Prince Maximilian of Baden - Chancellor

Chancellor

In view of the German collapse in the last days of the war, the cabinet of Chancellor Georg von Hertling resigned on 30 September 1918. Noted as a liberal, the Prince was appointed Chancellor of Germany and Minister President of Prussia by Emperor Wilhelm II on 3 October 1918 in order to negotiate an armistice with the Allies, hopefully accepted by US President Woodrow Wilson.

Although Max had serious reservations about the way the OHL wanted to conduct negotiations, he accepted the charge, and appointed a government that for the first time included representatives of the Social Democrats as state secretaries, Philipp Scheidemann and Gustav Bauer. Even Ludendorff now advocated a parliamentary system which would confine the Kaiser to mainly ceremonial duties.

The next day Maximilain officially submitted an armstitce proposal with the consent of the OHL, nevertheless President Wilson reacted with reserve. To improve Germany's standing with the Allies, the new chancellor pushed through amendments to the Imperial constitution that gradually replaced the authoritarian system left by Otto von Bismarck.

However, the government's efforts to secure an armistice were interrupted by the Kiel mutiny and the outbreak of revolution in Germany in early November. Maximilian, seriously ill with Spanish influenza, urged Wilhelm II to abdicate. The Kaiser, who had fled from revolutionary Berlin to the Spa headquarters, despite similar advice by Hindenburg and Wilhelm Groener of the OHL considered abdication only as Emperor, not as King of Prussia. On 9 November 1918, Maximilian went ahead and announced the abdication anyway, as well as the renunciation of Crown Prince William. On the same day, Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed Germany a republic, whereafter Maximilian himself resigned as chancellor in favor of the Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert.