The 1914 September Program, a document outlining German war aims during World War I, was authored by Kurt Riezler. This German philosopher and diplomat served as a central adviser to Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, operating at the intersection of high-level statecraft and theoretical inquiry throughout a volatile era of twentieth-century European history.
Diplomatic and Political Service
Riezler joined the German Foreign Office in 1907. By 1914, his influence on government policy was significant. During the First World War, he was dispatched to Stockholm and Moscow, where he acted as an aide to Ambassador Count Wilhelm von Mirbach. He witnessed the 1918 assassination of Mirbach by Yakov Blumkin. Beyond these duties, Riezler facilitated German subsidies to the Bolsheviks and engaged in direct negotiations with Karl Radek and Alexander Parvus. Following the conflict, he supported the Weimar Republic, serving as chief of cabinet to President Friedrich Ebert from 1919 to 1920.
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In 1927, Riezler began his tenure at the University of Frankfurt am Main. His influence helped shape the intellectual climate of the institution, assisting in the development of the Frankfurt School through the recruitment of scholars such as Paul Tillich and Max Wertheimer. He also engaged with Martin Heidegger during the 1929 Davos encounter. His own philosophical output included works on aesthetics, the ontology of art, and classical studies, such as his analysis of Homer and Parmenides.
Emigration and Final Years
Forced out of his university position by the Nazis in 1933, Riezler remained in Germany until 1938. He subsequently moved to the United States, securing a professorship at the New School for Social Research. During this period, he formed a lasting professional connection with Leo Strauss. His later academic work shifted toward social psychology and political philosophy. After returning to Europe in 1954, Riezler spent time in Rome before his death in Munich in 1955.
Fast facts
- Born: 1882, Munich
- Died: 1955, Munich
- Education: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Primary Employers: German Foreign Office, Goethe University Frankfurt, New School for Social Research
- Political Affiliation: German Democratic Party
- Key Publication: Die Erforderlichkeit des Unmöglichen (1913)
- Spouse: Käthe Liebermann (1885-1952)
Questions readers ask
What was Riezler's role in the October Revolution?
Did Riezler maintain a relationship with Leo Strauss?
Yes, they were close friends and colleagues at the New School for Social Research, and Strauss analyzed Riezler's philosophy in his book What is Political Philosophy?
Achievements
- Held posts at Goethe University Frankfurt
- Fields: philosophy, political science and global politics
