Leo von Caprivi

Leo von Caprivi
Caprivi in 1880
Chancellor of the German Empire
In office
20 March 1890 – 26 October 1894
MonarchWilhelm II
DeputyKarl Heinrich von Boetticher
Preceded byOtto von Bismarck
Succeeded byChlodwig von Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
Minister President of Prussia
In office
20 March 1890 – 22 March 1892
MonarchWilhelm II
Preceded byOtto von Bismarck
Succeeded byBotho zu Eulenburg
Chief of the Imperial Admiralty
In office
20 March 1883 – 5 July 1888
ChancellorOtto von Bismarck
Preceded byAlbrecht von Stosch
Succeeded byAlexander von Monts
Personal details
Born
Georg Leo von Caprivi

24 February 1831
Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia
(Now Germany)
Died6 February 1899 (1899-02-07) (aged 67)
Skyren, Prussia, German Empire
(Now Skórzyn, Poland)
Political partyIndependent
AwardsPour le Mérite
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Prussia
 German Confederation
 North German Confederation
 German Empire
Branch/service Prussian Army
Years of service1849–1888
RankGeneral der Infanterie
Vize Admiral
Battles/warsSecond Schleswig War
Austro-Prussian War

Georg Leo Graf von Caprivi de Caprara de Montecuccoli (English: Count George Leo of Caprivi, Caprara, and Montecuccoli; born Georg Leo von Caprivi; 24 February 1831 – 6 February 1899)[1] was a German general and statesman. He served as the chancellor of the German Empire from March 1890 to October 1894.

During his tenure as chancellor, Caprivi promoted industrial and commercial development, and concluded numerous bilateral treaties for reduction of tariff barriers. However, this movement toward free trade angered Germany's conservative agrarian interests, especially the Junkers. As part of Kaiser Wilhelm's "new course" in foreign policy, Caprivi abandoned Bismarck's military, economic, and ideological cooperation with the Russian Empire, which historians consider a major mistake. Even worse, Caprivi misjudged multiple opportunities to open good relations with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Frustrated, Britain turned to the Empire of Japan and the French Third Republic for agreements. Caprivi's downfall came with trade agreements that favored German industry and urban workers over more powerful agricultural interests. However, historians praise his refusal to renew the harsh restrictions on socialists, and his success in the reorganization of the German military.[2][3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference americana was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ John C. G. Röhl (1967). Germany Without Bismarck: The Crisis of Government in the Second Reich, 1890–1900. University of California Press. pp. 77–90.
  3. ^ J. Alden Nichols, Germany after Bismarck, the Caprivi era, 1890-1894 (1958) online pp 367–377.