MICHAELIS, GEORG (1857-1936), German statesman, was born on Sept. 7, 1857 at Haynau. He studied law and for some years lectured at the university of Tokyo. He entered the Prus sian administration in 1879, and by 1909 had risen to the grade of under-secretary of state in the Prussian ministry of finance. On the outbreak of the World War he was appointed director of the imperial department for the control of the grain trade, and in Feb. 1917 State commissioner for the national food supply. On the retirement of Bethmann Hollweg in July 1917, the military authorities, with the object of avoiding conflict with the civil administration, advised the appointment of a chancellor who would accommodate his policy to theirs. Michaelis, as a colourless Prussian official, was selected, but even in the first weeks of his chancellorship his weakness became manifest. He was confronted
with the demand of the parliamentary majority that he should publicly identify himself with the spirit and letter of the so-called Peace Resolution in favour of a peace "without annexation or indemnities" passed by the Reichstag on July 19, 1917. Under the influence of the military authorities he attempted to evade this obligation by declaring himself, in a phrase that became celebrated, the supporter of the resolution "as he understood it." He had still further to compromise himself over the naval mutiny before it was recognised that his position was untenable. He was suc ceeded by Count Hertling on Nov. 1, 1917. He was then ap pointed chief president in the province of Pomerania, an office which he held till 1919. He died on July 24, 1936.
See his autobiographical Fur Staat and Volk (1922).