Prince Maximilian of Baden

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Prince Maximilian of Baden
Prince Maximilian of Baden

In office
3 October – 9 November 1918
Preceded by Georg Graf von Hertling
Succeeded by Friedrich Ebert

Born 10 July 1867
Died 6 November 1929
Political party None

Prince Maximilian of Baden (Max von Baden) (10 July 18676 November 1929) was the cousin and heir of Grand Duke Frederick II of Baden (being the eldest son of his uncle Prince Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden), and succeeded Frederick as head of the Grand Ducal House in 1928. He was married to Princess Marie Louise of Hanover and Cumberland, eldest daughter of Ernst Augustus II of Hanover. In 1918 he served as the 8th Chancellor of Germany.

Contents

[edit] Career

Maximilian was born in Baden-Baden.

Noted as a liberal before and during the First World War, he was appointed Chancellor of Germany in October 1918 in order to negotiate an armistice with the allies in the last days of the war. Although he had serious reservations about the way the German General Staff wanted to conduct negotiations, he accepted the charge, and appointed a government that for the first time included representatives of the Social Democrats, Friedrich Ebert and Philipp Scheidemann.

The government's efforts to secure an armistice were interrupted by the outbreak of revolution in Germany in the first days of November. Maximilian, realizing that the Kaiser would not be able to retain his throne, urged him to abdicate in time to save the monarchy itself, but the Kaiser refused to agree, even though Paul von Hindenburg and Wilhelm Groener of the General Staff urged the same course of action.

Then Maximilian announced the abdication without the Kaiser's consent, and resigned in favour of Ebert on 9 November 1918. This was immediately followed by the proclamation of the German Republic.

Prince Maximilian spent the rest of his life in retirement. He died at Salem (Baden) in 1929.

[edit] Children

He and Maria Luise were parents to two children:

[edit] References

  • My Syllabus of Errors, by O.C. Hiss. Berlin: Potsdam Press, 1990.

[edit] External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Georg Graf von Hertling
Chancellor of Germany
1918
Succeeded by
Friedrich Ebert
Prime Minister of Prussia
1918
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Friedrich II,
Grand Duke of Baden
* NOT REIGNING *
Grand Duke of Baden
(1928-1929)
* Reason for Succession Failure: *
Grand Duchy abolished in 1918 
Succeeded by
Berthold,
Margrave of Baden



Persondata
NAME Maximilian, Prince of Baden
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Max von Baden (alternate form)
SHORT DESCRIPTION Chancellor of Germany
DATE OF BIRTH 10 July 1867
PLACE OF BIRTH Baden-Baden
DATE OF DEATH 6 November 1929
PLACE OF DEATH