Erzberger, Matthias

Erzberger, Matthias
born Sept. 20, 1875, Buttenhausen, Württemberg, Ger.
died Aug. 26, 1921, Black Forest, Baden

German politician.

Elected to the Reichstag in 1903, he became the leader of the left wing of the Centre Party. During World War I he was involved in the Reichstag resolution proposing a negotiated peace with no territorial gains. He headed the German delegation that signed the Armistice, and he advocated acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1919–20 he served as vice-chancellor and finance minister. As a supporter of the republican-democratic system, he became the victim of a slander campaign from the extreme right. He resigned his ministry and was later assassinated by nationalist partisans.

* * *

▪ German politician
born Sept. 20, 1875, Buttenhausen, Württemberg, Ger.
died Aug. 26, 1921, Black Forest, Baden

      leader of the left wing of the Roman Catholic Centre Party in Germany and signatory of the Armistice of World War I.

      The son of a craftsman, Erzberger turned from teaching school to journalism with the Centre newspaper, Deutsches Volksblatt, and worked his way up in the Centre Party in Württemberg. He became a member of the Reichstag in 1903 and gradually established himself as the leader of the party's left wing. His sensational attack on Bernhard von Bülow's government over conditions in Germany's African colonies forced the dissolution of the Reichstag in December 1906. During World War I, although Erzberger at first favoured extensive annexations by Germany, he was decisively involved in the Reichstag resolution of July 19, 1917, proposing a negotiated peace with no territorial gains, and also in the events leading to the resignation of Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, whom he wanted replaced by Bülow. As leader of the new Reichstag majority (Centre, Social Democrats, Progressive People's Party), he aimed at democratic constitutional reform for Germany. While approving the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918), Erzberger demanded opportunities for self-determination for eastern Europeans. Even during the war, in his book Der Völkerbund (1918), he supported the idea of a League of Nations. Erzberger headed the German deputation to the Truce Commission of Compiègne, Fr., where, on November 11, he signed the Armistice.

      He served under Philipp Scheidemann in Germany's first republican government and vigorously pressed for acceptance of the Versailles Treaty. From June 1919 to March 1920 he was vice chancellor and finance minister under Gustav Bauer. His fiscal reforms were opposed both by the former propertied classes and by the federalists, who regarded them as steps toward a unitary state.

      As a signatory of the Armistice and a protagonist of the republican-democratic system, Erzberger became the victim of a slander campaign from the extreme right. In March 1920 he was successful in a lawsuit against Karl Helfferich, who accused him of political corruption. Receiving only paltry damages, however, Erzberger resigned his ministry. The Centre failed to provide Erzberger with adequate support during these attacks upon him, and after his resignation he was neglected by the party. While on holiday in the Black Forest, he was shot dead by members of a nationalist organization.

Additional Reading
Klaus Epstein, Matthias Erzberger and the Dilemma of German Democracy (1959, reissued 1971).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Erzberger, Matthias — (1875 1921)    politician; as Armistice* Com missioner and Finance Minister, he became a symbol of the Republic and Ger many s most hated individual. Born to a master tailor in the village of Buttenhausen in Württemberg, he studied to be a… …   Historical dictionary of Weimar Republik

  • Erzberger, Matthias — (20 sep. 1875, Buttenhausen, Württemberg, Alemania–26 ago. 1921, Selva Negra, Baden). Político alemán. Elegido para integrar el Reichstag en 1903, se convirtió en líder del ala izquierdista del Partido del Centro. Durante la primera guerra… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Erzberger — Gedenkmarke der Deutschen Bundespost Matthias Erzberger (* 20. September 1875 in Buttenhausen bei Münsingen, Königreich Württemberg; † 26. August 1921 bei Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald) war ein Schriftsteller und Politiker im …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Matthias Erzberger — Erzberger 1919 als Abgeordneter der Weimarer Nationalversammlung Matthias Erzberger (* 20. September 1875 in Buttenhausen, Königreich Württemberg; † 26. August 1921 bei Bad Griesbach im Schwarzwald) war Publiz …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Matthias Erzberger — (20 September 1875 – 26 August 1921) 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. He was assassinated for this… …   Wikipedia

  • ERZBERGER (M.) — ERZBERGER MATTHIAS (1875 1921) Député du Reichstag (1903), Matthias Erzberger y devient le chef du parti du centre catholique. Opposé à la politique coloniale de von Bülow, il approuve, en revanche, la politique d’armement de Bethmann Hollweg.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Matthias Erzberger — (1875 1921) fue un político y economista alemán. Fue firme opositor del belicismo y militarismo llevado a cabo por el Kaiser, lo que le valió el apodo de “el opuesto” durante la Primera Guerra Mundial. Dirigió el grupo político cat …   Wikipedia Español

  • Erzberger-Museum — Die Erinnerungsstätte Matthias Erzberger ist ein Museum zu Ehren des Zentrumspolitikers Matthias Erzberger in Münsingen Buttenhausen. Die Ausstellung befindet sich im Geburtshaus Erzbergers und wurde vom Haus der Geschichte Baden Württemberg… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Matthias — /meuh thuy euhs/, n. 1. a disciple chosen to take the place of Judas Iscariot as one of the apostles. Acts 1:23 26. 2. 1557 1619, king of Hungary 1608 18; king of Bohemia 1611 17; emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 1612 19 (son of Maximilian II). 3 …   Universalium

  • Matthias — (as used in expressions) Erzberger, Matthias Grünewald, Matthias Mommsen, (Christian Matthias) Theodor …   Enciclopedia Universal

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”