|
|
|
[
Short Biography
] [ Curriculum
Vitae
] [
Gallery
] |
|
Short Biography |
|
Friedrich Ebert (1871 - 1925), a learnt
saddler from Heidelberg, started an early political and trade-union
activist carrier in Bremen. Since 1905 member of the party executive
board of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Berlin, he became a
member of the Reichtag in 1912 and one of two chairmen of the SPD
fraction in the German Reichstag in 1916. Already back in 1913,
after the decease of August Bebel, he had been elected party
chairman of SPD.
After the victory of the 1918 revolution, Friedrich Ebert took over
the chaimanship of the revolutionary government, "Council of the
People’s Deputies (Rat der Volksbeauftragten)”. He was decisively
opposed of the "Dictatorship of the Proletariate" and a council
system of soviet-russian style, supported parliamentary democracy
and pushed through the general elections to the Weimar National
Assembly which elected him President of the Reich on February 11,
1919.
During his term of office, he aimed at a political and social
reconciliation between working class and bourgeoisie. He was opposed
even in parts of the social democrate movement for his refusal of
class struggle politics but it was the right that targeted him with
slander and denigration which damaged the Republic and played their
role in the early death of this first democratically electe Head of
the German State.
It is only today, in a stable democracy, that his political activity
has won recognition across party boundaries.
For more information, please have a look at the
detailed
biography of Friedrich Ebert (in German only).
BACK TO TOP |
|
Curriculum Vitae |
|
1871
Friedrich Ebert is born on February 4 in Heidelberg
1891
Ebert arrives in Bremen. He works as saddler and editor.
Temporary president of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Bremen
1894 - 1900
Ebert owns and works in a bar in Bremen.
1900
Elected Social Democratic (SPD) representative in the Bremen
municipal assembly.
Bremen trade-union official (until 1905).
1905
Ebert becomes Secretary in the SPD executive board and moves to
Berlin.
1912
Ebert is elected to the German Reichstag (until 1918).
1913
Successor to August Bebel as SPD party chairman (until 1919,
together with Hugo Haase).
1916
Co-chairman of the SPD fraction in the German Reichstag (together
with Philipp Scheidemann).
1918
On November 9, the revolution reaches Berlin. Kaiser Wilhelm II
abdicates and goes into exile in the Netherlands. Prince Max of
Baden entrusts Ebert with managing the affairs of state as
Chancellor of the Reich
1919
On February 11, the National Assembly elects Friedrich Ebert
President of the Reich.
1922
On October 24, the Reichstag votes to prolong Friedrich Ebert's
presidency til 1925.
1925
President Ebert dies on February 28 in Berlin.
BACK TO
TOP |
|
Gallery |
|
 |
 |
|
The
SPD executive board in
1909. From left: top: Luise Zietz, Friedrich Ebert, Hermann Müller,
Robert Wengels; bottom: Karl Alwin Gerisch, Paul Singer, August
Bebel, Wilhelm Pfannkuch, Hermann Molkenbuhr. |
A
portrait of Friedrich Ebert, c. 1918.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Opening Speech at the National Assembly, 06.02.1919. Friedrich Ebert
at the lectern. |
Friedrich Ebert and family, c. 1922. From left: Friedrich Ebert,
Friedrich Ebert junior, Luise Ebert and Karl Ebert. |
|
 |
 |
|
President of the Reich Friedrich Ebert in a talk with famous German
poet Gerhart Hauptmann, c. 1922 |
A
portrait of Friedrich Ebert, c. 1924.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Friedrich Ebert during a speech, c. 1924 |
Probably the last official photograph of Friedrich Ebert, taken on
15.02.1925 at his desk in the Presidential Cabinet. |
|
 |
 |
|
The
President of the Reich Friedrich Ebert on his deathbed, 01.03.1925 |
Funeral of Friedrich
Ebert. Here the funeral procession in Heidelberg, 04.03.1925. |
|
BACK TO TOP |
|
[Print
this page]
[Email
this page]
[Add
this page to your favourites]
|
