Charles-Mathias Simons

Charles-Mathias Simons

Charles-Mathias Simons (born March 27, 1802 in Bitburg ; † October 5, 1874 in Luxembourg ) was a Luxembourg lawyer and politician.

Charles-Mathias Simons was born in 1802 in Bitburg , then still in Luxembourg . In 1823 he completed his law studies in Liège and settled as a lawyer in Diekirch the following year . In 1831 he became a delegate of the Belgian National Congress in Brussels , where he worked on the new Belgian constitution.

From 1836 to 1837 Simons was a member of the Provincial Council and from 1841 also a member of the Assemblée des États . Between 1843 and 1848 he was a member of the government council and in 1848 of the Assemblée constituante . From August 1 to December 2, 1848, he was director general for community affairs in the de la Fontaine government .

After the government, at the request of King-Grand Duke Wilhelm III. Charles-Mathias Simons , who was represented by his brother Heinrich von Oranien-Nassau , was deposed, on September 23, 1853, Charles-Mathias Simons was appointed Minister of State and District President of Luxembourg.

During Simon's reign, the Luxembourg constitution of 1856 was revised, which the King-Grand Duke enforced against the will of Parliament and which gave him more power. At the same time, the rights of parliament (the Chamber) were curtailed and the Council of State was installed as a controlling body.

During Simon's time as Minister of State, the first railway line in Luxembourg was inaugurated on October 4, 1859, and the first banks ( Banque Internationale à Luxembourg and Sparkasse) were founded.

On September 26, 1860, Simons had to resign at the urging of the opposition, because the resistance against his coup government in parliament became too great after the new elections.

He was then a member of the State Council until 1874. Simons died on October 5, 1874 in Luxembourg City .