Johannes Bell(23 September 1868 – 21 October 1949) was a German jurist and politician from theCentre Party.During theWeimar Republicera, he briefly served as Minister of Colonial Affairs, Minister of Transport (1919/20), and as Minister of Justice (1926/27). He was one of the two German representatives who signed theTreaty of Versaillesin June 1919.
Johannes Bell | |
|---|---|
 Johannes Bell in 1908 | |
| Reich Minister of Justice | |
| In office 17 July 1926 – 29 January 1927 | |
| Chancellor | Wilhelm Marx |
| Preceded by | Wilhelm Marx (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Oskar Hergt |
| Reich Minister for the Occupied Territories | |
| Acting 17 July 1926 – 29 January 1927 | |
| Chancellor | Wilhelm Marx |
| Preceded by | Wilhelm Marx (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Wilhelm Marx (acting) |
| Reich Minister of Transport | |
| In office 5 November 1919 – 1 May 1920 | |
| Chancellor | Gustav Bauer Hermann Müller |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gustav Bauer |
| Reich Minister for the Colonies | |
| In office 21 June 1919 – 7 November 1919 | |
| Chancellor | Philipp Scheidemann Gustav Bauer |
| Preceded by | Philipp Scheidemann |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 September 1868 Essen,Rhine Province,Kingdom of Prussia |
| Died | 21 October 1949(aged 81) Beverungen,West Germany |
| Political party | Centre Party |
| Profession | Jurist |
Life
editJohannes Bell was born on 23 September 1868 inEssenin what was then theRhine Provinceof Prussia, as the son of Josef Bell, aland surveyor,and his wife Josefine (née Steuer). ARoman Catholic,Bell married Trude Nünning in 1896.[1]
Bell studied law atTübingen,LeipzigandBonnand was awarded aDoctor of Lawin 1890.[2]
He started practicing law in Essen in 1894 and in 1900 became a notary. After 1908, Bell was a member of thePrussian diet.From 1911/12 to 1933 (i.e. bothin the Empireandin the Weimar Republic), he was a member (and 1920 to 1926 Vice-President) of the Reichstag for the CatholicGerman Center PartyorZentrum.He was also a member of the constituent assemblies,Weimar National Assemblyand its Prussian equivalent, thePreußische Landesversammlung.[1][2]
Bell was a member of the first democratically elected governments of Germany, theCabinet Scheidemann,Cabinet BauerandCabinet Müller I.In February 1919, Bell becameReichskolonialminister(Minister of Colonial Affairs) and he held that post until the ministry was dissolved in November 1919. Together withHermann Müller(SPD), Bell signed theTreaty of Versaillesfor Germany on 28 June 1919. After June 1919, he also wasReichsverkehrsminister(Minister of Transport). In this capacity, Bell was instrumental in the creation of theDeutsche Reichsbahn,which involved the nationalization of various regional railway lines.[1]He remained in office just long enough to see the National Assembly approve the unification of railways and then resigned in May 1920.[3]
Bell was also a senior figure in the parliamentary group of the Zentrum and the author of numerous publications, making him a well-known political figure.[1]
Johannes Bell once again served as a minister of Germany from July 1926 to February 1927 in the cabinet ofWilhelm Marx,asReichsjustizminister(Minister of Justice) andminister for the occupied territories.After 1930, he was chairman of the Reichstag committee on violations of international law.[1][2]
After theNazisseized power in 1933, Bell retired from politics. He died on 21 October 1949 inWürgassen/Weser.[1]
Selected works
edit- Wiederaufbau der deutschen Handelsflotte,1917
- Volkswirtschaftliche und mittelständische Fragen für Kriegs- und Übergangszeit, 1918
- Zentrum und Werdegang sowie Reform von Strafrecht und Strafprozeß,1920
- Volksstaat und Staatsvolk,1928
- Strafrechtsreform, Gesammelte Aufsätze,1930
References
edit- ^abcdef"Biografie Johannes Bell (German)".Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.Retrieved2 January2014.
- ^abc"Biografie Johannes Bell (German)".Deutsches Historisches Museum.Retrieved3 January2014.
- ^"Files of the Reichskanzlei: Kabinett Müller I, Kabinettsbildung und Charakteristik der Minister (German)".Bundesarchiv.Retrieved3 January2014.