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The Chancellors of Germany: Difference between revisions
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In the German Empire, the Imperial Chancellor (''Reichskanzler'') was appointed by the Emperor. The parliament (''Reichstag'') could do jack shit about it and was mostly there to argue about the budget or wait for the chancellor to initiate a bill (which they couldn't do themselves). The Reichskanzler was technically a one-man administration, who appointed secretaries to assist him.
* [[Otto von Bismarck]] (1871-1890) -- Proud owner of a [[Badass Moustache]] ''and'' a [[Bald of Awesome]]. Nicknamed "Der eiserne Kanzler" ("The Iron Chancellor"). Most famous for his [[Genghis Gambit]]s that led to the unification of Germany (minus Austria), the creation of the welfare state and his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe by isolating France and being allies or neutral with all other powers. Most infamous for his destruction of the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848, his <s> attacks on neighboring nations</s> [[Magnificent Bastard|manipulating neighboring nations into starting wars with him so he could have them trounced without being seen as the aggressor]] (re: the [[Genghis Gambit]] spree), censorship laws, anti-socialist laws, and weakening the Democratic organs of the German Empire via the constitution he wrote, blunders against the Catholic church (''Kulturkampf'' - struggle about culture), the [[Start of Darkness|defacto kidnapping of the young to-be Wilhelm II]], and [[The Chessmaster|his complex system of alliances to keep the peace in Europe]]. He opposed German colonialism, but ended up getting colonies for Germany anyway due to his ''[[Realpolitik]]''. Emperor Wilhelm I mostly let Bismarck do whatever he wanted. Wilhelm ''II'' however, wanted to govern the country himself and forced Bismarck to resign after several disagreements over social reforms and anti-socialist laws ([[Freudian Excuse|as well as the abuse he was subjected to earlier in life at Bismarck's hands]]). During his retirement, [[Ignored Expert|Bismarck]] warned the Emperor several times that his aggressive foreign policy would lead to war. He famously predicted both the trigger of [[World War
* Leo von Caprivi (1890-1894) -- Former Army General. Had the thankless job of being Bismarck's successor, against whom almost anyone would've compared unfavorably. He began the implementation of Wilhelm II's "New Course" into German policy: Social reforms, more free trade and a pro-British foreign policy. The latter included giving up the good relations with Russia, since he himself admitted that he wasn't [[Magnificent Bastard]] enough to maintain Bismarck's sophisticated foreign policy. He finished the negotiations for the Zanzibar treaty, which traded land between Germany and the British Empire. A strip of land in Africa is still named after him.
* Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1894-1900) -- Elderly (he was already 75 in 1894) former prime minister of Bavaria and diplomat. He finished the BGB, the first civil code for all of Germany, which is still in force today.
* Bernhard von Bülow (1900-1909) -- Had already been something of a "shadow chancellor" during the later years of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. His ill-thought foreign policy poisoned the relations with Britain, which led to the creation of the ''Entente'' between Britain and France. With his statements of support of Austria-Hungary regarding the balkans (''[[Nibelungenlied|Nibelungentreue]]'') he helped laying the foundation for [[World War
* Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg (1909-1917) -- His pre-WWI foreign policy was geared towards improving Germany's relations with Britain and he attempted to reform Prussia's classist election system. He failed at both, and his influence on the Emperor was more and more eclipsed by that of the military. Trying to find compromises between the left and right wings of the Reichstag only earned him the loathing of both sides. The opinion of historians about him are mixed, especially about his role in the war and its outbreak. His failed attempts to reach a peace with the Entente earned him the hate of Hindenburg and Ludendorff and they forced him to resign.
* Georg Michaelis (1917) -- ''"Georg who?"'' The obscure Prussian official Michaelis was pushed into office by the German High Command. He managed to turn the entire Reichstag against him after just five days in office and quickly noticed, that whatever makes a good chancellor, he didn't have it.
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[[Category:Useful Notes/Germany]]
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