Hertling, Georg, Graf von

Hertling, Georg, Graf von (gā`ôrkh gräf fən hĕrt`lĭng), 1843–1919, German statesman and philosopher, imperial chancellor (Nov., 1917–Sept., 1918). He was professor of philosophy and a right-wing leader of the Catholic Center party in the Reichstag before he became (1912) prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Bavaria. As chancellor he was unable to meet the conflicting demands of the military commanders, the Reichstag, and public opinion. His age and conservatism rendered him incapable of meeting the crisis that followed the collapse of the German war effort in the fall of 1918. He resigned and was succeeded by Maximilian, prince of Baden. His philosophic works are strongly Roman Catholic; he was an authority on medieval scholasticism. He left memoirs.