Carl Theodor Johann Ulrich (28 January 1853 – 12 April 1933) was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) who served as the first State-President of the People's State of Hesse from 1918 to 1928.

"[2] In 1886, Ulrich and a number of leading German social democrats, including August Bebel and Ignaz Auer, were charged under the Anti-Socialist Laws and sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

He formed a moderate cabinet comprising the SPD, the German Democratic Party (DDP), and the Zentrum, which served until the first elections were held in January 1919.

He became a broadly popular figure in Hesse during his long political career, earning the nickname "the red grand duke" (German: der rote Großherzog).

[1] On his 75th birthday in 1928, he received praise from the liberal Frankfurter Zeitung and a letter of congratulations from former Grand Duke of Hesse Ernest Louis.

A number of landmarks in the city are named in his honour, including the Carl-Ulrich-Brücke which crosses the Main river between the Offenbach and Fechenheim,[2] and the Carl-Ulrich-Siedlung.