Cabinet Schmerling
The Schmerling cabinet was a total Reich Ministry (government) of the provisional central power of the emerging German Empire during the revolutionary period . On September 6, 1848, the Leiningen cabinet resigned. Prime Minister Karl zu Leiningen no longer wanted to belong to the government. Interior Minister Anton von Schmerling from Austria, the leading figure in the entire Reich Ministry, became de facto the new Prime Minister.
The Schmerling cabinet lost its support in the Frankfurt National Assembly in November / December 1848 . The background to this was Austria's ever more hostile attitude towards the revolution and its institutions. So distrust was also directed against the Austrians in the entire Reich Ministry, especially Schmerling. His successor was Heinrich von Gagern , who was appointed by the imperial administrator on December 17th.
occurrence
The Leiningen cabinet resigned on September 6, 1848 due to a vote defeat in the Frankfurt National Assembly . Soon afterwards, Prime Minister Leiningen had declared to the Reich Administrator that he would no longer be available for a new formation. Undersecretary of State Gustav Mevissen resigned, Foreign Minister Johann Gustav Heckscher was not reappointed against his will. Otherwise, the Reichsverweser essentially re-appointed the executive cabinet, provisionally on September 17th and definitive on September 24th.
In doing so, Leiningen had recommended the imperial administrator to appoint a completely new cabinet with a pro-Prussian orientation. Leiningen indirectly recognized that his policy of a strong and self-confident central state had failed. Reichsverweser Archduke Johann, however, saw himself personally humiliated by Prussia's arbitrary behavior at the Malmö armistice and therefore did not take the opportunity to make a conciliatory gesture towards Prussia. The Foreign Ministry for the Austrian Schmerling, on the other hand, underlined the Greater German idea.
Reich Minister of the Interior Schmerling also took over the Foreign Ministry, but did not officially become Reich Minister President. He headed the Council of Ministers on the basis of an internal decision. Schmerling brought with him “political experience, manpower, energy, decisiveness and also cold-bloodedness”, was a skilful speaker and was able “to conceal what he did not want to say or could not say in pleasant words,” says Ralf Heikaus.
cabinet
| Office | image | Surname | fraction | Undersecretary of State | fraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reich Minister President (Leading Reich Minister) |
 |
de facto: Anton von Schmerling |
|||
| Reich Minister of the Interior |
|
Anton von Schmerling |
Friedrich Bassermann Joseph von Würth |
Casino | |
| Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs |
|
Anton von Schmerling | Ludwig von Biegeleben | ||
| Reich Minister of War |
 |
Eduard von Peucker | |||
| Reich Minister of Justice |
 |
Robert Mohl | Württemberger Hof | Christian Widenmann | Augsburg court |
| Reich Minister of Finance |
 |
Hermann von Beckerath | Casino | Karl Mathy | |
| Reich Minister of Commerce |
 |
Arnold Duckwitz (1802-1881) |
Johannes Fallati | Casino |
See also
literature
- Ralf Heikaus: The first months of the provisional central authority for Germany (July to December 1848). Diss. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main a. a., 1997
supporting documents
- ^ Ralf Heikaus: The first months of the provisional central authority for Germany (July to December 1848). Diss. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main a. a., 1997, pp. 231/232.
- ^ Ralf Heikaus: The first months of the provisional central authority for Germany (July to December 1848). Diss. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main a. a., 1997, pp. 233/234.
- ^ Ralf Heikaus: The first months of the provisional central authority for Germany (July to December 1848). Diss. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main a. a., 1997, pp. 232/233.
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