The Lives of Hans Luther, 1879-1962: German Chancellor, Reichsbank President, and Hitler's Ambassador

C. Edmund Clingan chronicles the life of this controversial German politician, diplomat, and banker. Luther served as mayor of Essen during the Revolution of 1918, the Kapp Putsch, and the occupation of the Ruhr Valley by the French. Rising rapidly in the political ranks, he served as finance minister and then, briefly, as chancellor in 1925 and 1926. Many criticized his policies as president of the Reichsbank during the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler then appointed Luther to serve as ambassador to the United States. After being recalled to Germany in 1937, Luther retired from politics until after World War II, when he served the Federal Republic well into the 1950s.