Cuno received education as a lawyer in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
. He was employed by the Reich Treasury Department in 1907. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Cuno was involved in arrangements for food supplies for the German army, but quit civil service to join the Hapag
Hamburg America Line
The Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft was a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg, Germany during...
shipping company in 1917. In December 1918 Cuno was promoted to the Hapag's general director. As an economic expert Cuno participated in the post-war negotiations on reparations and peace terms. The importance of his position as Hapag executive increased after the company became one of the leading shippers of goods between the U.S. and Germany.
Informally representing the interests of the Reich government abroad, Cuno rejected several proposals to assume the post of foreign minister, but agreed to form the Cabinet after the resignation of 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:...
. Cuno was appointed Reich Chancellor on November 22, 1922, by presidential decree and formed a government mostly composed of non-party economists and members of the German People's Party
German People's Party
The German People's Party was a national liberal party in Weimar Germany and a successor to the National Liberal Party of the German Empire.-Ideology:...
, German Democratic Party, German Center Party and Bavarian People's Party
Bavarian People's Party
The Bavarian People's Party was the Bavarian branch of the Centre Party, which broke off from the rest of the party in 1919 to pursue a more conservative, more Catholic, more Bavarian particularist course...
.
After the downfall of his government, Cuno retired from politics and returned to the management of HAPAG.
He was a member of K.D.St.V. Arminia Heidelberg, a Catholic student fraternity that is member of the Cartellverband
Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
The Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen or Cartellverband is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities .-Foundation:...
.
Cabinet, November 1922 - August 1923
- Wilhelm Cuno - Chancellor
- Frederic Hans von RosenbergHans von RosenbergFrederic "Hans" von Rosenberg was a German politician.He was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1922 to 1923 under Wilhelm Cuno...
- 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... - Rudolf Oeser (DDP) - Interior Minister
- Andreas HermesAndreas HermesAndreas Hermes was a German Christian Democratic Union politician, agricultural scientist, Finance Minister of the Weimar Republic, and a member of the resistance to Nazism.- Life :...
(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...
) - Finance Minister - Johann BeckerJohann Becker (politician)Johann Becker was a German lawyer and politician of the German People's Party. From January 1916 to November 1918 he served as finance minister of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. He was elected a member of the Weimar National Assembly in its first election in 1919, where he served until 1930...
(DVPGerman People's PartyThe German People's Party was a national liberal party in Weimar Germany and a successor to the National Liberal Party of the German Empire.-Ideology:...
) - Economics Minister - Heinrich Brauns (Z) - Labour Minister
- Rudolf HeinzeRudolf HeinzeKarl Rudolf Heinze was a German jurist and politician. He was Vice-Chancellor of Germany and Minister of Justice from 1922 to 1923 under Wilhelm Cuno....
(DVP) - Justice Minister - 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) - Defence Minister - Karl Stingl (BVPBavarian People's PartyThe Bavarian People's Party was the Bavarian branch of the Centre Party, which broke off from the rest of the party in 1919 to pursue a more conservative, more Catholic, more Bavarian particularist course...
) - Postal Minister - Wilhelm GroenerWilhelm GroenerKarl Eduard Wilhelm Groener was a German soldier and politician.-Biography:He was born in Ludwigsburg in the Kingdom of Württemberg, the son of a regimental paymaster. He entered the Württemberg Army in 1884, and attended the War Academy from 1893 to 1897, whereupon he was appointed to the General...
- Transport Minister - Hans LutherHans LutherHans Luther was a German politician and Chancellor of Germany.-Biography:Born in Berlin, Luther started in politics in 1907 by becoming the town councillor in Magdeburg. He continued on becoming secretary of the German Städtetag in 1913 and then mayor of Essen in 1918...
- Food Minister - Heinrich AlbertHeinrich AlbertHeinrich Friedrich Albert was a German lawyer who served as commercial attaché to the Imperial German Ambassador to the United States Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff during World War I. He was also the paymaster for German espionage and sabotage operations in the United States...
- Treasury and Reconstruction Minister
Source: Lebendiges virtuelles Museum online