Bismarck cabinet

The Bismarck Cabinet was the first cabinet of the German Empire, led by Otto von Bismarck from the unification of Germany in 1871 until 1890.

Cabinet of Otto von Bismarck
1st Cabinet of the German Empire
1871 – 1890
Otto von Bismarck
Date formed	21 March 1871
Date dissolved	20 March 1890 (18 years, 11 months, 3 weeks and 6 days)
People and organisations
Emperor	Wilhelm I Friedrich III Wilhelm II
Chancellor	Otto von Bismarck
Vice Chancellor	Otto zu Stolberg-Wernigerode (until 20 June 1881) Karl Heinrich von Boetticher (from 20 June 1881)
Member parties	Independent Supported by: National Liberal Party (until 1878; from 1884) Centre Party (1878-1884) German Progress Party (until 1878) German Conservative Party (from 1878) Free Conservative Party Imperial Liberal Party
Status in legislature	Majority
History
Elections	1871 federal election 1874 federal election 1877 federal election 1878 federal election 1881 federal election 1884 federal election 1887 federal election
Predecessor	n/a
Successor	Caprivi cabinet

Composition

Portfolio	Minister	Took office	Left office	Party
Reich Chancellor	Otto von Bismarck	21 March 1871	20 March 1890		Independent
Vice Chancellor (from 17 March 1878)	Otto Graf zu Stolberg-Wernigerode	1 June 1878	20 June 1881		FKP
	Karl Heinrich von Boetticher	20 June 1881	1 July 1897		FKP
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs	Hermann von Thile	21 March 1871	30 September 1872		Independent
	Hermann Ludwig von Balan	3 October 1872	9 October 1873		Independent
	Bernhard Ernst von Bülow	9 October 1872	20 October 1879		Independent
	Joseph Maria von Radowitz (Acting)	6 November 1879	17 April 1880		Independent
	Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (Acting)	20 April 1880	1 September 1880		Independent
	Friedrich zu Limburg-Stirum (Acting)	1 September 1880	25 June 1881		DKP
	Clemens Busch (Acting)	25 June 1881	16 July 1881		Independent
	Paul von Hatzfeldt	16 July 1881	24 October 1885		Independent
	Herbert von Bismarck	18 May 1886	20 March 1890		Independent
State Secretary for the Interior (from 21 December 1879)	Karl von Hofmann	21 December 1879	31 August 1880		Independent
	Karl Heinrich von Boetticher	1 September 1880	20 March 1890		FKP
State Secretary for Justice (from 1 January 1877)	Heinrich von Friedberg	21 December 1876	30 October 1879		Independent
	Hermann von Schelling	19 November 1879	31 January 1889		Independent
	Otto von Oehlschläger	19 February 1889	20 March 1890		Independent
State Secretary for the Navy	Karl Eduard Heusner	1 April 1889	20 March 1890		Independent
State Secretary for the Post (from 1880)	Heinrich von Stephan	23 February 1880	20 March 1890		Independent
State Secretary for the Treasury (from 1880)	Adolf von Scholz	1880	July 1882		DKP
	Franz Emil Emanuel von Burchard	1882	November 1886		Independent
	Karl Rudolf Jacobi	1886	14 September 1888		Independent
	Helmuth von Maltzahn	1888	20 March 1890		DKP

Sources

• Regenten und Regierungen der Welt, Vol. 2,3. Neueste Zeit: 1492–1917, ed. by B. Spuler; 2nd edition, Würzburg, Ploetz, 1962.