Paderborn district
The Paderborn district existed between 1807 and 1813 in the Fulda department of the Kingdom of Westphalia . In 1807 the district had 65,870 inhabitants. Paderborn was the sub-prefecture .
structure
It was divided into cantons and municipalities . The cantons were:
- Atteln , Büren , Delbrück , Kirchborchen , Lichtenau , Lippspringe , Neuenkirchen , Neuhaus , Paderborn , Ringboke , Rietberg , Salzkotten , Wiedenbrück , Wünnenberg
At the head of the district was the sub-prefect Maximilian von Elverfeld , former prince-bishop canon and first Prussian district administrator.
history
The district essentially comprised the former Unterwaldischen (western) district of the principality of Paderborn , additionally the territories of Rietberg and Reckenberg with Wiedenbrück. Today's Paderborn district in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is roughly equivalent to this today . Together with the Höxter district of the department, it was the only real Westphalian district in the Fulda department of the artificially created Kingdom of Westphalia under King Jérôme Bonaparte until 1810 (the Bielefeld arrondissement only fell to the department in 1811).
Despite the short period of its existence in a continually changing Europe, the district has acquired a certain importance for the administration of the area. The Westphalian constitution gave the area a modern constitution for the first time, with liberal principles: elimination of class privileges, exemption from serfdom, freedom of trade. The Code Napoléon was also introduced in the arrondissement . The old prince-bishop's administrative structures, which largely existed even after the occupation by Prussia in 1802, could not be completely eliminated by the Kingdom of Westphalia. Due to the unstable global political situation, there was a lack of funds and time for this. Nevertheless, the French period is described as an "effective interlude". In particular, the loss of Paderborn's capital city function led to economic losses in the district. The abolition of the monasteries was already started by Prussia. However, if Prussia had behaved moderately, the Westphalian government proceeded ruthlessly, although initially the French were viewed as like-minded religious believers against the Protestant heretics. The participation of Westphalian soldiers in Napoleon's Russian campaign in 1812 was really decisive. Around 1000 soldiers from the area took part in the campaign, only 10% of the total of 30,000 Westphalian soldiers returned.
On November 9, 1813, Prussian troops moved into the Paderborn district, in contrast to 1802, welcomed as liberators. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna sanctioned the Prussian property, in 1816 the administration in the area of the Paderborn Land finally became part of the Provincial Administration of Westphalia (creation of the Paderborn and Büren districts ).
literature
- Karl Venturin: Paperback for Maires and Municipal Councils. For a general comprehensible overview of their duties and obligations according to the spirit of the state constitution of the Kingdom of Westphalia; Brunswick 1808.
- Wilhelm Richter: The transition of the Hochstift to Prussia; in: Westfälische Zeitschrift, No. 62 / II (1904); Pp. 163-235; No. 63 / II (1905); Pp. 1-62; No. 64 / II (1906), pp. 1-65; No. 65 / I (1907); Pp. 1-112.
- H. Kochendörffer: Territorial development and constitution of the authorities of Westphalia 1802-1813; in: Westfälische Zeitschrift, No. 86 / I, pp. 97–218.
Coordinates: 51 ° 43 ' N , 8 ° 45' E