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104-548: The institute was founded in 1930 and on a core of three large book collections. In the late 1920s, the Argentine scholar Ernesto Quesada had given his approximately 82,000-volume private library to the State of Prussia . In addition, it received the Mexico library of geographer Hermann Hagen , who had collected 25,000 volumes with the support of Mexican president Plutarco Elías Calles . When

208-506: A Landtag (parliament) elected by proportional representation under universal suffrage for both men and women, and a State Council ( Staatsrat ) elected by local parliaments to represent the interests of Prussia's provinces . Executive authority rested with the State Ministry, headed by a minister president who was elected by and responsible to the Landtag . He appointed and directed

312-617: A referendum was to be held there. The former Imperial Territory of Alsace–Lorraine , which had been effectively under Prussian administration, was ceded to France without a vote. The annexation of the Free State of Waldeck-Pyrmont was the one Prussian territorial addition during the Weimar Republic. The Pyrmont district made the first step after a referendum in 1921. The rest of the state followed in 1929. The loss of territory had considerable negative economic and financial consequences for

416-400: A business managed by a self-employed member of their family such as an independent farmer or shop owner and who receive at most pocket money instead of a salary), and 4.5% were domestic workers. The unemployment rate in 1925 was 6%. The proportions varied depending on the predominant economic sector of the individual provinces. In more rural East Prussia, the number of contributing family members

520-667: A central tax administration. The Reich had fiscal sovereignty and distributed revenues to the states. Along with the military and railroads, waterways and a large part of social administration became the responsibility of the Reich. Although 61% of the Reich's population lived in Prussia in 1925, it had only two-fifths of the votes in the Reichsrat , the Reich-level equivalent of the State Council. In

624-579: A departure from the empire's Federal Council , and in contrast to the other states, only half of the members of the Reichsrat to which Prussia was entitled were appointed by the Prussian government. The remaining members were elected by the provincial parliaments. Between 1921 and 1925 the administration of state-owned enterprises was moved away from the direct responsibility of the Ministry of Trade and Industry on

728-520: A factor in Prussia's political stability. The Constitution began with the statement that Prussia was a republic and a member of the German Reich. The people as a whole were the bearers of state power. They could exercise their rights directly through plebiscites (referendums) or indirectly through their representatives in the Landtag (parliament). The State Ministry, made up of the minister president and

832-465: A factor. The large population movements within Prussia slowed. In contrast to the period before 1914, more people were moving into Prussia from foreign countries than were emigrating. In-migration from ceded territories along with increasing immigration, especially from eastern Europe, both played a role. There were also major differences in population density across Prussia. In 1925 East Prussia had an average of 60.9 inhabitants per square kilometer, while

936-666: A few cities and in areas that were more rural and Protestant, especially east of the Elbe River . In East Prussia the DNVP received over 30% of the vote in the 1928 federal election for the Reichstag. The Centre was strong in Catholic areas such as Silesia, the Rhineland and Westphalia. The left-wing parties were important in large cities and heavily commercial non-Catholic areas. In Berlin, for example,

1040-458: A financial council. That the debate would not be easy was made clear by the MSPD spokesman, who put forward a series of amendments, including criticism of the government's planned right to dissolve the state parliament. The conservative parties once again raised the issue of the state president and of a second chamber. The deliberations in the constitutional committee began on 16 June 1920, by which time

1144-538: A letter to the Cardinal of Cologne Felix von Hartmann , Minister President Hirsch assured him that Hoffmann's provisions for ending clerical supervision of schools had been illegal because they had not been voted on in the cabinet. More strongly than any other government measures, Hoffmann's socialist cultural policies turned large segments of the population against the revolution. The Christmas Eve fighting in Berlin between

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1248-454: A province. The Hohenzollern Lands in southern Germany were a unique type of administrative district ( Regierungsbezirk ) that was not a true province but that had almost all the rights of one. The provinces were headed by governors ( Oberpräsidenten ) appointed by the Ministry of State. There was in addition a provincial council consisting of the governor, a member appointed by the Minister of

1352-408: A provincial committee from its own ranks to manage day-to-day business. The provincial parliaments sent representatives to the national-level Reichsrat and the corresponding Prussian State Council ( Staatsrat ). Below the provincial level there were (as of 1933) 34 administrative districts; some provinces, including Posen-West Prussia, Upper Silesia, Schleswig-Holstein and also Berlin, had just

1456-418: A single administrative district. A total of 361 districts (called Kreise or Landkreise ) formed the basis of state administration in rural areas and small towns. Larger cities generally formed urban districts ( Stadtkreise ), of which there were a total of 116. While there were only five urban districts in agrarian East Prussia, there were 21 in industrial Westphalia. See also: Constitution of

1560-525: A strong state president. The USPD wanted a reference to the overthrow of the monarchy and mention of workers' councils. A few days after enacting the provisional law, with the Centre Party abstaining, the State Assembly passed a resolution against a possible breakup of the state such as Hugo Preuß had proposed in initial drafts for the national constitution. Under the provisional law, a collegial government

1664-475: The Landtag . Within their areas of responsibility, ministers worked independently and were also responsible to the Landtag . The minister president presided over the State Ministry and directed its business. In order for confidence to be withdrawn from the State Ministry as a whole or from individual ministers, at least half of the deputies had to agree in a roll call vote. In order to maintain public safety, or in

1768-578: The Constitution of 1848 that King Frederick William IV had imposed following the German revolutions of 1848–1849 . It established a constitutional monarchy with a two-chamber parliament and included a catalog of fundamental rights, but the king, who could veto any law, bypass the judiciary and had control of the military, remained the strongest power in the state. The Constitution's most controversial feature, which Social Democrats in particular criticized during

1872-582: The Independent SPD (USPD), a more leftist and anti-war group that had broken away from the original united SPD in 1917, and to enter into an alliance with the council movement, a form of council communism . On 12 November 1918 commissioners from the Workers' and Soldiers' Councils of Greater Berlin, including Paul Hirsch, Otto Braun (MSPD) and Adolph Hoffmann (USPD), appeared before the last Deputy Minister President of Prussia, Robert Friedberg. They declared

1976-702: The Majority Social Democratic Party (MSPD) succeeded in getting the more radical Independent Social Democratic Party (USPD) to abandon its opposition. The elections were to take place one week before the elections to the Weimar National Assembly , which was to adopt a national constitution for Germany. Hugo Preuß , who went on to write the draft version of the Weimar Constitution for the National Assembly, advocated splitting up

2080-553: The March 1933 Reichstag elections , the NSDAP had above-average strength in constituencies such as East Prussia (56.5%), Frankfurt an der Oder (55.2%), Liegnitz (54%) and Schleswig-Holstein (53.2%), but was significantly weaker in Berlin (31.3%), Westphalia (34.3%) and the Rhineland (34.1%) than the Reich average (43.9%). Constitution of Prussia (1920) The Prussian Constitution of 1920 ( German : Verfassung von Preußen 1920 ) formed

2184-662: The Nazi Party seized power in 1933, even though a Prussian government under Hermann Göring continued to function formally until 1945. After the end of the Second World War , by decree of the Allied Control Council , the de jure abolition of Prussia occurred on 25 February 1947. On 9 November 1918, in the early days of the Revolution of 1918–1919 that brought down the German monarchy , Prince Maximilian von Baden ,

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2288-553: The People's Navy Division and units of the German army led to the withdrawal of the USPD from the government in both Prussia and at the Reich level. The dismissal of Emil Eichhorn (USPD) as Berlin's police chief triggered the failed Spartacist Uprising of 5 – 12 January 1919 that attempted to turn the direction of the revolution towards the founding a communist state. Prussia's continued existence

2392-745: The Reichstag . Ebert then charged Paul Hirsch , the MSPD's party leader in the Prussian House of Representatives , with maintaining peace and order in Prussia. The last Minister of the Interior of the Kingdom of Prussia, Bill Drews , legitimized the transfer of de facto governmental power to Hirsch. On 10 November Ebert found himself forced to form a joint government, the Council of the People's Deputies , with representatives of

2496-509: The Rhine Province had 295.6. Because of the extent of its low population rural regions, Prussia had a density of 130.7 per square kilometer, which was below average among the German states. The Free State of Saxony , by way of contrast, had 333 inhabitants per km . Urbanization and urban growth lost momentum compared to the pre-1914 period. Population increases in larger cities were caused not so much by in-migration as by incorporation. This

2600-634: The Upper Silesia plebiscite which led to the creation of the Province of Upper Silesia . Further amendments followed in 1924 and 1928. The 1932 Prussian coup d'état effectively abolished the Prussian government, and at the beginning of National Socialist rule, the Gleichschaltung Laws of March and April 1933 further undermined the effectiveness of the Constitution. It remained formally in force and

2704-535: The constituent Prussian State Assembly . During the campaign, reaching out to female voters, who were going to the polls for the first time, played an important role. In Catholic regions of the state, Hoffmann's anti-clerical school program helped the Centre Party to mobilize its voter base. The MSPD emerged as the strongest party, followed by the Centre and the German Democratic Party (DDP). The Assembly met for

2808-425: The Constitution and approved the budget. Amendments to the Constitution could be made by the Landtag with a two-thirds majority vote. It had to convene at the request of at least one-fifth of the deputies or at the request of the State Ministry. In contrast to the period before 1918, the Landtag had the right of self-assembly and could determine its own closing and reconvening. The State Council represented

2912-741: The Free State of Prussia   – via Wikisource . (Full text in English) Carl Severing did not submit a draft constitution until 26 April 1920 because of delays caused by the Kapp Putsch and the wait for the Reich constitution , which was ratified on 11 August 1919. On 30 November 1920 the State Assembly adopted the constitution of the Free State of Prussia . 280 deputies voted in favor, 60 against and 7 abstained. The DNVP and independent deputies in particular voted against it. In contrast to

3016-521: The German average. Despite the efforts of the Prussian government in areas such as education, upward mobility remained limited. In 1927/28, only one percent of junior lawyers came from working-class families. Advancement opportunities were significantly better from primary schools. The proportion of students from working-class families at educational academies rose from 7 percent in 1928/29 to 10 percent in 1932/33. The Free State consisted of twelve provinces plus Berlin, whose status corresponded to that of

3120-650: The Institute for Latin America Studies in Hamburg closed in 1930, its inventory of approximately 10,000 volumes was then transferred to the IAI. Thus by the time of its founding, the IAI was already in possession of about 120,000 volumes, a specialized and comprehensive collection that included many rare and valuable books. Apart from the library, an essential element of the IAI was the research department. Both were initially housed in

3224-418: The Interior and five members elected by the provincial committee. The provinces each had a parliament. In Hesse-Nassau , municipal parliaments existed for the district associations alongside the provincial parliament. The provincial parliaments elected a Landeshauptmann who headed the governmental administration; the corresponding office in Berlin was the mayor. In addition, the provincial parliament elected

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3328-506: The MSPD) had the right to appoint the minister president and the remaining ministers. On 25 March 1919, Leinert appointed a coalition cabinet consisting of members of the MSPD, Centre Party and DDP under Paul Hirsch (MSPD). After the failed Kapp Putsch of 13–18 March 1920, the government resigned and the first cabinet of Otto Braun (MSPD) was formed on 29 March. In April 1920 the Assembly approved

3432-459: The MSPD, six from the Centre, four each from the DDP and the right-wing nationalist German National People's Party (DNVP), and one each from the USPD and the liberal German People's Party (DVP). (See the Constitution section below for additional details.) On 25 March 1919 the provisional revolutionary Hirsch government resigned. It was replaced, as in the Reich, by a coalition of MSPD, Centre and DDP,

3536-484: The Ministry of State as a whole. With a two-thirds majority, it could impeach ministers before the state court. The Ministry of State was the highest and leading authority in the state; it consisted of the Minister President and the ministers of state (Article 7). Although it was organized collegially, the Minister President had policy-making authority (Article 46). He was elected by Parliament. After an amendment to

3640-533: The Polish population ( first Silesian uprising ). The violence there was suppressed by military means as well. In Pomerania clashes broke out between agricultural workers and large landowners, who received support from regional army and Freikorps units. Agriculture Minister Otto Braun pushed through an emergency decree in September to enforce collectively agreed on regulations regarding farm workers' wages. In March 1920

3744-658: The Prussian Royal Stables building ( German : Neue Marstall ), a grand edifice in central Berlin-Mitte . Under the direction of Wilhelm Faupel, the Nazi envoy to rebel General Francisco Franco , the institute became integrally involved in diplomatic relations between the Third Reich , Spain and Argentina . During World War II it was moved to Berlin-Lankwitz and the books sent into storage to protect them from Allied bombing . An estimated at 40,000 volumes were lost during

3848-477: The Prussian state, including the costs of repatriation and provision for state employees. Under the Ministry of Justice alone, 3,500 civil servants and employees were affected. After 1918 the population did not increase as rapidly as it had before the war. In addition to the continuation of the demographic transition of modern industrial societies to lower birth rates, the losses of the First World War were also

3952-573: The Reich and other states in the Weimar Republic, there was no state president. The lack of an institution above the governing ministers and the parliamentary majority clearly distinguished Prussia from the Reich. Overall, the position of Parliament under the constitution was strong. A distinctive feature was the Minister President's position, which was elevated by his authority to make policy. Minister President Otto Braun in particular clearly recognized this and made purposeful use it. The constitution also provided for elements of plebiscitary democracy in

4056-571: The Reich level. The DNVP had a special affinity to the former Prussian monarchy. Among the regional parties, the German-Hanoverian Party (DHP) had some influence. The MSPD and USPD, which had split in 1917, merged in 1922 and resumed the original SPD name. (A small and politically insignificant part of the USPD continued to exist until 1931 when it merged with the Socialist Worker's Party of Germany .) The DNVP and DVP had strongholds in

4160-552: The SPD's vote came to 34% in 1928 and the KPD's to almost 30%. The rise of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) changed the pattern, but it remained dominant in basic terms until 1932. Within Prussia there were considerable differences in support for the Republic. The majority in Berlin, the Rhineland and Westphalia were in favor of a democracy, while reservations remained in the eastern and agrarian provinces. In

4264-456: The SPD, pushed republican reform of the administration and police, with the result that Prussia was considered a bulwark of democracy within the Weimar Republic. As a result of the Prussian coup d'état instigated by Reich Chancellor Franz von Papen in 1932, the Free State was subordinated to the Reich government and deprived of its independence. Prussia had thus de facto ceased to exist before

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4368-556: The State Assembly. The Ministry of State was appointed by the President of the State Assembly, had a collegial structure, and depended on the confidence of a majority in Parliament. In order to provide legal certainty, all previous laws that did not contradict the provisions of the provisional order remained in force. The most important task of the Assembly was to draft a constitution. The constitutional committee included eleven members from

4472-576: The authoritarian state it had been in the past and became a parliamentary democracy under its 1920 constitution . During the Weimar period it was governed almost entirely by pro-democratic parties and proved more politically stable than the Republic itself. With only brief interruptions, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) provided the Minister President . Its Ministers of the Interior, also from

4576-404: The cabinet. Other non-partisan ministers or ministers belonging to different political camps were also included, such as the Minister of War, initially Heinrich Schëuch , then from January 1919 Walther Reinhardt . The narrower, decisive political cabinet, however, included only politicians from the two workers' parties. Since the leadership qualities of the two chairmen were comparatively weak, it

4680-646: The constitutional committee that was responsible for drafting the constitution. Eleven were from the MSPD, six from the Centre Party , four the German Democratic Party (DDP), four the German National People's Party (DNVP), and one each from the USPD and the German People's Party (DVP). On 20 March 1919, the State Assembly passed a "Law on the Provisional Order of State Power in Prussia". It regulated

4784-494: The eastern provinces, a revolt broke out at Christmas 1918 with the aim of restoring a Polish state . The movement soon encompassed the entire Province of Posen and eventually took on the character of a guerrilla war. Even for many supporters of the Republic, Prussian dominance seemed a dangerous burden for the Reich. Hugo Preuß , author of the draft version of the Weimar Constitution , originally envisaged breaking Prussia into various smaller states. Given Prussian dominance in

4888-525: The elections for the Weimar National Assembly. It was the first statewide election in Prussia which was held under universal, equal and secret suffrage for men and women instead of the three-class system. Of 401 deputies elected, 26 were women. The voter turnout was about 74%. The following parties gained enough votes to win at least one seat: The Assembly convened for its constituent session on 13 March 1919. A total of 27 members were chosen for

4992-505: The establishment of the German National Railway , and the ministry was dissolved in 1921. The office of Minister of Welfare, which had existed in the provisional government, was formally created. There were also ministries of the interior, finance, justice, agriculture and trade. The Ministry of Spiritual, Educational and Medical Affairs was renamed the Ministry of Science, Art and National Education in 1918. The economic interests of

5096-400: The event of a state of emergency, the State Ministry could issue decrees during a period when Parliament was not in session, in cooperation with the standing committee of Parliament, but it had to obtain subsequent approval after Parliament had convened. If consent was refused, the decree ceased to have effect. The Constitution was subsequently amended several times, the first in 1921 following

5200-561: The first time on 13 March 1919, during the final days of the violent Berlin March battles and the Ruhr uprising . On 20 March the Assembly passed a law for the provisional ordering of the state's powers. It transferred all previous rights of the Prussian king, including his role as the highest authority of the Protestant church, to the Ministry of State, with the exception of his right to adjourn or close

5304-405: The form of referendums and petitions. The legislative period of the Parliament was four years. It could be dissolved by majority vote or referendum. Parliament acted as the legislature, elected the Minister President, had the right to establish committees of inquiry, and could amend the constitution by a majority of two-thirds of the deputies. It also had the right to censure individual ministers or

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5408-514: The formation of Greater Berlin , which greatly expanded the size and population of the Prussian capital. On 23 June 1920, it passed the law on the abolition of the nobility's privileges of status (which was also a part of the Weimar Constitution). An attempt to strengthen the political independence of Prussia's provinces failed. Because of the past close ties between the Reich and Prussia, and also because of Prussia's size and importance, it

5512-416: The former empire, there was sympathy for the idea. Otto Landsberg (MSPD) of the Council of the People's Deputies commented, "Prussia occupied its position with the sword and that sword is broken. If Germany is to live, Prussia in its present form must die." The new socialist government of Prussia was opposed to such a move. On 23 January 1919 participants in an emergency meeting of the central council and

5616-537: The government in Prussia. In a total of three committee deliberations, the coalition partners reached a compromise acceptable to all: a strictly parliamentary system without a president. The minister president was to determine the guidelines of policy and have a position of strength similar to that of the British prime minister . In addition to the State Assembly ( Landtag ), the State Council ( Staatsrat ) representing

5720-634: The inhabitants lived in village communities in 1925, in the Province of Westphalia the figure was just 16.5%. In East Prussia 12.4% of the population lived in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants; in the Rhine Province it was over 41%. Industry and the skilled trades dominated Prussia's economy in 1925, accounting for 41.3% of all workers. Agriculture played only a secondary role at 22%, with trade and transport trailing only slightly at 17.5%. The other economic sectors lagged well behind. There were strong geographic differences in Prussia's economic structure as well. In East Prussia agriculture employed 45.4% of

5824-794: The initiative of the department's minister, Wilhelm Siering (SPD). Joint stock companies were formed to manage the state-owned mines, salt works, smelters, water works, and electrical generation plants. Ideas about the economic common good, such as those advocated by State Secretary Hans Staudinger (SPD), also played a role in the expedited development of state-owned companies. The Prussian party system – made up of conservatism ( German National People's Party , DNVP), political Catholicism ( Centre Party ), liberalism ( German People's Party , DVP, and German Democratic Party , DDP), social democracy ( Majority Social Democratic Party , MSPD) and socialism/communism (Independent Social Democratic Party , USPD, and Communist Party of Germany , KPD) – corresponded to that at

5928-448: The institution was again named the "Ibero-American Institute." In the following years one of its main tasks was to close the gaps in the collection lost during the War. Here the IAI received great support by foreign institutions, libraries and other facilities. In 1977, the IAI moved into a new building on the Kulturforum at Potsdamer Straße 37. Today, the IAI is composed of: The IAI also publishes monographs and periodicals, for example

6032-476: The large landowners remained in place. In educational policy, Minister of Culture Adolph Hoffmann abolished religious instruction as a first step in a push towards the separation of church and state. The move triggered considerable unrest in Catholic areas of Prussia and revived memories of Bismarck's 1870s Kulturkampf ('cultural conflict') against the Catholic Church. At the end of December 1919, MSPD Minister Konrad Haenisch rescinded Hoffmann's decree. In

6136-420: The largely rural area east of the Elbe River , that feared loss of its traditional power. While the Reich government fled to Stuttgart , the Prussian government remained in Berlin. A general strike against the putsch, initiated in particular by unions and civil servants, largely paralyzed public life in Prussia. Most of the governors of the Prussian provinces stood behind the legal state government. Only those of

6240-410: The last Chancellor of the German Empire – who like most of his predecessors was also Minister President of Prussia – announced the abdication of Wilhelm II as German Emperor and King of Prussia before he had in fact done so. On the same day, Prince Maximilian transferred the office of Reich Chancellor to Friedrich Ebert , the chairman of the Majority SPD (MSPD), which was the largest party in

6344-437: The legal framework for the Free State of Prussia , a constituent state of the Weimar Republic , from 1918 to 1947. It was based on democratic parliamentary principles and replaced the Constitution of 1848/50 . During the National Socialist era, it was eroded to the point of irrelevance and following World War II lost legal force when the state of Prussia was abolished by the Allies in 1947. The Constitution provided for

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6448-400: The lifetime of the German Empire , was the three-class franchise that weighted votes based on the amount of taxes paid. After the revolution, existing laws initially continued to apply except where they explicitly contradicted the new democratic order. The Prussian House of Representatives and House of Lords were therefore dissolved on 15 November 1918. The three-class franchise system

6552-597: The magazine Ibero-analysis with topics on the politics, economy, society and culture of the South American countries. In Ibero-Online.de appear lectures held at the IAI which can be downloaded in PDF format. Bibliographies from the IAI holdings on certain topics and numerous publications are also available online. 52°30′4.33″N 13°22′9.07″E  /  52.5012028°N 13.3691861°E  / 52.5012028; 13.3691861 State of Prussia The Free State of Prussia ( German : Freistaat Preußen , pronounced [ˈfʁaɪʃtaːt ˈpʁɔʏsn̩] )

6656-419: The most important organizational issues as a kind of transitional constitution until a formal constitution was adopted. In the initial debates, the conservative DNVP argued for a strong president at the head of the state as a counterweight to the parliament. Ernst Heilmann of the MSPD spoke against the DNVP and at the same time advocated a unitary German state. The DDP supported him, while the DVP also advocated

6760-468: The national Constitution. The Prussian Ministry of the Interior prepared a first draft of a constitution which was forwarded to the State Assembly on 25 February 1920. The Kapp Putsch then caused a further delay. It was Carl Severing of the MSPD who finally brought the draft to the Assembly on 26 April 1920. In principle there was to be a unicameral parliament. The interests of the provinces, especially in financial matters, were to be taken into account by

6864-503: The new government confiscated the royal property and placed it under the Ministry of Finance. The following day, the Majority and Independent Social Democrats formed the Prussian revolutionary cabinet along the lines of the coalition at the Reich level. It included Paul Hirsch, Eugen Ernst and Otto Braun of the MSPD and Heinrich Ströbel , Adolph Hoffmann and Kurt Rosenfeld of the USPD. Almost all departments were under ministers from both parties. Hirsch and Ströbel became joint chairmen of

6968-405: The old Prussian three-class franchise . At the municipal level, however, it took eight months before the existing governmental bodies were replaced by democratically legitimized ones. Deliberations concerning a fundamental reform of property relations in the countryside, in particular the breaking up of large landholdings, did not bear fruit. The manor districts that were the political power base of

7072-417: The other ministers and was responsible for setting policy. Unlike the Weimar Constitution , the 1920 Prussian Constitution did not provide for a president. While it remained in force, Prussia was among the most stable and democratic states of the Weimar Republic. Until the German Revolution of 1918–1919 , Prussia was governed by the 1850 Constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia . It was an amended version of

7176-413: The political environment at the national level had changed significantly as a result of the Kapp Putsch. The parties of the Weimar Coalition (MSPD, DDP and Centre) lost a considerable number of seats in the Reichstag elections of 6 June to the political right (DNVP and DVP) and the more extreme left (USPD). As a result, the coalition in the State Assembly felt pressured to compromise in order to stabilize

7280-430: The previous government deposed and claimed the management of state affairs for themselves. On the same day the commissioners issued instructions that all departments of the state should continue their work as usual. A manifesto, "To the Prussian People!", stated that the goal was to transform "the old, fundamentally reactionary Prussia ... into a fully democratic component of the unified People's Republic." On 13 November

7384-428: The provinces and gave them a voice in legislation and administration. The members were elected by the local parliaments or, in the case of Berlin, the city council. The State Ministry had to inform the State Council about state affairs. The State Council had the right to an advisory opinion on proposed legislation. Through the State Ministry, the State Council could introduce bills to the Landtag . The State Council had

7488-576: The provinces of Posen and West Prussia became part of the new state of Poland , and East Prussia was separated from the rest of Reich territory by the Polish Corridor . Additional changes were decided by plebiscites. In Northern Schleswig 74% of the vote on 10 February 1920 was in favor of annexation to Denmark , to which it was subsequently ceded. In the southern part, 81% of voters chose on 14 March to remain in Germany. The new German-Danish border

7592-441: The provinces of Schleswig-Holstein , Hanover and East Prussia supported the putsch. It is noteworthy that August Winnig, the governor of East Prussia, was a Social Democrat. The situation was different with many district administrators. There was a clear east–west divide among them. In the western provinces almost all of the district administrators stood by the constitutional government, even if in some cases only under pressure from

7696-527: The provinces was the equivalent of a second chamber. After the work in the committee, the plenum dealt with the draft, some of which had been heavily modified, in three readings. On 30 November 1920, the new Constitution of the Free State of Prussia was adopted with 280 votes from the MSPD, Centre Party, DDP and DVP against 60 votes from the DNVP and USPD, with the German-Hanoverian Party abstaining. The adopted Constitution ultimately proved to be

7800-461: The provisional government spoke out against Prussia's dissolution. With the Centre Party abstaining, the State Assembly during its first sessions adopted a resolution against a possible breakup of Prussia. Aside from a few exceptions, which included Friedrich Ebert, there was little support for it even among the Council of the People's Deputies at the Reich level because it was seen as the first step toward

7904-626: The putschists. The "Braun-Severing system" became synonymous with democratic Prussia. Most of the German territorial cessions stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles affected Prussia. Eupen-Malmedy went to Belgium , Danzig became a free city under the administration of the League of Nations , and the Memel Territory came under Allied administration before ultimately going to Lithuania . The Hultschiner Ländchen went to Czechoslovakia , large areas of

8008-510: The range of its tasks. Widespread strikes, especially in the mining industry of the Ruhr, began in January 1919. They led to shortages in energy supplies across Germany, and particularly in Prussia caused transportation problems as well. In early April Reichswehr troops marched into the Ruhr and bloodily put down the uprising. In August 1919 armed uprisings took place in Upper Silesia among segments of

8112-491: The republican order in the Reich and in Prussia was challenged by the Kapp Putsch , a right-wing attempt to overthrow the Reich government. It was part of specifically Prussian history in that the only relatively united social group behind the putsch was the state's large landowners. They were joined by some military officers and members of the educated civil service. Overall, the putsch was a rebellion of conservative East Elbia ,

8216-410: The right to object to parliamentary resolutions. The Landtag then had to consider the law again and could pass it by a two-thirds majority over the objection of the State Council. The State Ministry consisted of the minister president, who was elected by the Landtag , and the state ministers. The minister president appointed the ministers, had policy-making authority and was responsible for it in

8320-440: The rules of procedure, an absolute majority was required from 1932 onward. The Minister President appointed the other ministers (Article 45). The constitution did not specify the ministries; they came about from practical requirements. Following the transfer of military responsibilities to the Reich, there was no Prussian Minister of War after 1919. The Minister of Public Works also lost his most important area of responsibility with

8424-501: The same time. The government was to inform the body about affairs of state. The State Council could express its views, had the right to initiate legislation and could lodge an objection to laws passed by Parliament. With a two-thirds majority, Parliament could, with a few exceptions, reject the objection or call for a referendum. Until 1933 the mayor of Cologne and future Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany , Konrad Adenauer ,

8528-435: The secession of the Rhineland from the Reich. The mood in Prussia was more uncertain. In December 1919 the State Assembly passed a resolution by 210 votes to 32 that stated: "As the largest of the German states, Prussia views its first duty to be an attempt to see whether the creation of a unified German state cannot be achieved." On 26 January 1919, one week after the 1919 German federal election , elections were held for

8632-406: The so-called Weimar Coalition , which together held 298 of 401 seats. Paul Hirsch became Minister President. His cabinet included four members from the MSPD, two from the Centre, and two from the DDP. Most of the ministries had existed under the monarchy, although the Ministry of Public Welfare was new. Along with the Ministry of the Interior, it developed into one of the largest ministries because of

8736-399: The state ministers, was the supreme executive. There was no president or presidential equivalent. The judiciary was made up of independent courts subject only to the law. The electoral system for the Landtag was proportional representation . With a few restrictions, all German citizens over twenty years of age living in Prussia, both men and women, were allowed to vote. The right to vote

8840-515: The state of Prussia because of its size (almost two-thirds of both Germany's population and area) and therefore wanted to have the Prussian State Assembly meet only after fundamental decisions had been made at the national level. The early voting date was part of the interim Prussian government's attempt to prevent a breakup of the state. The election to the State Assembly took place on 26 January 1919, one week after (rather than before)

8944-422: The state were largely concentrated in the Ministry of Trade and Commerce. It was the second most powerful state ministry after the Ministry of the Interior and was able to have a considerable impact on domestic and foreign trade beyond Prussia's borders. After the 1932 Prussian coup d'état , which replaced Prussia's legal government by Franz von Papen as Reich Commissioner, the Ministry of Welfare in its old form

9048-622: The war. After the war, as a result of its Nazi activities, the institute was nearly dissolved. On 1 April 1946, the West Berlin city government took over the financing of the IAI and thus saved it. In that same year the institute was named the "Latin American Library", and in 1954 it was renamed the "Ibero-American Library". In 1957 the library came under the auspices of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation . In 1962

9152-423: The workers' councils were either dismissed or ignored by Interior Minister Wolfgang Heine (MSPD). When conservative district administrators themselves requested to be dismissed, they were asked to stay on in order to maintain peace and order. On 23 December the government issued an administrative order for the election of a constitutional assembly. Universal, free and secret suffrage for both women and men replaced

9256-522: The workers. In East Prussia all of them sided with the anti-republicans. The putsch attempt collapsed after six days. The Kapp Putsch and ensuing general strike led to a profound break that all but turned Prussia into a model republican state. Otto Braun replaced Hirsch as Minister President. Carl Severing became the new Minister of the Interior. Both were much more assertive than their predecessors in office. Hirsch and Finance Minister Südekum were also politically discredited because they had negotiated with

9360-466: The workforce, while industry and skilled crafts accounted for only 19.6%. The Hohenzollern Lands , where 53.7% of the population lived from the land, was the most heavily agricultural region. By contrast, agriculture was of very little importance in the Rhineland and Westphalia, each with about 13%. The commercial sector was correspondingly strong, at over 56% in Westphalia. Berlin's commercial sector at 46%

9464-477: Was "universal and equal" and exercised secretly and directly. Deputies were not bound by instructions or orders – that is, there was not an imperative mandate . The duration of the legislative period was four years. The Landtag had the right to dissolve itself and could also be dissolved by a committee consisting of the minister president and the presidents of the State Council and the Landtag , as well as by referendum. The Landtag passed laws based on

9568-460: Was 15.6%. Berlin's special urban situation was also reflected in its average income. At 1,566 Reichsmarks in 1928, the average income in Berlin-Brandenburg was more than 30% higher than the Reich average. In agrarian East Prussia, average earnings were only 814 Reichsmarks, more than 30% below the Reich average. Industrial areas such as Westphalia and the Rhineland were roughly in line with

9672-457: Was also replaced by universal suffrage for men and women. The Prussian State Assembly, which was to draw up a new constitution for Prussia, was elected under the expanded franchise on 26 January 1919. The decision to elect an assembly to discuss a future democratic Prussian constitution was made at the meetings of the revolutionary Prussian Council of People's Deputies on 12 and 14 December 1918, when Otto Braun , Paul Hirsch and Eugen Ernst of

9776-507: Was by no means assured in the aftermath of the revolution. In the Rhine Province , the advisory council of the Catholic Centre Party , fearing a dictatorship of the proletariat, called on 4 December 1918 for the formation of a Rhineland- Westphalian republic independent of Prussia. In the Province of Hanover , 100,000 people signed an appeal for territorial autonomy. In Silesia too there were efforts to form an independent state. In

9880-411: Was chairman of the State Council. The Weimar Constitution and the new Prussian Constitution permanently changed the relationship between the Reich and Prussia. Unlike during the empire, the executive branch at the Reich level was completely independent of Prussia's. The same person was no longer both Reich Chancellor and Prussian Minister President. The great importance of state taxes declined in favor of

9984-423: Was dissolved. At the same time, the Minister of Trade also became the Minister of Economics and Labor. The Ministry of Justice was dissolved in 1935 under the law transferring the administration of justice to the Reich. The constitution stipulated the formation of a State Council to represent the provinces of Prussia. Its members were elected by the provincial parliaments; they could not be parliamentary members at

10088-454: Was established on 26 May. Eastern Upper Silesia went to Poland, although the majority of voters in the plebiscite there had voted to remain in the German Reich. Over 90% of those who voted in the plebiscite in southern East Prussia and parts of West Prussia were in favor of remaining part of Germany. The Saar region was placed under the control of the League of Nations for fifteen years before

10192-459: Was headed by a minister president (similar to a prime minister) rather than by a president as was the case in other German states. The minister president did not have the authority to issue directives as he did in the later, formal constitution, but his vote was decisive in the event of a tie in the cabinet. The government as a whole had the rights formerly vested in the king. The president of the State Assembly ( Robert Leinert  [ de ] of

10296-536: Was high, but the city's metropolitan character was reflected above all in the share of the trade and transport sector, which was over 28%. Overall there were still considerable economic differences after 1918 between the eastern part of the Free State which tended to be agrarian and the industrial west. In 1925 almost half of the population was employed. Of these, 46.8% were blue collar workers, 17.1% were salaried employees and civil servants, 16.2% were self-employed, 15.4% were contributing family members (those who work in

10400-508: Was mainly Otto Braun and Adolph Hoffmann who set the tone in the provisional government. On 14 November the Prussian House of Lords ( Herrenhaus ) was abolished and the House of Representatives dissolved. The replacement of political elites, however, remained limited during the early years. In many cases the former royal district administrators ( Landräte ) continued to hold office as if there had been no revolution. Complaints against them by

10504-460: Was necessary to wait until the main features of the Reich Constitution had been defined before taking any action. It was advantageous to the Prussian State Assembly that the practical experience gained from its interaction with the new government in Berlin could be incorporated into the drafting of the Constitution. The Assembly was also able to learn from both the other state constitutions and

10608-763: Was one of the constituent states of Germany from 1918 to 1947. The successor to the Kingdom of Prussia after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I , it continued to be the dominant state in Germany during the Weimar Republic , as it had been during the empire, even though most of Germany's post-war territorial losses in Europe had come from its lands. It was home to the federal capital Berlin and had 62% of Germany's territory and 61% of its population. Prussia changed from

10712-549: Was significantly higher at 22.3% than in industrial Westphalia, where it was 12.8%. Conversely, the proportion of blue-collar workers in East Prussia was 42.6%, while in Westphalia it was 54.1%. In metropolitan Berlin, the proportion of blue-collar workers at 45.9% was lower than in Westphalia despite Berlin's important industrial sector. The reason was the strength of the city's tertiary sector. Salaried employees and civil servants accounted for 30.5% in Berlin, whereas in Westphalia it

10816-407: Was the case with the formation of Greater Berlin in 1920, when 7 cities, 56 rural communities and 29 estate districts were incorporated. Even more extensive and consequential for the formation of large cities were the municipal reforms in the Ruhr region at the end of the 1920s. There were still considerable geographical differences in the extent of urbanization. While in East Prussia more than 60% of

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