SCHOBER, JOHANN (1874-1932), Austrian politician, was born and educated in Upper Austria, entering the Imperial Austrian police service as a young man, and became the Austrian president of police in 1918, some months before the revolution. On the proclamation of the Austrian republic (Nov. 12, 1918), Schober immediately placed his force at the disposal of the new Government, and by this action and by his moderate conduct in general did much to ensure a peaceful and bloodless change of regime. At the same time, he succeeded in securing the safety of the ex-Imperial family, whose departure from Vienna he supervised. During the two years of social democratic Govern ment which followed, Schober's force was reproached by extrem ists with being reactionary, quite unjustly, as he aimed at strict impartiality. His administrative ability, and above all, his con spicuous honesty, gained him the confidence of all moderate opinion in Austria, and especially of the inter-allied missions and advisers.
Largely because he was known to enjoy this confidence it was expected that if he were chancellor, the Allied and Associate Powers would be willing to grant the large loan necessary to re store Austria's chaotic finances, and he was selected to form a non-party ministry in June 1921. He took the first step towards establishing friendly relations between Austria and her neighbours when he concluded the pact of Lana with Czechoslovakia on Dec. 16, 1921 (see AUSTRIA). This move aroused the hostility of the pan-Germans, who formed a part of the Government coali tion, and resented any pact with Czechoslovakia as putting difficul ties in the way of the ultimate Anschluss with Germany. They withdrew from the Government coalition. The Christian Socialists were not strong enough to govern alone against the opposition of the Social Democrats. On May 24, 1922 Schober resigned the chancellorship and returned to the post of president of police.