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The Free State of Prussia (German: Freistaat Preußen) was a German state formed after the abolition of the Kingdom of Prussia in the aftermath of World War I. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All It was the major state of Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic, comprising almost five-eighths of its territory and population. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 [1] Free State is a German term for Republic that was coined in contrast to the Latin term, which was associated with the enemy France in the minds of many Germans of that time. The democratic Free State of Prussia was rendered incapacitated, when taken over by coup in 1932/33 and Otto Braun taken out of office. This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De His government went to court over this ouster and after the end of war Otto Braun approached US officials to reinstate the legal Prussian government. They and the other Allied Occupation forces, who had taken up occupation of all of Germany were not interested and declared Prussia abolished in 1947. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Contents |
History
1918: Aftermath of World War I
Except for its overseas colonies and Alsace-Lorraine, all German territorial losses as a result of World War I were Prussian losses. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 As specified in the Treaty of Versailles, the former kingdom lost territory to Belgium (Eupen and Malmedy), Denmark (North Schleswig), Lithuania (Memel Territory), Czechoslovakia (Hultschin area) and France (most of the Saargebiet). The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Eupen is a Municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, 15 km from the German border ( Aachen) from the Dutch Malmedy is a Municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Short description of South Jutland South Jutland county is also known as Northern Schleswig ( Danish: Nordslesvig, German: Nordschleswig Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the The Klaipėda Region (Klaipėdos kraštas or Memel Territory (Memelland or Memelgebiet Territoire de Memel was defined by the Treaty of Versailles Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Hlučín Area ( Hlučínsko in Czech, Hultschiner Ländchen in German) is an area of Czech Silesia in the Moravian-Silesian This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Territory of the Saar Basin (in French: Le Territoire du Bassin de la Sarre, in German: Saarbeckengebiet) also referred as the Saar The Rhine Province became a demilitarised zone. The Rhine Province (Rheinprovinz also known as Rhenish Prussia ( Rheinpreußen) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free
The bulk of Prussia’s losses were to Poland, including most of the provinces of Posen and West Prussia, and an eastern section of Siliesia. The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. The Province of Posen (Provinz Posen Prowincja Poznańska was a province of Prussia from 1848-1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 the whole West Prussia ( Prusy Zachodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773&ndash1824 and 1878&ndash1918 which was created out of the earlier Polish The Province of Silesia (Provinz Schlesien Prowincja Śląsk was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919 the territory had been conquered from Danzig was placed under the administration of the League of Nations as the Free City of Danzig. Gdańsk ( Polish pronunciation; 'Danzig', Gduńsk Gedania Dantiscum is the City at the centre of the fourth-largest Metropolitan area in Poland The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 The Free City of Danzig ( German: Freie Stadt Danzig; Polish: Wolne Miasto Gdańsk) was an autonomous Baltic Sea port and These losses separated East Prussia from the rest of the country, now only accessible by rail through the Polish corridor or by sea. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part Background Giving Poland access to the sea was one of the guarantees proposed by the United States President Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen
Since it contained so much of Germany's area and population, the government initially considered breaking Prussia up into smaller and more manageable states, but eventually traditionalist sentiment prevailed and Prussia continued unchanged, apart from its territorial losses.
1918-32: Democratic bastion
The restrictive Prussian three-class franchise was abolished shortly after Kaiser William II abdicated. After the 1848 revolutions in the German states, the Prussian three-class franchise system ( Dreiklassenwahlrecht) was introduced in 1849 by the As a result, Prussia became a stronghold of the left. Its incorporation of "Red Berlin" and the industrialised Ruhr Area — both with working-class majorities — ensured left-wing dominance.
From 1919 to 1932, Prussia was governed by a coalition of the Social Democrats, Catholic Centre, and German Democrats; from 1921 to 1925, coalition governments included the German People's Party. The German Centre Party ( Deutsche Zentrumspartei or merely Zentrum) was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich The German Democratic Party, or Deutsche Demokratische Partei (DDP was founded by leaders of the former Progressive People's Party (Fortschrittliche This page is about the German People's Party which existed between 1918 and 1933 Unlike in other states of the German Reich, majority rule by democratic parties in Prussia was never endangered. Nevertheless, in East Prussia and some industrial areas, the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party) of Adolf Hitler gained more and more influence and popular support, especially from the lower middle class. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part The, officially National Socialist German Workers' Party, ( abbreviated NSDAP) was a Political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945 Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately The middle class, in colloquial usage consists of those who have some economic independence but not a great deal of social Influence or power.
The East Prussian Otto Braun, who was Prussian minister-president almost continuously from 1920 to 1932, is considered one of the most capable Social Democrats in history. Max Liebermann ( July 20 1847 &ndash February 8 1935) was a German painter and Printmaker in Etching and This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De He implemented several trend-setting reforms together with his minister of the interior, Carl Severing, which were also models for the later Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Carl Wilhelm Severing ( 1 June, 1875 23 July, 1952) was a German Social Democrat politician during the Weimar era Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For instance, a Prussian minister-president could be forced out of office only if there was a "positive majority" for a potential successor. This concept, known as the constructive vote of no confidence, was carried over into the Basic Law of the FRG. The constructive vote of no confidence (in German: konstruktives Misstrauensvotum) is a specialty of the 1949 German Constitution, the Grundgesetz The term basic law is used in some places as an alternative to " Constitution " implying it is a temporary but necessary measure without formal enactment Largely because of this provision, the centre-left coalition was able to stay in office because neither the far left nor the far right could possibly put together a majority.
In marked contrast to its prewar authoritarianism, Prussia was a pillar of democracy in the Weimar Republic. Most historians regard the Prussian government during this time as far more successful than that of Germany as a whole.
1932: Prussian coup
All of this changed on 20 July 1932 with the Preußenschlag ("Prussian coup"), where Reich Chancellor Franz von Papen unseated the democratic Free State of Prussia government under Otto Braun under the pretext that it had lost control of public order. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. The Preußenschlag, or "Prussian coup" was one of the major steps towards the destruction of the German Weimar Republic (1919-33 and the rise of Adolf The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler (29 October 1879 2 May 1969 was a German nobleman Catholic monarchist Politician, General Staff officer and Diplomat This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De This was triggered by a shootout between SA demonstrators and communists in Altona, Hamburg (Altonaer Bloody Sunday; Altona was still a part of Prussia at that time). The, abbreviated SA, ( German for "Assault detachment" or "Assault section" usually translated as " stormtroop(ers Altona (ˈaltona is the westernmost urban borough ( Bezirk) of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe After this emergency decree, Papen appointed himself Reich Commissioner for Prussia and took control of the government. This made it easy for Adolf Hitler to assume control over Prussia in the following year. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately
1933-1945: Prussia under Nazi rule
  History of Brandenburg and Prussia |
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| Northern March pre-12th century |
Old Prussians pre-13th century |
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| Margraviate of Brandenburg 1157–1618 (1806) |
Ordensstaat 1224–1525 |
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| Duchy of Prussia 1525–1618 |
Royal (Polish) Prussia 1466–1772 |
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| Brandenburg-Prussia 1618–1701 |
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| Kingdom in Prussia 1701–1772 |
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| Kingdom of Prussia 1772–1918 |
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| Free State of Prussia 1918–1947 |
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| Brandenburg 1947–1952 / 1990– |
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On 30 January 1933, Hitler had been appointed chancellor of Germany. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state The Northern March or North March (Nordmark was created out of the division of the vast Marca Geronis in 965 "Prussians" redirects here "Prussians" may also refer to citizens of the former German state of Prussia. The Margraviate of Brandenburg (Markgrafschaft Brandenburg was a major Principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806 Year 1806 ( MDCCCVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The monastic state of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschordensland sometimes known in English by the German term Ordensstaat (ˈɔːdn̩ˌʃtɑːt or "Order-State" The Duchy of Prussia or Ducal Prussia (Herzogtum Preußen Prūsijos kunigaikštystė Prusy Książęce was a Duchy in the eastern part of Prussia from Royal Prussia ( Prusy Królewskie was a province of the Kingdom of Poland from 1466 and then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1569 to 1772 Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Brandenburg-Prussia (Brandenburg-Preußen was a German Monarchy established by the Personal union between the Duchy of Prussia and the The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler As part of the deal, Papen was formally appointed minister-president of Prussia in addition to his role as Vice Chancellor of the Reich. The Vice-Chancellor of Germany ( Vizekanzler) in Germany is the second highest position in the cabinet at least according to the protocol In a little-noticed appointment, Hitler's top lieutenant Hermann Göring became the state's interior minister. Hermann Wilhelm Göring (also spelled Goering) (12 January 1893 15 October 1946 was a German Politician, Military leader and a leading member
Four weeks later (27 February 1933), the Reichstag was set on fire. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Reichstag building in Berlin was constructed to house the Reichstag, the first Parliament of the German Empire. On 27 February 1933, the Reichstag building was subject to an arson attack and as a result seen as the pivotal event in the establishment of Nazi Germany At Hitler's urging, President Paul von Hindenburg issued the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties in Germany. Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg ( known universally as Paul von Hindenburg ( ( October 2, 1847 &ndash August 2 The Reichstag Fire Decree (Reichstagsbrandverordnung is the common name of the Order of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State issued by German president Six days after the fire, the Reichstag election of March 5, 1933 strengthened the position of the Nazi Party, although they did not achieve an absolute majority. The 8th German Reichstag election of the Weimar Republic was held on March 5 1933, shortly after the Reichstag building had burned and was the last election Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The, officially National Socialist German Workers' Party, ( abbreviated NSDAP) was a Political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945 However, with their coalition partners, the German National People's Party, Hitler now commanded a bare majority in the Reichstag. The German National People's Party (Deutschnationale Volkspartei DNVP was a national-conservative party in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic Göring figured prominently in this election, as he was commander of the largest police force in the Reich. His police beat and harassed the other parties (especially the Communists and Social Democrats), and only allowed the Nazis and Nationalists to campaign relatively unmolested.
The new Reichstag was opened in the Garrison Church of Potsdam on March 21, 1933 in the presence of President Paul von Hindenburg, who had long since descended into senility. Also see Potsdam New York (in the USA For the Potsdam Conference see Potsdam Conference. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg ( known universally as Paul von Hindenburg ( ( October 2, 1847 &ndash August 2 In a propaganda-filled meeting between Hitler and the NSDAP, the "marriage of old Prussia with young Germany" was celebrated, to win over the Prussian monarchists, conservatives, and nationalists and induce them to vote for the Enabling Act. The Enabling Act ( in German) was passed by the Reichstag ( Germany 's parliament on March 23, 1933 and signed The act was passed on 23 March 1933, legally granting Hitler dictatorial powers. Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A dictatorship is usually defined as an autocratic Form of government in which the Government is ruled by a Dictator.
In April 1933, Papen was visiting the Vatican. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory The Nazis took advantage of his absence and appointed Göring in his place. With this act, Hitler was able to take power decisively in Germany, since he now had the whole apparatus of the Prussian government, including the police, at his disposal. By 1934 almost all Prussian ministries had been merged with the corresponding Reich ministries.
In the centralized state created by the Nazis in the "Law on the Reconstruction of the Reich ("Gesetz über den Neuaufbau des Reiches", 30 January 1934) and the "Law on Reich Governors" ("Reichsstatthaltergesetz", 30 January 1935) the States were dissolved, in fact if not in law. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The federal state governments were now controlled by governors for the Reich who were appointed by the Chancellor. Parallel to that, the organization of the party into districts (Gau) gained increasing importance, as official in charge of a Gau (the infamous Gauleiter) was again appointed by the Chancellor who was at the same time chief of the NSDAP. A Gauleiter was the party leader of a regional branch of the NSDAP (more commonly known as the Nazi Party) or the head of a Gau or of a The, officially National Socialist German Workers' Party, ( abbreviated NSDAP) was a Political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945 Hitler appointed himself formally as Governor of Prussia, although his functions were exercised by Göring.
The Prussian lands transferred to Poland after the Treaty of Versailles were reannexed during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including However, most of this territory was not reintegrated back into Prussia but assigned to separate Gaue of the Großdeutsches Reich. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers
1945-1947: The end of Prussia
With the end of National Socialist rule in 1945 came the division of Germany into Zones of Occupation, and the transfer of control of everything east of the Oder-Neisse line to other states. The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative The Oder-Neisse line (Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej Oder-Neiße-Grenze was drawn in the aftermath of World War II as the eastern border of Germany and As was the case after World War I all of this territory had been Prussian territory and most of it went to Poland (the northern third of East Prussia, including Königsberg, now Kaliningrad was annexed by the Soviet Union). Kaliningrad (Калининград is a Seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian Exclave between Poland The losses represented nearly two fifths of Prussian territory and nearly a quarter of territory within Germany's pre-1938 borders. An estimated ten million Germans fled or were expelled from these territories as part of the German exodus from Eastern Europe.
What remained of Prussia comprised both a little over half of the remaining German territory and a little over half of Prussia's pre-1914 territory. In Law #46 of 25 February 1947, the Allied Control Council formally proclaimed the dissolution of the Prussian state. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Allied Control Council or Allied Control Authority, known in German as the Alliierter Kontrollrat, also referred to as the Four Powers (German [2] Although the Allies cited Prussia's history of militarism as their main justification for dissolving Prussia, its continued existence would have proven impractical following the onset of the Cold War and the enduring division of Germany that resulted from this development. Militarism is the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the As a consequence of Germany 's defeat in World War II and the onset of the Cold War, the country was split between the two global blocs in the East and West
For the most part, Prussia's remaining territory would go on to be divided into new states with the borders of Prussia's old provinces often forming the basis for the new state borders. The East German government abolished the states within its borders in 1952 although they were re-established in 1990 prior to German re-unification. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany
Government
- See also: Elections in the Free State of Prussia
Unlike its authoritarian pre-war predecessor, Prussia was a promising democracy within Germany. Max Liebermann ( July 20 1847 &ndash February 8 1935) was a German painter and Printmaker in Etching and The Free State of Prussia held elections to the Landtag between 1918 and 1933 The abolition of the aristocracy transformed Prussia into a region strongly dominated by the left wing of the political spectrum, with "Red Berlin" and the industrial centre of the Ruhr Area exerting a major influence. The Ruhr Area, ( German Ruhrgebiet, colloquial Ruhrpott, Kohlenpott or Revier) is an Urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia During this period, a coalition of centre-left parties ruled, predominantly under the leadership of East Prussian Social Democrat Otto Braun. This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De While in office he implemented several reforms together with his Minister of the Interior, Carl Severing, which were also models for the later Federal Republic of Germany. Carl Wilhelm Severing ( 1 June, 1875 23 July, 1952) was a German Social Democrat politician during the Weimar era Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For instance, a Prussian prime minister could only be forced out of office if there was a "positive majority" for a potential successor. This concept, known as the constructive vote of no confidence, was carried over into the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany. The constructive vote of no confidence (in German: konstruktives Misstrauensvotum) is a specialty of the 1949 German Constitution, the Grundgesetz The term basic law is used in some places as an alternative to " Constitution " implying it is a temporary but necessary measure without formal enactment Most historians regard the Prussian government during this time as far more successful than that of Germany as a whole.
Similar to other German states both now and at the time, executive power was continued to be vested in a Minister-President of Prussia and laws established by a Landtag elected by the people. Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. A minister-president (Ministerpräsident is the Head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments who presides over the council of ministers A Landtag ( Diet) is a representative assembly or Parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority
Minister-Presidents of the Free State of Prussia
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Friedrich Ebert | 9 November 1918 | 11 November 1918 | SPD |
| 2 | Paul Hirsch | 11 November 1918 | 27 March 1920 | SPD |
| 3 | Otto Braun | 27 March 1920 | 21 April 1921 | SPD |
| 4 | Adam Stegerwald | 21 April 1921 | 5 November 1921 | Centre |
| - | Otto Braun (2nd term) | 5 November 1921 | 18 February 1925 | SPD |
| 5 | Wilhelm Marx | 18 February 1925 | 6 April 1925 | Centre |
| - | Otto Braun (3rd term) | 6 April 1925 | 20 July 1932 (ousted during the Preußenschlag) 30 January 1933 (formally deposed) |
SPD |
| Position suspended. Friedrich Ebert ( February 4, 1871 February 28, 1925) was a German Politician ( SPD) who served as Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Paul Hirsch ( 17 November 1868 - 1 August 1940) was a German Politician and a member of the Social Democratic Party Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Adam Stegerwald ( 14 December 1874 3 December 1945) was a German Catholic Politician and a leader of the Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar The German Centre Party ( Deutsche Zentrumspartei or merely Zentrum) was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Wilhelm Marx ( January 15, 1863 August 5, 1946) was a German Lawyer Catholic Politician and a member of the Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The German Centre Party ( Deutsche Zentrumspartei or merely Zentrum) was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia For the Geman Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Commmunist revolution see Otto Braun (Li De Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. The Preußenschlag, or "Prussian coup" was one of the major steps towards the destruction of the German Weimar Republic (1919-33 and the rise of Adolf Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Administered by the Reichskommissar |
20 July 1932 | 30 January 1933 | ||
| 6 | Franz von Papen | 30 January 1933 | 10 April 1933 | Independent |
| 6 | Hermann Göring | 10 April 1933 | 24 April 1945 | NSDAP |
Subdivisions of Prussia
Effects of World War I
- East: The Memel Region of East Prussia was ceded to Lithuania. The Provinces of Prussia constituted the main administrative divisions of Prussia. The Klaipėda Region (Klaipėdos kraštas or Memel Territory (Memelland or Memelgebiet Territoire de Memel was defined by the Treaty of Versailles East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part The remainder of province of Silesia that was not ceded to Poland and Czechoslovakia was split into the provinces of Upper Silesia and Lower Silesia in 1919 - although they were temporarily recombined (1938-1941). The Province of Silesia (Provinz Schlesien Prowincja Śląsk was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919 the territory had been conquered from The Province of Upper Silesia (Provinz Oberschlesien Górny Śląsk Silesian: Górny Ślonsk) was a province of the Free State of Prussia created The Province of Lower Silesia (Provinz Niederschlesien was a province of the Free State of Prussia from 1919 to 1945
- North: In the province of Schleswig-Holstein, Allied powers organised two plebiscites in Northern and Central Schleswig on 10 February and 14 March 1920, respectively. The Province of Schleswig-Holstein (Provinz Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. In Northern Schleswig 75% voted for reunification with Denmark and 25% for staying with Germany, this new addition to Denmark comprising the modern-day South Jutland County . Short description of South Jutland South Jutland county is also known as Northern Schleswig ( Danish: Nordslesvig, German: Nordschleswig In Central Schleswig the situation was reversed with 80% voting for Germany and 20% for Denmark. No vote ever took place in the southern third of Schleswig.
- West: The southern tip of the Rhine Province was placed under French administration as the Saar by the League of Nations. The Rhine Province (Rheinprovinz also known as Rhenish Prussia ( Rheinpreußen) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free The Territory of the Saar Basin (in French: Le Territoire du Bassin de la Sarre, in German: Saarbeckengebiet) also referred as the Saar The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 The Eupen and Malmedy regions in the west of the Rhine Province were ceded to Belgium, forming the region that contains the German-speaking community of Belgium. Eupen is a Municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, 15 km from the German border ( Aachen) from the Dutch Malmedy is a Municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. The German-speaking Community of Belgium (Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgiens DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium.
Changes prior to World War II
In 1920, the Greater Berlin Act was passed to create the new province of Berlin, separating the capital from the province of Brandenburg. The Greater Berlin Act (Groß-Berlin-Gesetz in full the Law Regarding the Reconstruction of the New Local Authority of Berlin (Gesetz über die Bildung einer neuen Stadtgemeinde Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. } The Province of Brandenburg (Provinz Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946 This new province effectively increased the size of the city 13-fold, and its borders are largely maintained by the modern German state of Berlin.
The remainder of the provinces of Posen and West Prussia were combined to form Posen-West Prussia in 1922. The Province of Posen (Provinz Posen Prowincja Poznańska was a province of Prussia from 1848-1918 and as such part of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 the whole West Prussia ( Prusy Zachodnie was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773&ndash1824 and 1878&ndash1918 which was created out of the earlier Polish The border province of Posen-West Prussia (Grenzmark Posen-Westpreußen was a province of the Free State of Prussia.
After the "Reichsstatthaltergesetz" in 1935, all states and provinces were de facto dissolved, allowing the Nazis to re-organise Germany into new subdivisions (Gaue). Nevertheless, some changes were still made to Prussian provinces after this time. For example, the Greater Hamburg Act of 1937 transferred some territory from Schleswig-Holstein to the Free City of Hamburg while at the same time annexing the Free City of Lübeck to Schleswig-Holstein. The Greater Hamburg Act (Groß-Hamburg-Gesetz was passed by the government of the German Reich on January 26 1937, and mandated the exchange of territories Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck was a city-state that existed from 1226 to 1937 in the present-day German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
After World War II
With the Allied occupation of Germany in 1945 and the abolition of the Prussian state in 1946, the provinces of Prussia were eventually transformed into new territories:
- Ceded to the USSR: the northern third of East Prussia. The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part Today the Kaliningrad Oblast is a Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland. Kaliningrad Oblast (Калинингра́дская о́бласть Kaliningradskaya oblast; informally called Yantarny kray (ru Янта́рный край meaning
- Ceded to Poland: everything east of the Oder-Neisse line: (most of Silesia, Eastern Pomerania, the Neumark region of Brandenburg, all of Posen-West Prussia, and the remainder of East Prussia not ceded to Russia)
- Placed under Soviet administration: the following states were formed (partly after merging with other German states), were then abolished in 1952, and finally recreated after the reunification of Germany in 1990. The Oder-Neisse line (Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej Oder-Neiße-Grenze was drawn in the aftermath of World War II as the eastern border of Germany and The Province of Silesia (Provinz Schlesien Prowincja Śląsk was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919 the territory had been conquered from For the present-day Polish provinces see Pomeranian Voivodeship and West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The Neumark ( also known as the New March (Nowa Marchia or East Brandenburg ( was a region of the Prussian Province of Brandenburg, } The Province of Brandenburg (Provinz Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946 The border province of Posen-West Prussia (Grenzmark Posen-Westpreußen was a province of the Free State of Prussia. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany
- Brandenburg: from the remainder of the Province of Brandenburg
- Saxony-Anhalt: from the bulk of the Province of Saxony, the remainder of the province became part of Thuringia
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: the remainder of the Province of Pomerania (most of Western Pomerania) merged into Mecklenburg
- Saxony: the petty remainder of the Province of Silesia merged into Saxony
- Placed under Allied administration: the remainder of Prussia was merged with other German states to become the following states of West Germany. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. } The Province of Brandenburg (Provinz Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946 Saxony-Anhalt ( Sachsen-Anhalt) is one of the sixteen ''Bundesländer'' (federal states that make up the Federal Republic of Germany. }The Province of Saxony (Provinz Sachsen was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1945 The Free State of Thuringia (Freistaat Thüringen is located in central Germany. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, sometimes translated as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, is a state in Northern Germany comprising For the present-day Polish provinces see Pomeranian Voivodeship and West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here Mecklenburg ( Low German: Mekelnborg) is a region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. The Province of Silesia (Provinz Schlesien Prowincja Śląsk was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1815 to 1919 the territory had been conquered from The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (
- Schleswig-Holstein: from the province of Schleswig-Holstein, under British administration
- Lower Saxony: from the province of Hanover, under British administration
- North Rhine-Westphalia: from the province of Westphalia and the northern half of the Rhine Province, under British administration
- Rhineland-Palatinate: from the southern remainder of the Rhine Province, under French administration
- Hesse: from the province of Hesse-Nassau, under American administration
- Württemberg-Hohenzollern: from the province of Hohenzollern, under French administration. is the northernmost of the 16 ''Bundesländer'' in Germany. The former English name was Sleswick-Holsatia the Danish name is The Province of Schleswig-Holstein (Provinz Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second The Province of Hanover (Provinz Hannover was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946 North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen usually shortened to NRW, official short form NW is the westernmost and - in terms of population and economic output - the The Province of Westphalia (Provinz Westfalen was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815-1946 The Rhine Province (Rheinprovinz also known as Rhenish Prussia ( Rheinpreußen) was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. Hesse (Hessen is a state of Germany with an area The Province of Hesse-Nassau (Provinz Hessen-Nassau was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1868-1918 then a province of the Free State of Prussia Württemberg-Hohenzollern is a historical state of West Germany. Hohenzollern ( Hohenzollernsche Lande in full was a de facto province of the Kingdom of Prussia. This state was ultimately merged with Baden and Württemberg-Baden to form Baden-Württemberg. The Republic of Baden (Republik Baden was a state of Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic, formed after the abolition of the Grand Duchy of Baden Württemberg-Baden is a former state of Federal Republic of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Berlin was divided into East Berlin (under Soviet administration) and West Berlin (redivided further into British, French and American sectors of administration). East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990 West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990 This western half was completely surrounded by East Germany and was ultimately enclosed by the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer was a physical barrier separating West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic (GDR ( East Germany) including The two halves were reunited after German reunification to form the modern German state of Berlin. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. A proposal to merge Berlin with the reformed state of Brandenburg was rejected by popular vote in 1996. Brandenburg ( Lower Sorbian: Bramborska; Upper Sorbian: Braniborska) is one of the sixteen states of Germany. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar)
See also
References
- ^ a b (1931) Beckmanns Welt-Lexikon und Welt-Atlas. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Despite the lack of a German nation state prior to 1871 the History of Germany dates back to the era of the Germanic tribes. Leipzig / Vienna: Verlagsanstalt Otto Beckmann.
- ^ Council Control Law 46: Abolition of the State of Prussia (1947-02-25). Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor