Joseph Wirth

Joseph Wirth

Karl Joseph Wirth (1879-1956) was a German politician. He was a member of the Centre Party (Deutsche Zentrumspartei). From May 10,1921 to November 14, 1922 he was chancellor of the Weimar Republic. When he started his office as chancellor, he was the youngest chancellor in office. The party he was part of was Catholic, and he was seen as being part of the left wing of that party. Germany had lost the First World War. Wirth was criticized because he wanted to cooperate with the winners of the war. In 1922, he thought that the winners of the war in the West had made too few concessions. For that reason, Wirth talked to Soviet Russia, who had made an offer for a treaty. The result was the Treaty of Rapallo, of 1922. After the Second World War, Wirth worked towards German reunification. When the Ermächtigungsgesetz was passed, brining the Nazis to power in 1933, Wirth emigrated, first to Switzerland, then to the United States, and France. Wirth returned to Germany in 1949.

By profession, Wirth was an economist and mathematician.

Wirth wanted to serve as a volunteer in the First World War, but was not seen as fit to serve as a soldier. From 1914 to 1919 he worked with the Red Cross, at the Western Front.