Hermann Mueller

Hermann Mueller

Hermann Mueller, the son of a wine manufacturer, was born in Mannheim, Germany, on 18th May, 1876. He studied in Mannheim and Dresden before finding work in Breslau.

In 1893 Mueller joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and six years later was appointed editor of its newspaper in Goerlitz. On the suggestion of August Bebel he became a member of the party's executive committee in 1906.

In 1914 Mueller travelled to France where he met with other European socialists in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the First World War. Too old to join the German Army Mueller was elected to the Reichstag in 1916.

After the war Mueller became joint chairman of the Social Democratic Party and in 1919 became minister of foreign affairs and was one of the signatories of the Versailles Peace Treaty.

In 1928 Mueller published his book, The November Revolution. After the parliamentary elections of that year Mueller became chancellor in a coalition government that included the Social Democratic Party, the Catholic Centre Party and the Nationalist Party (DNVP).

On 12th March 1930, Mueller accepted the Young Plan but fifteen days later he resigned as chancellor when his party refused to accept his proposal on reduce unemployment benefits. Hermann Mueller died on 20th March, 1931.

Primary Sources