Karl Helfferich

German financier and politician. After working as a lecturer in economics at the University of Berlin, he moved into government service. In 1908, he became a director of the Anatolian Railway Company, and in the same year he became a director of Deutsche Bank, where he promoted Germany's overseas expansion projects, such as the Baghdad Railway. In 1915, during World War I, he was invited to become Minister of Finance of the Second Reich, and continued to raise funds for the war through public bonds, which led to postwar inflation. In 1916, he also served as Minister of the Interior and Deputy Prime Minister, but resigned in November 1917. After the war, he was active in politics as a critic of the Weimar Republic. As a member of the German National People's Party parliament, he attacked Finance Minister Erzberger, causing his downfall and encouraging the rise of anti-republican forces. During the inflation of 1923, he made proposals that formed the basis for the establishment of the Rentenmark, but he died in a train accident in 1924.

[Kimura Seiji]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ドイツの財政家、政治家。ベルリン大学経済学講師を務めたのち、官界に転出。1908年アナトリア鉄道会社理事、同年ドイツ銀行理事となって、バグダード鉄道などドイツの海外進出事業を推進した。第一次世界大戦中の1915年、第二帝国財務相に招かれ、公債による戦費調達を続けて、戦後のインフレの原因をつくった。1916年に内相、副首相をも兼任したが、1917年11月辞任。戦後は、ワイマール共和国を批判する立場から、政界で活動。ドイツ国家人民党国会議員として、財務相エルツベルガーを攻撃して失脚させ、反共和派の台頭を促した。1923年のインフレでは、レンテンマルク成立の素地をなす提言を行ったが、1924年鉄道事故で死亡した。

［木村靖二］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例