Wilhelm Külz (18 February 1875 – 10 April 1948) was a German liberal politician of the National Liberal Party, the German Democratic Party (DDP) and later the Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (LDPD). He held public office both in the German Empire and in the Weimar Republic. In 1926, he served as interior minister of Germany in the cabinets of chancellors Hans Luther and Wilhelm Marx. Early life Külz was born on 18 February 1875 at Borna near Leipzig in the Kingdom of Saxony. He was the son of Otto Külz (1839–1921), a Protestant priest, and his wife Anna (1849–1914, née Paschasius). He had a sister, Käthe (1878–1924) and a twin brother, Ludwig (1875–1938). From a conservative family, Wilhelm studied law at the University of Leipzig. He then served in the military (as Reserveleutnant). Külz married Erna Freymond (1881–1963) in 1901. They had one son, Helmut. Also in 1901, he was awarded a doctorate at the Staatswissenschaftliche Fakultät of the University of Tübingen with a thesis on the peacetime strength of the army. He then joined the civil service, working at various courts and as city councillor at Leipzig, Hainichen, Zittau and Meerane. In 1904, he became mayor of Bückeburg and president of the Landtag of the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe. As an expert in administration, the Reichskolonialamt (the Imperial ministry for the colonies) made him Reichskommissar of the colony German South-West Africa, where he worked on establishing self-government in 1907 to 1908. After returning to Bückeburg, Külz was a Reichstag candidate for the National Liberals in 1912 but was not elected. The same year, he was elected Oberbürgermeister (mayor) of Zittau, an office that he held until 1923. During World War I, Külz served as Hauptmann (captain) and Kompanieführer. Weimar Republic In 1919, he joined the German Democratic Party (DDP), which he represented first in the Weimar National Assembly and then from 1922 to 1932 in the Reichstag. In 1923, he was elected as 2. Bürgermeister of Dresden. In 1926 to 1927, Külz served as Reichsminister des Innern (interior minister) in the second cabinet of Hans Luther and the third cabinet of Wilhelm Marx. Elected as Oberbürgermeister (mayor) of Dresden in 1931, Külz was removed from office by the Reichskommissar for Saxony in March 1933, after he had refused to hoist a flag with the Nazi swastika over city hall. Until 1945, he was active as a private entrepreneur. Postwar