Hertha

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the goddess of Earth, worshiped by the ancient Germans. In astronomy, an asteroid, the 135th found. It was discovered by Peters, Feb. 18, 1874. German Chancellor from October, 1917, to September, 1918. Born at Darmstadt in 1843 and died in 1919. After studying at Münster, Munich, and Berlin, he became in 1882 professor of philosophy at Bonn University. He was the author of several works dealing with philosophy such as: "Matter and Form and Aristotle's Definition of the Soul"; "John Locke and the Cambridge School"; "The Principles of Catholicism and Science"; etc. He served in the Reichstag from 1875 to 1890 and again from 1896 to 1898. In 1912 he was made Bavarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister, a position he held until his appointment as Imperial Chancellor. In both of these offices he upheld the war policies of Germany and as Chancellor proved to be under the powerful influence of the General Staff of the Army. He did, however, attempt while Chancellor to bring about a reform in the methods of electing the Prussian Landtag which was intended to make that body more representative of the will of the people. These measures, however, were never enacted into law. His foreign policy was equally unsuccessful, though not similarly arly liberal. He refused to give any guarantee that Belgium would be evacuated by the Germans, nor did he attempt in any way to stop the excesses of the Imperial army and navy. While he was in office the Brest-Litovsk peace with Russia was negotiated, which clearly showed him to be in syn sympathy with the war aims of the Prussian Junkers. The defeats of the German army in France and Belgium in August Au and September, 1918, 1918, marked the defeat also of his policy and brought about his resignation.