Hermann Müller (politician, born 1876)

Hermann Müller (18 May 1876 – 21 March 1931), also known as Hermann Müller-Franken, was a German Social Democratic politician who served as Chancellor of Germany during the Weimar Republic. He held the office twice, first from March to June 1920 and again from June 1928 to March 1930.

Born in Mannheim, Müller was a printer by trade and became involved in the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) at a young age. He rose through the ranks of the party, serving as a member of the Reichstag from 1912. During World War I, he supported the war effort, a position that put him at odds with some within the SPD's left wing.

Following the war, Müller played a significant role in the establishment of the Weimar Republic. He served as Foreign Minister in the government of Gustav Bauer and later became Chancellor for the first time in March 1920. His first chancellorship was short-lived, collapsing due to internal divisions within the coalition government.

Müller's second chancellorship, from 1928 to 1930, coincided with the onset of the Great Depression. His government struggled to cope with the economic crisis, particularly the issue of unemployment insurance. Disagreements within the coalition over how to finance unemployment benefits ultimately led to the fall of his government in March 1930.

Müller remained active in the SPD until his death in 1931. He is remembered as a key figure in the Weimar Republic and a representative of the moderate wing of the Social Democratic movement. His leadership during a period of immense economic and political instability was marked by attempts to maintain stability and consensus, though ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the republic's eventual demise.