Gustav Stresemann

He married Käte Kleefeld in 1903. Her father Adolf Kleefeld was a wealthy businessman and her brother Kurt von Kleefeld was the last person in Germany to be ennobled in 1918. Kate played a key role in the Berlin society during the 1920s.

The couple had two sons, Wolfgang born in 1904 and Hans-Joachim born in 1908.

On October 3, 1929 he succumbed to a stroke and was buried in ‘Luisenstadt Cemetery’ at Berlin Kreuzberg.

He was born on May 10, 1878, in Berlin, Germany, into a lower middle class family. His father Ernst Stresemann was a beer distributor, a small bar owner and also rented rooms for extra income.

He was an excellent student and received good quality education attending high school and university. He excelled in German literature and poetry and showed inclination in modern history. He was inspired by the likes of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Napoleon.

In 1897, he enrolled in the ‘University of Berlin’ and studied political economy which gave him exposure in nationalistic and liberal ideas including the principles and ideologies of socialism.

He actively participated in the German student’s movement, the ‘Burschenschaften’, during his university days. In April 1898, he became the editor of the newspaper ‘Allgemeine Deutsche Universitäts-Zeitung’ where his editorials often criticized other contemporary political parties. He used to pen down his composite views on liberalism and nationalism.

In 1898, he took transfer from the ‘University of Berlin’ to the ‘University of Leipzig’ in order to pursue doctorate. In January 1901, he submitted his thesis, which was based on Berlin’s bottled beer industry.

His career started in a trade association and his swift progress in commerce initiated his first step into politics. From 1901 to 1904 he served the ‘German Chocolate Makers’ Association’ as its administrative assistant establishing himself as an effective and diligent coordinator and negotiator.

In 1902, he established the ‘Saxon Manufacturers’ Association’ and represented the association legally till 1911.

In 1903, he joined the ‘National Liberal Party’ and represented the party effectively in Saxony.

Stresemann was elected in 1906 as the Dresden city councillor and served in the position till 1912, mastering skills on municipal affairs. During that period he also remained editor of ‘Sächsische Industrie’, a Dresden magazine, and gained acclaim for his writings on economics. Eventually he led the ‘National Liberal Party’ in Saxony.

In 1907, he set foot in national politics after being elected to the Reichstag that is the parliament, representing the Annaberg district. Stresemann became the youngest deputy in the parliament.

The most remarkable achievement of Stresemann as Foreign Minister was his policy of negotiation and reconciliation with France that witnessed sponsorship of France in aiding entry of Germany in the ‘League of Nations’ in September 1926. Germany became a permanent member of the ‘Security Council’.