Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg
Theobald Theodor Friedrich Alfred von Bethmann Hollweg (29 November 1856 – 1 January 1921) was a German politician who was chancellor of the German Empire from 1909 to 1917. He oversaw the German entry into World War I and played a key role during its first three years. He was replaced as chancellor in July 1917 due in large part to opposition to his policies by leaders in the military.Between 1884 and 1899 Bethmann Hollweg rose rapidly through positions in the Prussian government and served briefly as a member of the Reichstag in 1890. The experience left him unsympathetic to the party system and an independent for the remainder of his political life. Emperor Wilhelm II appointed him chancellor in 1909, in part because he approved of his conciliatory political style. His eight years as chancellor showed him to be cautiously supportive of some liberalization but also a firm believer that a parliamentary monarchy was the best form of government for Germany.
During World War I, Bethmann Hollweg thought that Germany was so threatened that it needed to take all necessary measures to survive. He assured Austria-Hungary of Germany's full backing and supported its aggressive demands against Serbia. He held back on German mobilization until after Russia's so that Germany would not appear to be the aggressor. Although he supported the invasion of Belgium as necessary given Germany's threatened position, he saw it from the first as an injustice that would need to be righted. He fought against the implementation of unrestricted submarine warfare but in the end bowed to pressure from the military and the conservatives in the Reichstag and approved its use. As the war progressed, many who had supported him in parliament felt that he had been in his position too long to be able to negotiate an acceptable peace. When both Quartermaster General Erich Ludendorff and Chief of the General Staff Paul von Hindenburg threatened to resign if he was not replaced as chancellor, Bethmann Hollweg submitted his resignation to the Emperor.
In his ''Reflections on the World War'' that remained unfinished when he died in 1921, Bethmann Hollweg stressed Germany's difficult geographical position, admitted that the government and the Emperor had made mistakes leading up to the war and that Germany bore some of the guilt for it but that only a "common guilt" could have led to such a great catastrophe. Provided by Wikipedia
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Betrachtungen zum Weltkriege. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Tio års Ententepolitik : till belysning af krigets förhistoria : rikskansler von Bethmann Hollwegs tal den 19 aug. 1915 : riksfinansminister Dr. Helfferichs tal den 20 aug. 1915 by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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Friedensangebot und U-Boot-Krieg. : Wortlaut der Aussage des früheren Reichskanzlers im Untersuchungsausschuss. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Bethmann Holwegs Kriegsreden / by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Rede des Rechskanzlers von Bethmann Hollweg am 9. Dezember 1915. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Sechs Kriegsreden des Reichskanzlers. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Seven war speeches by the German chancellor 1914-1916. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Sieben Kriegsreden des Reichskanzlers. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Speech delivered in the German Reichstag vy the imperial chancellor on December 9, 1915. by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Tio års enentepolitik. : Tilbelysning af krigets förhistoria. Rikskansler von Bethmann-Hollwigs tal den 19 augusti 1915. - Riksfinansminister Dr. Helfferichs tal den 20 aug. 1915.... by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Tyske rikskanslären om läget just nu och fredsutsikterna : tal i tyska riksdagen den 9 december 1915 by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Tysklands freds-anbud : Rikskansleren von Bethmann-Hollwegs tal i tyska rikskagen den 12 dec. 1916 by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Seven War Speeches by the German Chancellor 1914-1916 by Bethmann-Hollweg Theobald von
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Sept Discours de Guerre du Chancelier allemand 1914-1916 by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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Vaterländischer Hilfsdienst Reden zur Vorlage d. Gesetzes im Reichstag (29. November 1916) by Bethmann Hollweg, Theobald von
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Betrachtungen zum Weltkriege.. by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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Betrachtungen zum Weltkriege.. by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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6 Kriegsreden des Reichskanzlers by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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Wer ist schuld am Kriege? Rede des deutschen Reichskanzlers im Hauptausschusse des deutschen Reichstags am 9. November 1916 by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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Bethmann-Hollweg's Kriegsreden by Bethmann-Hollweg, Theobald von
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World War, 1914-1918
Erster Weltkrieg
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Politik
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World War, 1914-1918 -- Causes
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