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{{Short description|1921–1922 cabinet of Weimar Germany}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146III-105, Joseph Wirth.jpg|thumb|right|Joseph Wirth]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0113-0500-001, Gustav Bauer.jpg|thumb|Gustav Bauer (1920)]]
[[File:Robert Schmidt (politician).jpg|thumb|Robert Schmidt (before 1919)]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-100-04A, Otto Karl Geßler.jpg|thumb|right|Otto Karl Gessler]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-01049, Wilhelm Groener.jpg|thumb|right|Wilhelm Groener (in 1928)]]
[[File:Walther Rathenau.jpg|thumb|right|Walther Rathenau]]
The '''Second Wirth cabinet''' (German: ''Zweites Kabinett Wirth'') was the sixth democratically elected ''Reichsregierung'' of the [[German Reich]], during the period in which it is now usually referred to as the [[Weimar Republic]]. The cabinet was named after ''Reichskanzler'' (chancellor) [[Joseph Wirth]] and took office on 26 October 1921 when it replaced the [[First Wirth cabinet]].
The cabinet was based on a coalition of [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD) and the Catholic [[Centre Party (Germany)|Zentrum]]. The [[German Democratic Party|DDP]] supported it and its ''Reichswehrminister'' [[Otto Gessler]] remained in office, to be later joined by industrialist [[Walther Rathenau]].
The Second Wirth cabinet resigned on 14 November 1922 and was replaced on 22 November by the Cuno cabinet.
==Establishment==
Wirth's first government resigned on 22 October 1921 in protest over the [[Upper Silesia plebiscite|partitioning of Upper Silesia]] decided on by the [[League of Nations]] which gave rise to what became known as the ''Genfer Ultimatum'' (the "Geneva Ultimatum"). President [[Friedrich Ebert]] asked Wirth to form a new cabinet on 25 October. Ebert noted that attempts to form a "grand coalition", i.e. including the [[German Democratic Party|DDP]] and/or the [[German People's Party]] (DVP) on 23 to 25 October seemed to have failed. Both of these parties had refused to support acceptance of the Geneva ultimatum and to join any coalition that agreed to it. SPD and Zentrum now decided to form a government, but on 26 October, Wirth gave a government statement in which he presented his new cabinet as a combination of individuals, not as members of a coalition. ''Wiederaufbau'' was left vacant. Wirth was in charge of the Foreign Office and Andreas Hermes became acting Finance Minister. This left positions to divide in case of a later increase in the size of the coalition. Otto Gessler remained in office as an individual, not a representative of his party.<ref name=Akten1>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundesarchiv.de/aktenreichskanzlei/1919-1933/0000/wir/wir1p/kap1_1/para2_1.html|title=Das beiden Kabinette Wirth (German)|publisher=Bundesarchiv|accessdate=5 January 2015}}</ref>


{{Infobox government cabinet
Hopes to add the DVP to the government were disappointed, however, after Wirth incensed them by appointing Rathenau as Foreign Minister at the end of January. With Hermes becoming Finance Minister and Fehr replacing him at ''Ernährung'' in March 1922, there was just ''Wiederaufbau'' left as a potential prize for an additional party.<ref name="Akten1"/>
| cabinet_name = Second Cabinet of Joseph Wirth
| cabinet_type = <!-- an alternative name for "cabinet"; defaults to "cabinet" -->
| cabinet_number = 6th
| jurisdiction = [[Weimar Germany]]
| flag = Flag of Germany.svg
| incumbent = 26 October 1921 – 14 November 1922<br />''(until 22 November 1922 as [[caretaker government]])''
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146III-105, Joseph Wirth.jpg
| caption = Chancellor Joseph Wirth
| date_formed = {{Start date|1921|10|26|df=y}}
| date_dissolved = {{End date|1922|11|22|df=y}}<br>({{Age in years, months, and days|month1=10|day1=26|year1=1921|month2=11|day2=22|year2=1922}})
| government_head_title = [[List of chancellors of Germany#Weimar Republic (1918–1933)|Chancellor]]
| government_head = [[Joseph Wirth]]
| government_head_history =
| deputy_government_head_title = [[Vice-Chancellor of Germany#Weimar Republic (1918–1933)|Vice Chancellor]]
| deputy_government_head = [[Gustav Bauer]]
| state_head_title = [[List of presidents of Germany#Weimar Republic (1918–1933)|President]]
| state_head = [[Friedrich Ebert]]
| members_number =
| former_members_number =
| total_number =
| political_parties = [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]<br>[[Centre Party (Germany)|Centre Party]]<br>[[German Democratic Party]]
| legislature_status = [[Minority government|Minority]] [[Weimar Coalition]]{{efn|Until the SPD / USPD merger on 24 September 1922. Numbers include the results of the delayed elections in [[East Prussia]] and [[Province of Schleswig-Holstein|Schleswig-Holstein]] on 20 February 1921.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Das Deutsche Reich: Reichstagswahl 1920/22 |trans-title=The German Reich: Reichstag Election 1920/22 |url=http://www.gonschior.de/weimar/Deutschland/RT1.html |access-date=27 August 2023 |website=gonschior.de |language=de}}</ref>}}<br> 206/459 (45%) <br>
{{composition bar/advanced
|divisionname=
|total = 459
|boxwidth = 200
|party1 = 64
|partycolor1 = {{party color|Centre Party (Germany)}}
|party2 = 103
|partycolor2 = {{party color|Social Democratic Party}}
|party3 = 39
|partycolor3 = {{party color|German Democratic Party}}
}}
[[Majority government|Majority]] [[Weimar Coalition]]{{efn|Following the SPD / USPD merger on 24 September 1922 and including the East Prussian and Schleswig-Holstein results}}<br> 289/459 (63%) <br />
{{composition bar/advanced
|divisionname=
|total = 459
|boxwidth = 200
|party1 = 64
|partycolor1 = {{party color|Centre Party (Germany)}}
|party2 = 186
|partycolor2 = {{party color|Social Democratic Party}}
|party3 = 39
|partycolor3 = {{party color|German Democratic Party}}
}}
| opposition_cabinet =
| opposition_party =
| opposition_parties = [[Independent Social Democratic Party]]{{efn|Until the SPD / USPD merger on 24 September 1922}}<br>[[German National People's Party]]<br>[[German People's Party]]
| opposition_leader =
| opposition_leaders =
| election = [[1920 German federal election|1920 federal election]]
| last_election =
| legislature_term = 1st [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] of the Weimar Republic
| budget =
| advice_and_consent1 =
| advice_and_consent2 = <!-- up to 5 times -->
| incoming_formation =
| outgoing_formation =
| predecessor = [[First Wirth cabinet]]
| successor = [[Cuno cabinet]]
}}


[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0113-0500-001, Gustav Bauer.jpg|thumb|[[Gustav Bauer]] (SPD), Vice-Chancellor and Minister of the Treasury |218x218px]]
==Overview of the members==
[[File:Walther Rathenau.jpg|thumb|right|[[Walther Rathenau]] (DDP), Foreign Minister. He was assassinated while in office.|168x168px]]
The members of the cabinet were as follows:<ref name=DHM>{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20120305070147/http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/weimar/verfassung/kabinette/index.html|title=Kabinette von 1919 bis 1933 (German)|publisher=Deutsches Historisches Museum|accessdate=30 December 2014}}</ref>
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-100-04A, Otto Karl Geßler.jpg|thumb|right|[[Otto Gessler]] (DDP), Reichswehr Minister |227x227px]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-01049, Wilhelm Groener.jpg|thumb|right|[[Wilhelm Groener]] (Ind.), Minister of Transport |220x220px]]


The '''second Wirth cabinet''', headed by [[Joseph Wirth]] of the [[Centre Party (Germany)|Centre Party]], was the sixth democratically elected government of the [[Weimar Republic]]. It assumed office on 26 October 1921 when it replaced the [[first Wirth cabinet]], which resigned in protest after the industrially important eastern part of [[Upper Silesia]] was awarded to [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]] even though the majority of its inhabitants had voted in a plebiscite to remain part of Germany.
{| class="prettytable"
!colspan="3"| '''Second Wirth cabinet'''<br /> ''26 October 1921 to 14 November 1922''
|-----
| ''[[German Chancellor|Reichskanzler]]''
| [[Joseph Wirth]] || [[Centre Party (Germany)|Zentrum]]
|-----
| Deputy of the ''Reichskanzler'' and <br /> ''Reichsschatzministerium'' (Treasury)
| [[Gustav Bauer]] || [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium der Finanzen'' (Finance) <br>(after 3 March 1922)
| [[Andreas Hermes]] || Zentrum
|-----
| ''[[Auswärtiges Amt]]'' (Foreign Office) <br> (1 February 1922 to 24 June 1922)
| [[Walther Rathenau]] || [[German Democratic Party|DDP]]
|----
| ''Reichsministerium des Innern'' (Interior)
| [[Adolf Köster]] || SPD
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium für Wirtschaft'' (Economics)
| [[Robert Schmidt (politician)|Robert Schmidt]] || SPD
|-----
| ''[[Reichsministerium der Justiz]]'' (Justice)
| [[Gustav Radbruch]]|| SPD
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium für Arbeit'' (Labour)
| {{ill|de|Heinrich Brauns}} || Zentrum
|-----
| ''Reichswehrministerium'' (Defence)
| [[Otto Gessler]] || DDP
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium für das Postwesen'' (Mail)
| {{ill|de|Johannes Giesberts}} || Zentrum
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium für Verkehr'' (Transport)
| [[Wilhelm Groener]] || independent
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium für Ernährung'' (Food)
| [[Andreas Hermes]] <br> {{ill|de|Anton Fehr}} || Zentrum <br> [[Bavarian Peasants' League|BB]]
|-----
| ''Reichsministerium für Wiederaufbau'' (Reconstruction)
| vacant
|}
Notes: in addition to his role as ''Ernährungsminister'' Hermes was acting Minister of Finance until officially appointed to Finance in early March 1922. He then gave up the former position on either 10 or 31 March, when he was succeeded by Fehr. The post of Foreign Minister was held by Wirth until 1 February 1922 when Rathenau took over at the ''Auswärtiges Amt'' (AA). Rathenau was assassinated in office on 24 June and Wirth once again resumed the duties at the AA. The position of ''Reichsminister für Wiederaufbau'' was left vacant throughout the cabinet's tenure.<ref name=Akten2>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundesarchiv.de/aktenreichskanzlei/1919-1933/0000/wir/wir2p/kap1_2/para2_2.html|title=Die Mitglieder des zweiten Kabinetts Wirth (German)|publisher=Bundesarchiv|accessdate=5 January 2015}}</ref>


The cabinet was based initially on a coalition of the Centre Party and the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD) and was later joined by the [[German Democratic Party]] (DDP) The three-party grouping was known as the [[Weimar Coalition]].
==Resignation==
On 24 September 1922, the "Majority" SPD and the [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (USDP) merged, thus boosting the SPD's number of seats in the Reichstag. Nevertheless, in October the "bourgeois" parties joined together to outvote the strongest party, the SPD, on the issue of the ''Getreideumlage'' (agricultural policy). On 14 November 1922, Vice-Chancellor Bauer announced that the SPD refused to agree to include the DVP in the coalition as desired by Zentrum and DDP. As a result, the cabinet resigned and was replaced on 22 November 1922 by the Cuno cabinet, a ''Kabinett der Persönlichkeiten'' ("cabinet of personages").<ref name="Akten1"/>


The Wirth government won an important moratorium on [[World War I reparations|war reparations]] payments from the [[Allies of World War I|Allied powers]]. In July 1922, Foreign Minister [[Walther Rathenau]] was assassinated by right-wing extremists after he had signed the [[Rapallo Treaty]] normalizing relations with [[Soviet-Russia|Soviet Russia]]. The assassination shocked the nation and led to the passing of a law that prohibited organisations opposed to the republican form of government.
==References==

{{reflist}}
The second Wirth cabinet resigned on 14 November 1922 after it lost a key vote in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] and then failed in an attempt to restructure the coalition. It was replaced on 22 November by the [[Cuno cabinet]] led by [[Wilhelm Cuno]], an independent.

== Establishment ==
Wirth's first government resigned on 22 October 1921 in protest over the [[Upper Silesia plebiscite|partitioning of Upper Silesia]] by the [[League of Nations]]. German President [[Friedrich Ebert]] (SPD) asked Joseph Wirth to form a new cabinet on 25 October. Ebert noted that attempts to form a "[[Grand coalition (Germany)|grand coalition]]", i.e. including the [[German Democratic Party]] (DDP) and/or the [[German People's Party]] (DVP) on 23 to 25 October seemed to have failed. Both parties refused to accept the partition of [[Province of Silesia|Silesia]] or to join any coalition that agreed to it. The SPD and Centre Party then decided to form a minority government. On 26 October, Wirth gave a government statement in which he presented his new cabinet as a combination of individuals, not as members of a coalition. Wirth was in charge of the Foreign Office, [[Andreas Hermes]] (Centre) became acting Finance minister, and the minister for Reconstruction position remained unfilled. The arrangement left three positions to offer in case of a later increase in the size of the coalition. [[Otto Gessler]] (DDP) remained on as [[Reichswehr]] minister.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Die beiden Kabinette Wirth |trans-title=The Two Wirth Cabinets |url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/aktenreichskanzlei/1919-1933/0000/wir/wir1p/kap1_1/para2_1.html |accessdate=5 January 2015 |website=Das Bundesarchiv |language=de}}</ref>

Hopes to add the DVP to the government were disappointed after Wirth angered them by appointing [[Walther Rathenau]] of the DDP as foreign minister at the end of January. After Rathenau was assassinated by right-wing extremists on 24 June, Wirth resumed the position at the Foreign Office. After Andreas Hermes became minister of Finance and Anton Fehr of the [[Bavarian Peasants' League]] (BB) replaced him at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in March 1922, only the post of minister for Reconstruction was left as a potential prize for an additional party. It remained vacant.<ref name=":0" />

== Members ==
The members of the cabinet were as follows:<ref name="DHM">{{cite web |title=Das Kabinett Wirth II (26. Oktober 1921 – 22. November 1922) |url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/aktenreichskanzlei/1919-1933/0000/wir/wir2p/kap1_2/para2_2.html |url-status= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |accessdate=18 July 2023 |website=Das Bundesarchiv |language=de}}</ref>

{{Cabinet table start
| hidepartycol = n
| hiderefcol = y
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellorship]]
| minister1 = [[Joseph Wirth]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Centre Party (Germany)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Vice Chancellor of Germany|Vice-Chancellorship]]
| minister1 = [[Gustav Bauer]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Social Democratic Party of Germany
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany)|Foreign Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[Joseph Wirth]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 31 January 1922
| minister1_party = Centre Party (Germany)
| minister2 = [[Walther Rathenau]]
| minister2_termstart = 1 February 1922
| minister2_termend = 22 June 1922
| minister2_party = German Democratic Party
| minister3 = [[Joseph Wirth]]
| minister3_termstart = 24 June 1922
| minister3_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister3_party = Centre Party (Germany)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of German interior ministers|Interior]]
| minister1 = [[Adolf Köster]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Social Democratic Party of Germany
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection|Justice]]
| minister1 = [[Gustav Radbruch]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Social Democratic Party of Germany
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of German labour ministers|Labour]]
| minister1 = [[Heinrich Brauns]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Centre Party (Germany)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of German defence ministers|Reichswehr]]
| minister1 = [[Otto Gessler]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = German Democratic Party
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of German economics ministers|Economic Affairs]]
| minister1 = [[Robert Schmidt (German politician)|Robert Schmidt]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Social Democratic Party of Germany
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of German finance ministers|Finance]]
| minister1 = [[Andreas Hermes]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Centre Party (Germany)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = Treasury
| minister1 = [[Gustav Bauer]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Social Democratic Party of Germany
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of Federal Ministers of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Germany)|Food and Agriculture]]
| minister1 = [[Andreas Hermes]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 30 March 1922
| minister1_party = Centre Party (Germany)
| minister2 = {{ill|Anton Fehr|de}}
| minister2_termstart = 31 March 1922
| minister2_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister2_party = Bavarian Peasants' League
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Reich Ministry of Transport|Transport]]
| minister1 = [[Wilhelm Groener]]
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Independent (politician)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[List of German postal ministers|Postal affairs]]
| minister1 = {{ill|Johannes Giesberts|de}}
| minister1_termstart = 26 October 1921
| minister1_termend = 22 November 1922
| minister1_party = Centre Party (Germany)
}}
{{Cabinet table minister
| title = [[Reich Ministry for Reconstruction|Reconstruction]]
| minister1 = Vacant
| minister1_termstart = –
| minister1_termend = –
| minister1_party =
}}

{{Cabinet table end}}

== Reparations and the Treaty of Rapallo ==
Confronted with the 132 billion gold marks in reparations payments demanded by the Allies of World War I, Wirth tried to have the total amount lowered through a policy of "fulfilment". By attempting to meet the payments, he intended to show the Allies that the demands were beyond Germany's economic means. In December 1921, Germany told the Allied Reparation Commission that its economic situation would prevent it from paying the reparations that were due in January and February 1922. The January reparations conference at Cannes agreed to let Germany temporarily suspend payments, and in May the Reparation Commission granted a suspension of payments until the end of the year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Das Kabinett Wirth II: Erfüllungspolitik |trans-title=The Second Wirth Cabinet: Fulfillment Policy |url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/aktenreichskanzlei/1919-1933/0000/wir/wir1p/kap1_1/para2_2.html |access-date=22 August 2023 |website=Das Bundesarchiv |language=de}}</ref> In spite of the moratorium, the German mark dropped to 650 marks to the American dollar by July 29.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 29, 1922 |title=Marks Sink Again; 650 to the Dollar | work=[[Brooklyn Daily Eagle]] |page=1 }}</ref>

On 16 April, Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau signed the [[Treaty of Rapallo (1922)|Treaty of Rapallo]] with [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Soviet Russia]]. The two countries re-established diplomatic relations and renounced territorial and financial claims against one another. Rathenau was assassinated by members of the extreme nationalist and antisemitic [[Organisation Consul]] on 24 June. In response to the assassination, the Reichstag enacted the [[Law for the Protection of the Republic]]. It increased the punishments for politically motivated acts of violence and banned organisations that opposed the constitutional republican form of government along with their printed material and meetings.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Albrecht |first1=Kai-Britt |last2=Eikenberg |first2=Gabriel |last3=Walther |first3=Lutz |date=14 September 2014 |title=Walther Rathenau 1867–1922 |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/biografie/walther-rathenau |access-date=29 August 2023 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}</ref>

== Resignation ==
In a speech in front of the Reichstag on 25 June 1922, following the assassination of Walther Rathenau, Wirth turned toward the right-wing members and declared, "There stands the enemy who drips his poison into the wounds of a people. There stands the enemy, and there is no doubt about it: The enemy stands on the right!"<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 2014 |title="Der Feind steht rechts!" Reichskanzler Wirth gegen rechts |language=de |trans-title="The enemy stands on the right!" Chancellor Wirth against the Right |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://magazin.spiegel.de/EpubDelivery/spiegel/pdf/129494119}}</ref> After the speech, it proved impossible to build a coalition that included parties ranging from the conservative DVP to the socialist SPD, which had gained 83 additional seats on 24 September when it reunited with the [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (USDP). When Wirth's government lost a key vote on the grain levy and President Ebert asked him to restructure his cabinet, he was unable to do so. Vice-chancellor Gustav Bauer, speaking for the SPD, rejected being in a coalition with the DVP, as the DDP and Centre wished, and urged the government's resignation. The cabinet agreed on 14 November and, following a short caretaker period, was replaced on 22 November 1922 by the [[Cuno cabinet]], led by the independent [[Wilhelm Cuno]].<ref name=":0" />

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


{{German Cabinets}}
{{German Cabinets}}
[[Category:Historic German cabinets]]
[[Category:Cabinets of Germany|Wirth II]]
[[Category:1921 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:1921 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1921]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1921]]

Latest revision as of 01:38, 30 October 2024

Second Cabinet of Joseph Wirth

6th Cabinet of Weimar Germany
26 October 1921 – 14 November 1922
(until 22 November 1922 as caretaker government)
Chancellor Joseph Wirth
Date formed26 October 1921 (1921-10-26)
Date dissolved22 November 1922 (1922-11-22)
(1 year and 27 days)
People and organisations
PresidentFriedrich Ebert
ChancellorJoseph Wirth
Vice ChancellorGustav Bauer
Member partiesSocial Democratic Party
Centre Party
German Democratic Party
Status in legislatureMinority Weimar Coalition[a]
206/459 (45%)




Majority Weimar Coalition[b]
289/459 (63%)




Opposition partiesIndependent Social Democratic Party[c]
German National People's Party
German People's Party
History
Election1920 federal election
Legislature term1st Reichstag of the Weimar Republic
PredecessorFirst Wirth cabinet
SuccessorCuno cabinet
Gustav Bauer (SPD), Vice-Chancellor and Minister of the Treasury
Walther Rathenau (DDP), Foreign Minister. He was assassinated while in office.
Otto Gessler (DDP), Reichswehr Minister
Wilhelm Groener (Ind.), Minister of Transport

The second Wirth cabinet, headed by Joseph Wirth of the Centre Party, was the sixth democratically elected government of the Weimar Republic. It assumed office on 26 October 1921 when it replaced the first Wirth cabinet, which resigned in protest after the industrially important eastern part of Upper Silesia was awarded to Poland even though the majority of its inhabitants had voted in a plebiscite to remain part of Germany.

The cabinet was based initially on a coalition of the Centre Party and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and was later joined by the German Democratic Party (DDP) The three-party grouping was known as the Weimar Coalition.

The Wirth government won an important moratorium on war reparations payments from the Allied powers. In July 1922, Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau was assassinated by right-wing extremists after he had signed the Rapallo Treaty normalizing relations with Soviet Russia. The assassination shocked the nation and led to the passing of a law that prohibited organisations opposed to the republican form of government.

The second Wirth cabinet resigned on 14 November 1922 after it lost a key vote in the Reichstag and then failed in an attempt to restructure the coalition. It was replaced on 22 November by the Cuno cabinet led by Wilhelm Cuno, an independent.

Establishment

[edit]

Wirth's first government resigned on 22 October 1921 in protest over the partitioning of Upper Silesia by the League of Nations. German President Friedrich Ebert (SPD) asked Joseph Wirth to form a new cabinet on 25 October. Ebert noted that attempts to form a "grand coalition", i.e. including the German Democratic Party (DDP) and/or the German People's Party (DVP) on 23 to 25 October seemed to have failed. Both parties refused to accept the partition of Silesia or to join any coalition that agreed to it. The SPD and Centre Party then decided to form a minority government. On 26 October, Wirth gave a government statement in which he presented his new cabinet as a combination of individuals, not as members of a coalition. Wirth was in charge of the Foreign Office, Andreas Hermes (Centre) became acting Finance minister, and the minister for Reconstruction position remained unfilled. The arrangement left three positions to offer in case of a later increase in the size of the coalition. Otto Gessler (DDP) remained on as Reichswehr minister.[2]

Hopes to add the DVP to the government were disappointed after Wirth angered them by appointing Walther Rathenau of the DDP as foreign minister at the end of January. After Rathenau was assassinated by right-wing extremists on 24 June, Wirth resumed the position at the Foreign Office. After Andreas Hermes became minister of Finance and Anton Fehr of the Bavarian Peasants' League (BB) replaced him at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in March 1922, only the post of minister for Reconstruction was left as a potential prize for an additional party. It remained vacant.[2]

Members

[edit]

The members of the cabinet were as follows:[3]


Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Chancellorship26 October 192122 November 1922 Centre
Vice-Chancellorship26 October 192122 November 1922 SPD
Foreign Affairs26 October 192131 January 1922 Centre
1 February 192222 June 1922 DDP
24 June 192222 November 1922 Centre
Interior26 October 192122 November 1922 SPD
Justice26 October 192122 November 1922 SPD
Labour26 October 192122 November 1922 Centre
Reichswehr26 October 192122 November 1922 DDP
Economic Affairs26 October 192122 November 1922 SPD
Finance26 October 192122 November 1922 Centre
Treasury26 October 192122 November 1922 SPD
Food and Agriculture26 October 192130 March 1922 Centre
31 March 192222 November 1922 BB
Transport26 October 192122 November 1922 Independent
Postal affairs26 October 192122 November 1922 Centre
Reconstruction
Vacant
–– 

Reparations and the Treaty of Rapallo

[edit]

Confronted with the 132 billion gold marks in reparations payments demanded by the Allies of World War I, Wirth tried to have the total amount lowered through a policy of "fulfilment". By attempting to meet the payments, he intended to show the Allies that the demands were beyond Germany's economic means. In December 1921, Germany told the Allied Reparation Commission that its economic situation would prevent it from paying the reparations that were due in January and February 1922. The January reparations conference at Cannes agreed to let Germany temporarily suspend payments, and in May the Reparation Commission granted a suspension of payments until the end of the year.[4] In spite of the moratorium, the German mark dropped to 650 marks to the American dollar by July 29.[5]

On 16 April, Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau signed the Treaty of Rapallo with Soviet Russia. The two countries re-established diplomatic relations and renounced territorial and financial claims against one another. Rathenau was assassinated by members of the extreme nationalist and antisemitic Organisation Consul on 24 June. In response to the assassination, the Reichstag enacted the Law for the Protection of the Republic. It increased the punishments for politically motivated acts of violence and banned organisations that opposed the constitutional republican form of government along with their printed material and meetings.[6]

Resignation

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In a speech in front of the Reichstag on 25 June 1922, following the assassination of Walther Rathenau, Wirth turned toward the right-wing members and declared, "There stands the enemy who drips his poison into the wounds of a people. There stands the enemy, and there is no doubt about it: The enemy stands on the right!"[7] After the speech, it proved impossible to build a coalition that included parties ranging from the conservative DVP to the socialist SPD, which had gained 83 additional seats on 24 September when it reunited with the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USDP). When Wirth's government lost a key vote on the grain levy and President Ebert asked him to restructure his cabinet, he was unable to do so. Vice-chancellor Gustav Bauer, speaking for the SPD, rejected being in a coalition with the DVP, as the DDP and Centre wished, and urged the government's resignation. The cabinet agreed on 14 November and, following a short caretaker period, was replaced on 22 November 1922 by the Cuno cabinet, led by the independent Wilhelm Cuno.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ Until the SPD / USPD merger on 24 September 1922. Numbers include the results of the delayed elections in East Prussia and Schleswig-Holstein on 20 February 1921.[1]
  2. ^ Following the SPD / USPD merger on 24 September 1922 and including the East Prussian and Schleswig-Holstein results
  3. ^ Until the SPD / USPD merger on 24 September 1922

References

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  1. ^ "Das Deutsche Reich: Reichstagswahl 1920/22" [The German Reich: Reichstag Election 1920/22]. gonschior.de (in German). Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Die beiden Kabinette Wirth" [The Two Wirth Cabinets]. Das Bundesarchiv (in German). Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Das Kabinett Wirth II (26. Oktober 1921 – 22. November 1922)". Das Bundesarchiv (in German). Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Das Kabinett Wirth II: Erfüllungspolitik" [The Second Wirth Cabinet: Fulfillment Policy]. Das Bundesarchiv (in German). Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Marks Sink Again; 650 to the Dollar". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 29 July 1922. p. 1.
  6. ^ Albrecht, Kai-Britt; Eikenberg, Gabriel; Walther, Lutz (14 September 2014). "Walther Rathenau 1867–1922". Deutsches Historisches Museum (in German). Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  7. ^ ""Der Feind steht rechts!" Reichskanzler Wirth gegen rechts" ["The enemy stands on the right!" Chancellor Wirth against the Right]. Der Spiegel (in German). May 2014.
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