A Prussian civil servant from 1879, Michaelis taught at the German school of law in Tokyo (1885–89), re-entered the Prussian civil service in 1892, and became undersecretary of state in the Finance Ministry in 1909. During World War I he headed the department for grain supply (from 1915), and in early 1917 was appointed Prussian state commissioner for food supply. After the fall of the government of Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg during the summer of 1917, the military supreme command, headed by Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, Germany's actual rulers, chose Michaelis to form a new government (July 14, 1917). Totally unqualified for the chancellorship, Michaelis could maintain himself only with the backing of the army. He was evasive on the Reichstag's (federal lower house) demand for acceptance of its peace resolution of July 19 (indicating that Germany wanted no annexations) and refused to make any concessions in the negotiations following Pope Benedict XV's peace proposals (Aug. 16, 1917). His downfall was engineered by the Reichstag majority parties after Michaelis blamed the Independent Social Democratic Party for the naval mutiny during the summer of 1917. Of no further use to the military and without parliamentary support, Michaelis was forced to resign on Oct. 31, 1917. Heading the administration of Pomerania from March 1918 to April 1919, Michaelis was later chiefly engaged in Protestant church organizations and projects for student welfare.