Georg Gothein

Georg Gothein (15 August 1857 – 22 March 1940) was a left-liberal German politician of Jewish origin. He was a member of the liberal political parties, including Progressive People's Party and German Democratic Party and served as the minister of the treasury between February and June 1919.

Early life Gothein was born in Neumarkt in Schlesien, Silesia, on 15 August 1857. He hailed from a Jewish family. He received a degree in engineering.

Career Gothein had various waterway related business activities in Silesia. He was a liberal politician and first became a member of the Progressive People's Party.

Gothein was among the founders of the German Committee for the Promotion of Jewish Settlement in Palestine which was established in April 1918. He was also a member of its central board, and the committee was dissolved in 1919. He served as minister of the treasury in the cabinet led by Philipp Scheidemann from February to June 1919. He was a member of the Weimar National Assembly (1919–1920) and was elected to the first Reichstag of the Weimar Republic, serving from 1920 to 1924. He was one of the leaders of the Mitteleuropäischer Wirtschaftstagung (German: Central European Economic Union) which had been established in 1928 to promote the economic development in Central Europe. He was a follower of the Protestant church.

Gothein was married and had four daughters. He died in Berlin on 22 March 1940 and was buried at the Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery.