Hans von Kanitz

Castle Podangen, Alexander Duncker

Kanitz was born in Mednicken, in the Province of Prussia (now Drushnoye, Zelenogradsky District, Kaliningrad Oblast).[2] In 1894 he proposed the Kanitz Plan: an import monopoly for grain, whereby all grain imports would be made on the government's account and resold on the home market at a price calculated from the average price of the last 40 years.[3] If import prices were below this level, the profits would go into a reserve fund that would be used to subsidise imports when the price rose above the average.[3] As grain prices at that time were lower than they had been for most of the previous 40 years, the effect of the Kanitz Plan would been considerable price rises.[3]

The Chancellors Leo von Caprivi and Chlodwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst both opposed the scheme, with the latter condemning it as a dangerous step to socialism.[3] August Bebel, the Chairman of the Social Democrats, replied that a policy to make one class wealthier at the nation's expense, especially at the expense of the working class, was anything but social.[3]

The Kanitz Plan was adopted in modified form by the Nazis and by the Federal Republic.[4]

From 1885 to 1913 Kanitz was member of Prussian House of Representatives. Kanitz was from 1890 to 1913 member of German Reichstag for German Conservative Party.