Wilhelm Solf

Wilhelm Heinrich Solf (5 October 1862 – 6 February 1936) was a German scholar, diplomat, jurist and statesman who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1918 to 1922.

Early life
WIP

Early diplomatic career
WIP

Governor of Samoa
WIP

Alliance with the OHL
Due to the severe mishandling of the anti-war riots in Bremen by the Hertling government, the governing coalition collapsed after a motion in the Reichstag to apply accountability to the chancellor failed. As a result, Hertling resigned on 7, March, 1918. Surprising both Hertling and the Reichstag at large, Ludendorff decided to back Solf, then Secretary for the Colonies, as Hertling's successor, having saw him as the best opportunity to obtain popular support for the OHL's planned final offensive. Under pressure from the OHL, Solf was appointed chancellor the same day Hertling resigned. Beforehand, Ludendorff had guaranteed that the Social Democratic Party, Progressive People's Party, and Catholic Centre Parties all would give confidence in Solf's government – leading to the first left-leaning majority coalition on the Reich level in German history as well as the first time the SPD actively participated in a Reich government. With broad support and an absolute majority in the Reichstag, Solf immediately set out to implement the reforms viewed as necessary for the continuation of the war effort. Although there was broad support for his appointment even within the parties now technically in the opposition, there were some voices critical of him, most importantly that of Generaloberst Karl von Einem, whom Ludendorff would later unsuccessfully attempt to set up as a rival to Solf. Einem decried Solf as being “soft” and denounced his coalition as a “band of Landesverräter” (lit. “national traitors”).

Tenative reforms
Among the first set of reforms introduced by Solf was the introduction of accountability of the chancellor to the Reichstag, a constitutional change that acquired the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament. Other reforms proved more difficult for Solf: As he ex officio also served as the Minister President of Prussia, was responsible for the widely demanded reform to the Three-Class Prussian voting system, a promise of reform that had been made all the way back in early 1917 by the Kaiser. In a speech in May, Solf claimed that, without the reform in Prussia, “the war would be won, but the peace be lost.” The bill implementing accountability of the chancellor to the Reichstag was passed on 30 March, 1918.

More radical reformers within the coalition wished to implement a new article within the constitution that would implement basic rights on a national level – previously, those had been only present in the constitutions of the individual states and varied widely. Additionally, the introduction of accountable ministers rather than the pliable state secretaries was also demanded, mainly by the Social Democrats. Solf blocked these attempts under pressure from the army, which did not have any desire to implement reforms they saw as too radical. The army also blocked numerous attempts by the reformers to remove the approval of the military budget in seven-year cycles by the Reichstag, a measure implemented during the drafting of the constitution to prevent the army from being controlled by parliament. Although Solf was sympathetic to a measure of reform in that regard, he submitted to the army’s demands on numerous occasions. While the transformation of state secretaries into ministers was blocked, Solf pushed through a reform that granted parliamentarians the ability to receive the post of state secretary without having to resign their seat in the Reichstag. These reforms were introduced between March and June 1918. Upon the war’s end, the army leadership under Ludendorff and Hindenburg gradually retired into the background as their influence began to wane. Although political pressure upon Solf decreased for the remainder of his tenure, it still occasionally intervened in the government’s affairs.

Mounting pressures
After the Prussian electoral law reform was passed, despite marginal opposition, in July 1918, the first nation-wide elections since 1912 were scheduled to occur on August – more specifically on 1 August, four years to the day since the start of the war. Solf’s coalition retained a majority. However, shortly after the new Reichstag was elected, pressure started to mount on the chancellor for the hesitancy to reform, with especially the Social Democrats being displeased about the progress made up to that point. Many within that party believed that the reforms had only “sewn a patch on the mantle of militarism” and that Solf was preventing further liberalization. This conflict would remain unresolved until the very end of his chancellorship. While the SPD viewed him as too conservative, members of the Liberal and Centre parties were more pragmatic towards the chancellor, intending to keep the coalition together. Especially Matthias Erzberger, vice chancellor and member of the Centre party supported Solf during conflicts with the SPD at this time.

A first major confrontation between the Reichstag and the SPD on one side came to be over the issue of a veteran’s insurance bill for the former soldiers of the war. A more conservative draft of the bill was harshly criticised by the SPD as being contrary to the social aims of the coalition. At that point in January 1919, the coalition threatened to break apart, only being saved by the intervention of Erzberger. Reforms were implemented more widely after the crisis, despite strong conservative opposition. Disagreements within the coalition could not be resolved permanently and by early 1922, the SPD had lost confidence in the chancellor. In a last-ditch attempt to save the coalition from falling apart, Erzberger offered to the SPD to have member of the Centre party be appointed chancellor instead, with Solf being convinced to resign. On 12 February 1922, Solf resigned from his posts of Reich chancellor and Minister President of Prussia.

WIP

Later career
Following his time as chancellor, Solf decided to enter retirement from political life all together.

WIP

Personal life
WIP