 A harsh critic of German involvement in the First World War, Laufenberg's popularity grew as the war dragged on and people began to tire of involvement in the conflict.On 30 November 1918, during the German Revolution, he was elected President of the Council of the Workmen and Soldiers of Hamburg.As head of this group Laufenberg oversaw the dissolution of Hamburg's Senate and Bürgerschaft and their replacement with full Council government.