HERTLING, GEORG,Count von (1843-1919), Germanstatesman, was born Aug. 31 1843 at Darmstadt. In 1882 hebecame professor of philosophy in the university of Munich, andduring his tenure of this chair he published books on Aristotle(1871) and on Albertus Magnus (1880). From 1875 to 1890, andagain from 1893 to 1912, he was a member of the Reichstag, andafter 1909 led for a time the Centre (Catholic) party in thatAssembly. The Regent of Bavaria made him in 1891 a life memberof the Upper House of the Bavarian Diet. In 1912 he wasappointed Bavarian Minister-President and Minister for ForeignAffairs. King Ludwig III. elevated him to the rank of Count. Hehad been urged by the Emperor to accept the Chancellorshipwhen Bethmann Hollweg resigned in July 1917, but declined onthe ground that he saw no prospect of being able to work inharmony with the higher military command. When Michaelis wasgot rid of in Oct. 1917 he yielded to pressure which was put uponhim, and, although 74 years of age and in a precarious state ofhealth, assumed the burden of the Chancellorship, which hesustained for the ensuing 12 months. The encroachments of themilitary authorities, particularly Ludendorff, upon the politicalconduct of the empire became even more serious during Hertling'sChancellorship than they had been during that of BethmannHollweg. Hertling's son, an officer who was attached tohim as aide-de-camp, has, in a book possessing both politicalinterest and real literary merit,Ein Jahr in der Reichskanzlei(1919), given an account of the difficulties which the Chancellorexperienced in his dealings with the Emperor and with Ludendorff.It fell to Hertling's lot, moreover, to endeavour topersuade the reactionary Prussian Chamber and the PrussianHerrenhaus to pass the bill which, in fulfilment of the Emperor'sbelated proclamations, had been introduced for the equalizationof the Prussian franchise. In this he failed, although upon oneoccasion he had gone so far as to warn the Upper House that thequestion was one which concerned “the existence of the dynasty.”Indeed, two “Chancellor” crises within four months had donemuch to undermine the whole system of Imperial and Prussiansemi-absolutism, and to shake the confidence of the masses in thepossibility of a successful issue of the war. The failure of thespring and summer offensives of 1918 destroyed Hertling's hopethat he might eventually be able to negotiate with the Alliedand Associated Powers on anything like equal terms. Feelingamong the masses and also in large sections of the army wasgiving cause for great anxiety. The necessity for the introductionof real parliamentary government, against which, in accordancewith the conservative principles of a lifetime, he struggled,became paramount. His health too was broken. His resignationwas accepted on Sept. 30 1918. He died on Jan. 4 1919 at hiscountry home at Ruhpolding in Upper Bavaria. He leftreminiscences which were published in 1919 under the title ofErinnerungcn aus meinem Leben.

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