Gustav Bauer (6 January 1870–16 September 1944) was a German Social Democratic Party leader and Chancellor of Germany from 1919 to 1920.
Born in Darkehmen near Königsberg in East Prussia, Bauer, who rose to notice through his leadership of a white-collar trade union, served from 1908 to 1918 as chairman of the General Commission of Trade Unions for all of Germany. A member of the Reichstag, Bauer entered Prince Max of Baden's government in October 1918 as Minister of Labour, a role which he continued to hold in the government of Philipp Scheidemann after the war. When Scheidemann resigned in June 1919 to protest the Treaty of Versailles, Bauer became Chancellor, serving until March 1920, when he resigned shortly after the failure of the Kapp Putsch.
Bauer later served in the governments of Hermann Müller and Joseph Wirth.
Cabinet June 1919 - March 1920
Changes
- July 15 1919 - Robert Schmidt succeeds Wissell as Economics Minister. Schmidt remains Food Minister.
- October 3 1919 - Dr. Eugen Schiffer (DDP) enters the cabinet as Justice Minister and succeeds Erzberger as Vice-Chancellor. Erzberger remains Finance Minister. Dr. Erich Koch-Weser (DDP) succeeds David as Interior Minister. David remains in the cabinet as Minister without Portfolio.
- October 25 1919 - Otto Gessler (DDP) enters the cabinet as Reconstruction Minister .
- November 7 1919 - The Colonial Office is abolished. Bell remains Transportation Minister.
- January 30 1920 - Mayer resigns as Treasury Minister.
- March 12 1920 - Erzberger resigns as Finance Minister.
