WIRTH, KARL JOSEPH (1879— ), German states man, was born at Freiburg im Breisgau on Sept. 6, 1879, the son of a foreman mechanic. Educated at Freiburg university, he be came (1908) professor of natural science at the technical college in Freiburg. In 1913 he obtained a seat in the Baden diet, and in 1914 became a member of the Reichstag. In 1919 he was minister of finance for Baden and was elected to the Constituent Assembly of the Reich. In March 1920 he succeeded Erzberger as Reichs minister of Finance, a post which he held until Feb. 1922. In May 1921 he became chancellor on the occasion of the Allied ultimatum regarding reparations, with an avowed policy of the fulfilment of treaty obligation (Erfullungspolitik). In August and September of that year he came into conflict with Von Kahr, the Bavarian premier, who refused to apply to Bavaria the state of national emergency which Wirth had proclaimed consequent on the mur der of Erzberger. Wirth stood his ground, and Von Kahr was compelled to resign, but two months later the decision of the League of Nations on the partition of Upper Silesia between Germany and Poland led to a widespread revolt against the policy of fulfilment and to the secession of the German democrats, in cluding Rathenau, from the cabinet. Wirth resigned, but resumed
office on Oct. 26. He then sought to establish a "Great Coalition" which should include all but the Nationalists and the Communists, but failed to secure the support of the Social Democrats, although he had obtained a measure of agreement, for the People's Party abandoned their opposition to the forced loan of a milliard gold marks and the majority socialists postponed their demand for a gold levy. But the appointment of Rathenau as foreign minister alienated the People's Party, for Rathenau, though a great in dustrial magnate himself, was suspected by "heavy industry" of socialist tendencies. He was unable to carry out the necessary financial measures to stop the depreciation of the mark, and in Nov. 1922, when the mark had fallen to 9,000 to the $, again resigned, and Dr. Cuno (q.v.) formed a cabinet to cope with the financial crisis (Kabinett der Arbeit). Wirth resigned from the German Centre Party in Aug. 1925, but rejoined the party in 1926, after the reaffirmation of the party allegiance to the republic.