PEEBLES PROFILES
EPISODE 176
Eugen Schiffer
LEGAL ROOTS
Eugen Schiffer was born in the Prussian Silesian town of Breslau on February 14, 1860. He was the son of Bernhard Schiffer (a merchant) and Mathilde (née Kassel).
The young Eugen graduated from the Elisabeth-Gymnasium in Breslau with the Abitur. He went on to study law at Breslau, Leipzig, and Tübingen. In 1880, Schiffer entered the Prussian judicial service.
Eight years later, Schiffer married Bertha Buttermilch. They had two daughters and one son. In 1896, Schiffer converted from Judaism to Protestantism.
After positions in Zabrze (in Upper Silesia) and Magdeburg, Schiffer went to Berlin in 1906 and became Kammergerichtsrat (Councilor of the Supreme Court). Four years later, he was promoted to Oberverwaltungsgerichtsrat (Higher Administrative Court Council).
LAWYER TURNED POLITICIAN
During the First World War, Schiffer was an adviser to General Wilhelm Groener. He was also in charge of the law department at the War Ministry. In October 1917, Schiffer became Unterstaatssekretär (Undersecretary) at the Reichsschatzamt (Treasury). At the same time, he was a delegate to the lower chamber of the Prussian diet for the National Liberal Party (from 1903 to 1918). Schiffer was also a member of the Reichstag representing Magdeburg.
A gifted orator, Schiffer gained support from big industry. His ambitious nature made him a well known deputy. Schiffer was in favor of strengthening the power of the parliament. But as a monarchist, he opposed the outbreak of the German Revolution as the war drew to a close.
Nevertheless, Schiffer became Staatssekretär of the Treasury in November 1918. Around the same time, he was a founding member of the German Democratic Party (DDP). Schiffer was also a member and leader of the DDP parliamentary group in both the Weimar National Assembly (1919–20) and the Reichstag (1920–1924). He remained a delegate to the Prussian Landtag until 1924.
For two months in early 1919, Schiffer was deputy to Ministerpräsident Philipp Scheidemann and Minister of Finance in the first democratically-elected German government. During his time in office, Schiffer developed a temporary tax regime that provided the basis for what later became known as Erzbergersche Finanzreformen (or Erzberger’s financial reforms, so named after Matthias Erzberger).
On March 28, 1919, Schiffer, citing “personal reasons”, asked Scheidemann for his dismissal from the cabinet. He was also in disagreement over the creation and filling of several public sector positions. Three months later, the Scheidemann cabinet resigned in reaction to the terms dictated by the Allies in the Treaty of Versailles. One week before the formal signing, a new cabinet was formed under the chancellorship of Gustav Bauer.
Initially, the DDP refused to become part of the Bauer cabinet. However in early October 1919, the Democrats rejoined the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Centre Party (Zentrum) in the new government. As a result, Eugen Schiffer became Minister of Justice and (once again) deputy head of the government with the title of Vice-Chancellor. He opposed plans to socialize industries and worked towards a fundamental reform of the civil service.
However on March 13, 1920, the Kapp-Lüttwitz-Putsch was launched in Berlin. Named after its leaders Wolfgang Kapp and Walther von Lüttwitz, the goal was to undo the German Revolution by overthrowing the Weimar Republic and establishing an autocratic government. It was supported by factions of the Reichswehr, nationalists, and monarchists. But a general strike by the existing government led to the failure of the Putsch only five days later.
Despite the chaos, Schiffer did not flee Berlin, unlike the majority of the cabinet. In fact, his role sparked controversy! Schiffer negotiated with the putschists without a formal mandate from the government. He also made promises in the name of President Friedrich Ebert and offered amnesty to those responsible for the Putsch. As a result, Schiffer was forced to resign by the SPD.
His time away from high office was short lived. From May to October 1921, Schiffer was again Minister of Justice… this time in the first cabinet of Joseph Wirth. Schiffer was also head of the German delegation that negotiated with the Allies in Geneva over Upper Silesia. These talks led to a treaty on May 15, 1922, which secured trading rights and minority rights in the region.
From 1922 to 1923, Schiffer was the German representative at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In 1924, he supported the Dawes Plan, which successfully resolved the issue of war reparations forced upon Germany. But in 1925, an attempt was made to merge the parties of the political center in a single Liberale Vereinigung (Liberal Association). As a result, Eugen Schiffer resigned from the DDP and retired from active politics.
LATER LIFE
Schiffer turned his focus on heading the Berliner Verwaltungsakademie (Berlin Academy of Administration). It was the first institution of higher learning for the German civil service… which Schiffer had helped found in 1921. He also practiced law, served as an adviser to Bankhaus Mendelssohn & Company, and was chairman of the board at Anhaltischen Kohlenwerke AG. In 1928, Schiffer wrote a book entitled Die Deutsche Justiz (The German Judiciary), which launched a public debate over judicial reform.
After the Second World War, Schiffer, along with his son-in-law Waldemar Koch and Wilhelm Külz, founded the Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (LDPD) in the Soviet-occupied sector of Berlin. He also headed the central administration of Justice (Justizverwaltung) under the Soviet military government before moving to West Berlin in 1948.
Eugen Schiffer died in Berlin-Charlottenburg on September 5, 1954 at the age of ninety-four.