State Council of Prussia (1817–1918)
The Prussian State Council was an advisory body to the
History
After Prussia's defeat by
Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein proposed the establishment of a State Council with an advisory and legislative function in the Nassau Memorandum (German: Nassauer Denkschrift and his draft ordinance of 24 November 1808 (which never came into effect). The ordinance of 27 October 1810 by Karl August von Hardenberg "on the amended constitution of all the highest state authorities in the Prussian monarchy" contains the establishment of a State Council as well as regulations regarding its composition, however, the committee was initially not actually introduced. The King's announcement in the Supreme Cabinet Order of 3 June 1814 "for the appointment of the Minister" that he wanted to put the Council of State into action after his return from Paris, but brings his order into connection with the question of the corporate constitution and representation, likely explains the delay in introduction until 1817.[1]
1817 introduction
Upon the introduction of the State Council of 20 March 1817, the State Council was formed and consisted of:[2]
- The Prince of the Royal House (once they reach the age of eighteen);
- Certain officeholders:
- State Chancellor and President of the State Council;
- Field marshals;
- Real Ministers of Statein charge of the administration;
- Minister-State Secretary, who keeps the minutes and reports of the State Council and is responsible for the formalities of business transactions;
- Postmaster General;
- Head of the Higher Tribunal;
- First President of the Chamber of Accounts;
- Privy Cabinet Councilor;
- Officer who has the authority to present military matters to the King;
- Commanding generals in the provinces (but only if they are specially appointed);
- Supreme presidents in the provinces (but only if they are specially appointed);
- Public servants who, through the King's special trust, receive a seat and vote in the state council and are appointed by it.
The State Council formed seven committees (called departments) each consisting of five members:
- Foreign Affairs
- War
- Justice
- Finance
- Trade and Commerce
- Interiorand the Police
- Culture and Public Education
Responsibilities
The State Council was tasked with advising on legislative proposals including regulations, decrees, etc., but had no
The proportion of laws submitted to the State Council decreased rapidly. In 1818, all 16 of 16 suitable laws were discussed, in 1821, 10 out of 31 and, in 1826, there were 4 out of 30.[1]
March Revolution and Reaction Era
As a result of the German revolutions of 1848–1849, Prussia changed from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy in 1848. Legislation now rested exclusively with the King and Parliament. The Prussian Constitution, which came into force in 1850, did not provide for a State Council. The Secretariat of the State Council was dissolved; State Secretary Bode had already been placed on hold on 1 October 1848.[1]
In the Reaction Era, King Frederick William IV reactivated the State Council in 1854 as a personal body to assess the most important state affairs. When the State Council was re-established, its role in the legislative process changed. Because laws were now only dealt with in the Landtag of Prussia, the matter was dealt with by the State Council prior to deliberation in Parliament.[4]
New members were appointed (former members remained members) and the State Council was invited to deliberate. Some of the members of the State Council formed the "Central Assembly". On July 4, 1854, the full assembly of the State Council met in the Berlin Palace and the King inaugurated the members into office. From 1854 onwards, he only called meetings of the Central Assembly; for the other members, membership in the State Council was purely an honor. The King only referred a few matters to the Council of State for consideration. In October 1856, he had the Central Assembly meet for the last time, after which it went dormant.[1]
Reactivation by Bismarck
At the instigation of Otto von Bismarck, the State Council was reactivated again in 1884. King Wilhelm I appointed 70 new members on June 11, 1884. Undersecretary Theodor von Möller was appointed State Secretary of the State Council. The basis of the work of the State Council was the regulation concerning the negotiations of the State Council. The regulations adapted the departments of the State Council to the structure of the ministries. Above all, the State Council was subordinate to the State Ministry. The ceremonial reopening took place on 25 October 1884 in the Berlin Palace. The Ministries provided little support for the work of the State Council and once again submitted only a few submissions to it. The State Council last met under Bismarck in 1890.[5]
1895 reactivation
After
This was the last meeting of the State Council. It was never convened again, new members were no longer appointed, but the State Council was not abolished either. With the
Presidents of the State Council
- Karl August von Hardenberg (1817–1822)
- Duke Charles of Mecklenburg (1825–1837)
- Karl Freiherr von Müffling (1837–1847)
- Friedrich Carl von Savigny (1847–1848)
- Otto Theodor von Manteuffel (1852–1856)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Hans Schneider: Der preussische Staatsrat 1817–1918. Ein Beitrag zur Verfassungs- und Rechtsgeschichte Preußens. C. H. Beck, München 1952 (Zugleich: Berlin, Wirtschaftshochschule, Habil.-Schr., 1939/1940).
- ^ "Verordnung wegen Einführung des Staatsrats (1817)". www.verfassungen.de. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ISBN 9783110216622.
- ^ Koffler, J. A. (1868). Handbuch zum Ministerial-Blatt für die gesammte innere Verwaltung in den königlich preußischen Staaten [Manual to the Ministerial Gazette for the entire internal administration in the Royal Prussian States] (in German). Berlin: Ritter. p. 120.
- ^ von Strantz, Viktor (1895). Das Deutsche Reich, 1871–1895 [The German Empire, 1871–1895] (in German). Heidelberg: R. v. Decker. p. 145.