The German official body and administrative machinery were especially distinguished by their inde¬ pendence of individual Governments, whose transitory ideas in politics could not affect the position of the German State officials. The Revolution altered all this fundamentally. Party considerations supplanted ability and competence, and an upstanding, independent character was more a disadvantage than a recom¬ mendation.
On these three, the form of State, the Army and the body of officials, rested the wonderful strength and effectiveness of the old Empire.