Masters Theses

Date of Award

6-1982

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

History

Major Professor

John H. Morrow Jr.

Abstract

This thesis examines the effect of Count Hugo von Lerchenfeld, the Bavarian envoy to Berlin from 1880-1918, upon the relationship between Bavarian and the German central government from 1914-17. Count Lerchenfeld was chosen as the focus of this thesis because of Bavaria's important position within the Reich and because of the amount of political influence which this particular envoy exercised in both Berlin and Munich. The unusual stresses which World War I placed upon Berlin-Munich relations accentuated the importance of Count Lerchenfeld, making this period a critical one for study.

The major source for this thesis is the edited correspondence between Count Lerchenfeld and Count Georg von Hertling, Minister President of Bavaria from 1912-17. Also helpful were Manfred Rauh's studies of the constitutional structure and parliamentary development in Imperial Germany and Karl Heinz Janssen's analysis of the conflict between the states and Berlin during the wartime period.

An examination of the letters revealed that Lerchenfeld acted as a moderating influence upon Munich in its relations with the central government. Through adept diplomacy and close contact with both governments, Lerchenfeld prevented the Bavarian government from overreacting to the problems caused by centralization, war aims, submarine warfare, and the increase in power of the military and the Reichstag and, in some cases, facilitated collaboration between Hertling and Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg against the Chancellor's political enemies. Careful study of the source material also illustrates the Chancellor's dependence upon Bavarian backing for the success of many of his policies and demonstrates that although Bavarian demands posed many problems for Bethmann Hollweg, Munich's support of the Chancellor in times of crisis made their relationship a delicate mixture of conflict and cooperation.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS