Raumer, Hans von

(1870-1965)

   industrialist and politician; pivotal in the creation of both ZAG in December 1918 and Gustav Stresemann's* short-lived cabinet of 1923. Born in Dessau to a family of wealthy aristocrats, he pursued legal studies through a doctorate. From 1905 until he moved to private industry in 1911, he served as a Landrat. In 1915 he became managing director of the association of the electrotechnical industry (Bund der Elektrizitats-Versorgungs-Unternehmungen Deutschlands) and served also during 1916-1918 as a Treasury official. It was at Raumer's initiative in October 1918 that Hugo Stinnes* and Carl Legien* began negotiating the acclaimed management-labor agreement that formed a basis for ZAG; Raumer sat on the organization's central committee until it was dissolved in January 1924.

   Raumer maintained numerous industrial connections. He led the Zentralver-band der deutschen Elektrotechnischen Industrie during 1918-1933 and sat con-currently on the managing boards of numerous private firms and the mighty RdI. In this last capacity he was one of several members who in 1922 drafted a program for Germany's economic regeneration—a program adopted by RdI in 1925. He was also politically active. A member of the DVP, he entered the Reichstag* in June 1920 and remained a leader of the Party's left wing until September 1930. He assailed Matthias Erzberger's* tax measures, deeming them detrimental to ZAG policies. While he was serving as Treasury Minister under Konstantin Fehrenbach* (June 1920-May 1921), his own Party opposed him for accepting the reparation* obligations outlined at the July 1920 Spa Confer-ence.* Although he maintained a conciliatory posture toward the SPD—he urged the formation of Gustav Stresemann's* Great Coalition* with the SPD—he re-jected the counsel of the second Socialization Commission* that Germany's coal industry be nationalized. One of the experts who attended the Genoa Confer-ence,* he applauded the Rapallo Treaty.* His service as Stresemann's Econom-ics Minister was cut short in October 1923 by dissension within the DVP.

   Throughout 1924-1929 Raumer was the DVP's most resolute proponent of governing in coalition with the SPD. In 1930 he helped spearhead a futile ini-tiative to reconstitute ZAG to combat the depression*; to sustain German ex-ports, he also promoted trade with the Soviets. He resigned from the DVP in 1932 and was among those who supported Kurt von Schleicher's* efforts to woo the NSDAP. He retired in October 1933.

   REFERENCES:Benz and Graml, Biographisches Lexikon; Feldman, Great Disorder; Feldman and Steinisch, Industrie und Gewerkschaften; Stachura, Political Leaders.