Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-08-27
FAMOUS GERMAN
SHOT DOWN BY
7 W0 A5SASS|NS
Herr Erzberger Killed
While Out on Walking
Tour of Black crest.
Second Attempt to
Take Life of Centralist
Leader Is Successful.


ciated Press. Matthias Erzberger
former vice premier and minister of
finance, was murdered Friday
Herr Erzberger had left Bad Cries
bach, where he was taking the cure,
in company with Reischtag Deputy
Diez, for foot tour Of the Black
forest. An hour later both men were
confronted by two youths who sur
rounded them and then emptied their
revolvers.
A judicial commission accompanied
by police dogs proceeded to the spot
on receipts of the news of attack
which occurred between and 10
o'clock Friday morning. 1t has as
certained that the attack was not for
the purpose of robbery.
For a long time pan German circles
had pursued violent campaign against
Herr Erzberger accusing him of be-
ing the author of the present chan
cellors policy and of desiring to re-
turn to public life.
Shot Once Before.
Erzberger, was shot and wounded
on January 26, 1920, as he was leav-
ing the criminal court building in Ber-
lin after attending hearing in libel
suit he had brought against DIR. Karl
Helfferich, the former German Vice
Chancellor. His assailant gave his
name as Oltwig Won Hirschfeld,
former cadet officer, 20 years old,
student, and son of Berlin bank Of
ficial Won Hirschfeld was arrested and
was quoted as saying he considered
Erzberger dangerous to the empire.
The assailant fired two shots at
Erzberger as the minister was enter
ing his automobile. One bullet glanced
off the minister's watch chain and
another entered his shoulder.
Erzberger reused storm in Ger
many in July, 1917, more than year
before the armistice, by proposing
resolution in the German reichstag in
favor of peace without annexations and
for parliamentary reform. Chancellor
Bethmann- -Hollweg declared this form
ula was unacceptable and DIR. Helffer-
ich subsequently blamed Erzberger's
peace proposal for the moral collapse
Of the German people. The former
vice chancellor accused Erzberger of
high treason, denounced him as "a men
ace to the purity of our public life
and invited him to bring suit for libel
He declared that Erzberger must be
removed from public office 'if our
political life is again to become healthy
and normal He asserted also that
Erzberger's fortune had been made dur
ing the war by utilizing his political
and parliamentary position.
Erzberger accepted the challenge and
instituted suit for libel. The hearing |
was acrimonious and assumed much |
political Importance, DR.. Helfferich |
delivering denunciatory speeches in |
court. while Erzberger vigorously de- |
Tended himself and his action in seek
ing peace in 1917.
Lead Center Party.
Herr Erzberger was for many years
leader of the German Center party
and one of the leading figures in
German public life after Germany's
defeat in the war. His peace move of
1917 had made him the storm center
of attack by reactionaries but when
Germany's military power collapsed he
was made minister without portfolio
in the cabinet of Prince Macmillan.
As a uember of the German armis-
tice delegation he conducted negotia-
tions with1 Marshal Foch and later
headed the Majority Socialists in
movement to form a new ministry and
sign and peace treaty. His attitude
throughout the armistice negotiations
aroused against him the indignation
of German military authorities and in
June 1919, it was reported that his
residence had been fired upon by a
Berlin mob. A plot said to have been
formed by members of the officers
corps at Potsdam to assassinate him
was revealed in September following.
Born In 1875. 4
Born in Buttenhaus, September 20, !
1875, Erzberger was the son of a poor
tailor. He became a schoolmaster, OBJ
tanned university education, studied
international law and political economy.
wrote several books on political and
economic subjects and became a bril-
liant speaker and politician He was {
elected to the Reiohstag in 1903 as I
member of the Center (Catholic) I
party, as representative Of small farm
ers and became one of the leaders of
a small liberal wing of that party. He j
is said to have been a pan German +
during the early part of the war and
to have engaged actively in spreading
German propaganda. He was accused |
Of having recommended the use by 1
German troops of the flame thrower. 4,
Later he declared Germany U-boat war !
had failed and advocated it's abandon G
ment. Some time prior to the armis- i
tice he published book in which he /
outlined plan for league Of nations. c
Erzberger was elected member of t
L. -