Switzerland Federal Arthur Hoffmann (b/w photo)

The liberal (Liberal Democratic Party FDP) Federal Councillor Arthur Hoffmann (1857-1927) from the Canton of St. Gallen declared his resignation on 19 June 1917 due to the Grimm-Hoffmann affair and the resulting domestic political crisis, undated admission. National Councillor Robert Grimm, member of the International Socialist Commission, and Arthur Hoffmann worked in Stockholm and Petrograd towards a separate peace between Russia and Germany on the pretext of preparing the return home of Lenin and other Russian emigrants. Without the knowledge of the Federal Council, this meant a violation of neutrality. Hoffmann was elected to the Federal Council in 1911 and headed the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP, 1911), the Military Department (1912-1913) and the Political Department (1914-1917).