Social Democratic premier who governed Prussia from 1920 to 1932 until the Prussian coup removed him
Born in Königsberg, he trained as a lithographer and joined the then-banned SPD in 1888 at sixteen, becoming a leader of East Prussia's agricultural workers. After the 1918 revolution he became Prussian Minister of Agriculture and sat in the Weimar National Assembly. Minister President of Prussia from 1920 to 1932 with two short interruptions, he democratised the administration and police, replaced monarchist officials with republicans and tried to fight the rise of the Nazi Party. He ran for president in 1925 and withdrew in favour of the Centre candidate after the first ballot. Papen's Prussian coup ousted his government on 20 July 1932; he fled to Switzerland in 1933 and died in Locarno in 1955.
Activities and affiliations
-
1888–1955
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
Government and administration -
1918–1920
Germany state institutionsPrussian Minister of Agriculture
Agriculture and land policy -
1919–1933
Legislature and state representation
-
1920–1932
Germany state institutionsMinister President of PrussiaMain
Government and administration