How to find the bigger number in C++

#include <string>

#include <iostream>

#include <sstream>

using namespace std;

string groessere(string i1, string i2){

int lengthDif = 0;

string longer = "", smaller = "";

if(i1.length() > i2.length()){

lengthDif = i1.length() - i2.length();

longer = i1;

smaller = i2;

else{

lengthDif = i2.length() - i1.length();

longer = i2;

smaller = i1;

for(unsigned int i = 0; i < lengthDif; i++){

if(longer[i] > '0') return longer;

}
 for(unsigned int i = 0; i < smaller.length(); i++){

int a = (i1[i1.length() - i -1] -'0');

int b = (i2[i2.length() - i -1] -'0');

cout << a << endl;

cout << b << endl;

if( a > b ) return i1;

else if(b > a) return i2;

return "Die Zahlen sind gleich";

int main() {

//erstens nutzereingabe

cout << "Insert the first number: " << endl;

//definieren der variablen

string erste, zweite;

cin >> erste;

cin >> zweite;

//vergleich der Zahlen

cout << "The bigger Number is:" << endl;

cout << groessere(erste, zweite);