Coburg state parliament
The Coburg Landtag is the representative body of the people of Saxony-Coburg-Saalfeld and later the Duchy of Saxony-Coburg , part of the dual duchy of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha , between 1821 and 1918.
Emergence
After the Wars of Liberation , Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld joined the German Confederation . Section 13 of the German Federal Act obliged the federal states to set up a land-based constitution, which provided for the state estates to represent the population.
The Constitution of the Duchy of Coburg was after lengthy preparatory work developed since 1804, first by the state government, after an election stands with them and put into effect by August 8 1821st The new constitution provided for a unicameral parliament .
composition
Six of the seats in the Estates Assembly were reserved for the manor owners. Three seats were chosen by the manor owners of the former Principality of Coburg , two from the Principality of Saalfeld and one from the Office of Themar . The focus was deliberately not on the noble origin, but on the property. In contrast to most other states of the German Confederation, the interests of the mediatized families did not have to be taken into account in the Duchy of Coburg .
The magistrates of the cities of Coburg and Saalfeld each appointed one member . Coburg Saalfeld and Pößneck each also elected a representative from the citizenry. The remaining parishes together elected 6 members. In total, the state parliament had 17 members.
In the case of the manor owners, of course, only these had the active right to vote, in the cities the holders of civil rights and in the countryside the house owners as well as the clergy and officials. The right to stand for election presupposed the Christian faith (regardless of denomination), citizenship, a minimum age of 30 years as well as a good reputation and financial solidity.
As a census, it was stipulated that the MPs had to have assets of 4,000 guilders or an income of 400 guilders.
The choice of the manor owners and the city highways was made directly by the respective body. From the second election onwards, the remaining members were elected indirectly through electors . An elector was elected for every 25 houses in a town. These then determined the MPs. The election was not made in secret , but publicly.
This right to vote reflected the view of participation rights at the time and was far from our current ideas of democracy . The manor owners, who held 1/3 of the mandates, represented little more than 100 people and thus not a percent of the voters. The cities were represented roughly in accordance with their share of the population, the rural class far underrepresented.
Competencies
The meeting of the estates was not a legislature in the current sense, but was involved in the legislative process. In particular, it had no right of initiative, but could only accept or reject draft laws by the duke. However, the state parliament had a strong position (compared to other parliaments of the time) in the area of budget policy. The state parliament had budgetary rights and was able to decide on laws that concerned "freedom and property" of the citizen. This strong position was shown, among other things, in the fact that the control of the state debt administration in Saxony-Coburg was carried out by a commission elected by the state parliament. The role of the budget as formal law as we know it today was first established in the Coburg Constitution.
Members of the first state parliament 1821–1828
The first state parliament was elected in 1821 and opened on March 20, 1821. In 1826 the nine MPs from Themar, Pößneck and Graefenthal left the state parliament due to the swap of territories. MPs were:
| Curia | area | Surname |
|---|---|---|
| Manor owner | Principality of Coburg | Forester forester Ernst Anton Karl von Imhoff |
| Manor owner | Principality of Coburg | Field Colonel Ernst August von Donop |
| Manor owner | Principality of Coburg | Councilor and businessman Johann Schöner |
| Manor owner | Principality of Saalfeld | Major Anton von Koenitz |
| Manor owner | Principality of Saalfeld | Bergrat Hamann |
| Manor owner | Themer | Captain von Bünau |
| magistrate | Coburg | Police director Johann Andreas Ortloff |
| magistrate | Saalfeld | Justice and Police Director Rose (State Parliament Secretary) |
| Citizenship | Coburg | Court attorney Andreas Fischer |
| Citizenship | Saalfeld | Leather merchant Knoch |
| Citizenship | Poessneck | Merchant Gebhardt |
| District | Coburg | Official school and innkeeper Andreas Göckel |
| District | Neustadt | Georg Truckenbrod |
| District | Rodach | Official taxator Nicol Flohrschütz |
| District | Saalfeld | Michael Franz |
| District | Graefenthal | City attorney Rosenthal |
| District | Themar | Office administrator Hedenus |
Ernst August von Donop was appointed director of the state parliament.
March Revolution
After the March Revolution , the law, the assembly of estates and the election of the members of parliament on April 22, 1848 changed the election and composition of the state parliament. The state parliament now consisted of 18 members who were elected indirectly in one-person constituencies.
New regulation 1852
With the state constitution for the duchies of Coburg and Gotha of May 3, 1852, the state parliaments were reorganized. There were also two state parliaments for Gotha and Coburg. The Coburg state parliament had 11 members, the Gotha 19 members. In addition, there was a joint state parliament for both duchies, which was composed of the members of the two special parishes. The deputies were now elected in one-person constituencies in indirect election for four years. For the time between the sessions of the Landtag, the Landtag elected a committee from among its members, which was composed of the President of the Landtag and three other members.
Members of the state parliament from 1865 to 1868
| Constituency | Surname | was standing |
|---|---|---|
| I. | Louis Rückert | Lawyer in Coburg |
| II | Schmidt | Savings bank administrator in Coburg |
| III | Friedrich Koehler | Lawyer in Coburg / President of the State Parliament |
| IV | Feodor quarrel | Lawyer in Coburg |
| V | Emil Heinrich Reinhold Deyßing | Justice officer in Coburg |
| VI | Alfred Schmidt | Mayor in Rodach |
| VII | Johann Eduard Eichhorn | Hoffischer in Unterlauter |
| VIII | Rudolf Muther | Mayor of Coburg |
| IX | Johann Georg Gundermann | Farmer in Zedersdorf |
| X | Caspar Metzner | Schultheiss in Hofstädten |
| XI | Ronge | Magistrate Council in Königsberg |
The committee consisted of the President of the State Parliament Köhler and the MPs Muther, Deyßing, Schmidt I and Ronge. The deputies were Rückert, Schmidt II and Streit.
Members of the state parliament from 1869 to 1872
| Constituency | Surname | was standing |
|---|---|---|
| I. | Rudolf Muther | Mayor of Coburg / President of the Landtag |
| II | Louis Rückert | Lawyer in Coburg / Secretary |
| III | Johann Sollmann | Master locksmith in Coburg |
| IV | Schubert | Innkeeper in Obersiemau |
| V | Emil Heinrich Reinhold Deyßing | Judicial officer in Coburg / Vice President |
| VI | Alfred Schmidt | Mayor of Rodach / Deputy Secretary |
| VII | Johann Eduard Eichhorn | Farmer and weaver in Unterlauter |
| VIII | Stockenius | Merchant in Neustadt |
| IX | Rudolph Geith | Factory owner in Coburg |
| X | Caspar Metzner | Merchant in Weidhausen |
| XI | Ronge | Privatier in Koenigsberg |
The committee consisted of the President of the Landtag, Muther, and the MPs Deyßing, Geith and Schmidt. Rädlein, Sollmann and Ronge were deputies.
Members of the State Parliament in 1890
| Constituency | Surname | was standing |
|---|---|---|
| I. | Rudolf Muther | Lord Mayor of Coburg / President |
| II | Ludwig Appel | Magistrate Council in Coburg |
| III | Emil Forkel | Lawyer in Coburg |
| IV | JW Schubart | Lawyer in Neuses |
| V | Robert Rädlein | Merchant in Weidhausen / Vice President |
| VI | Johann Raab | Landowner in Elsa |
| VII | Georg Richard Monk | Schultheiss in Beuerfeld |
| VIII | Oscar Arnold | Factory owner in Neustadt near Coburg |
| IX | Joh. R. Shower | Schultheiß in Mönchröden |
| X | Wilhelm Gutsel | Master potter in Sonnefeld |
| XI | Georg Lentz | Mayor of Koenigsberg |
The committee consisted of the President of the Landtag, Muther, and the MPs Forkel, Rädlein, Arnold and Raab. Shower and Lentz were deputies.
Members of the State Parliament in 1907
| Constituency | Surname | was standing |
|---|---|---|
| I. | JR Schindhelm | Basketry manufacturer in Coburg |
| II | Friedrich Schumann | Merchant in Coburg / Secretary |
| III | Friedrich Bretzfeld | Lawyer and notary in Coburg |
| IV | Friedrich Schlottermüller | Schultheiss in Rossach |
| V | Carl Hahn | Schultheiss in Grub a. F. |
| VI | Adolf Kraus | Mayor in Heldritt |
| VII | Gottlieb Römhild | Mayor in Meeder / Deputy Secretary |
| VIII | Oscar Arnold | Factory owner in Neustadt near Coburg / President |
| IX | Emil Eckardt | Schultheiss in Fechheim |
| X | Wilhelm Gutsel | Master craftsman in Sonnefeld / Vice President |
| XI | Reinhold Stepf | Merchant in Koenigsberg |
The committee consisted of the President of the State Parliament Arnold and the MPs Schumann, Schindhelm and Römhild. The deputies were Schlottermüller, Bretzfeld and Hahn.
Members of the State Parliament from 1908 to 1911
In the state elections in 1908, a social democrat (Hermann Mämpel), two liberal candidates, four from the NLP and four agrarians were elected.
| Constituency | Surname | was standing |
|---|---|---|
| I. | Hermann Mämel | Employed at the general local health insurance fund in Coburg |
| II | Ernst Külbel | Malt manufacturer and councilor in Coburg |
| III | Kleemann | Coburg |
| IV | Friedrich Schlottermüller | Mayor of Rossach / until 1915 |
| V | Carl Hahn | Schultheiss in Grub a. F. |
| VI | Adolf Kraus | Mayor in Heldritt |
| VII | Gottlieb Römhild | Mayor in Meeder / Secretary |
| VIII | Oscar Arnold | Factory owner in Neustadt near Coburg / President |
| IX | Schmidt | |
| X | Wilhelm Gutsel | Master potter in Sonnefeld / Vice President |
| XI | Reinhold Stepf | Mayor of Koenigsberg |
Members of the state parliament from 1912 to 1918
In the state elections in 1912, three candidates from the Liberals, four from the NLP and four agrarians were elected.
| Constituency | Surname | was standing |
|---|---|---|
| I. | Carl Senkeisen | Wood goods manufacturer and councilor in Coburg |
| II | Ernst Külbel | Malt manufacturer and councilor in Coburg / secretary |
| III | Gustav Hirschfeld | Lord Mayor of Coburg |
| IV | Friedrich Schlottermüller | Mayor of Rossach / until 1915 |
| IV | Christian Brückner | Schultheiß in Haarth / by-election 1915 |
| V | Gustav Hess | Farmer in Neuses near Coburg |
| VI | Gustav Langner | Mayor in Rodach |
| VII | Gottlieb Römhild | Mayor in Meeder |
| VIII | Oscar Arnold | Factory owner in Neustadt near Coburg / President |
| IX | Reinhold Goeckel | Mill owner and farmer in Oberwohlsbach |
| X | Wilhelm Gutsel | Master potter in Sonnefeld / Vice President |
| XI | Reinhold Stepf | Mayor of Koenigsberg |
After the First World War
Following the resignation of Duke Carl Eduard on November 14, 1918, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha became extinct. This resulted in the Free States of Gotha and Coburg . On February 9, 1919, the eleven members of the Coburg regional assembly were elected . The electoral alliance of the bourgeoisie received 41.4%, the SPD 58.6%. On March 10, 1919, the state assembly passed the “Provisional Law on Legislation and Administration in the Free State of Coburg”, the provisional Coburg constitution. With the signing of the "State Treaty on the Administration of Community Affairs of the Free States of Coburg and Gotha", the separation from Gotha was finally completed on April 12, 1919.
Meeting place
Until 1881 the state parliament met in the regiment room in the Coburg town hall . Then he met in the building of the Ducal State Ministry at the Ketschentor. This building, which later housed the Coburg Regional Court , was destroyed in the Second World War.
swell
- Carl-Christian Dressel: The development of the constitution and administration in Saxony-Coburg 1800 - 1826 in comparison. Duncker & Humblot Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-428-12003-1 .
- Detlef Sandern: Parliamentarism in Saxe-Coburg-Gotha 1821/26 - 1849/52. In: Writings on the history of parliamentarism in Thuringia. Issue 7, ISBN 3-86160-507-4 , pages 9–177
Legal bases
- Law, the choice of the member of parliament for the duchy of Coburg on December 8, 1846, Collection of Laws for the Duchy of Coburg, No. 24, pp. 46 ff. Digitalisat
- Law, the States General and the election of deputies related thereto concerning ff of 22 April 1848 collection of laws for the Duchy of Coburg, no. 52, page 87. Digitalisat
- Article V to VIII of the Basic Law of the duchies Coburg and Gotha of 3 May 1852 Collection of Laws for the Duchy of Coburg, no. 150, p 2 ff. Digitalisat
- Election regulations 1852, collection of laws for the Duchy of Coburg, No. 150, p. 51 ff., Digitized
- List of electoral districts, collection of laws for the Duchy of Coburg, No. 150, p. 61 ff., Digitized
- Law amending the election regulations for the state parliaments of the duchies of Coburg and Gotha (Appendix I to the Basic Law). From March 9, 1904, collection of laws for the Duchy of Coburg, No. 1422, p. 39 ff. Digitized
Individual evidence
- ↑ State manual for the duchies of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha, 1865, p. 78 ff., Online
- ↑ For the resolutions of the state parliament from 1865 to 1868 see its minutes, digitized version
- ↑ For the resolutions of the Landtag from 1869 to 1872, see its minutes, digitized version
- ↑ State Handbook for the Duchies of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha, 1890, p. 158, digitized version ( memento of the original from March 8, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Court and State Handbook for the Duchies of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha, 1907, p. 42, digitized
- ↑ Klaus von Andrian-Werburg | Klaus Freiherr von Andrian-Werburg: The composition of the Coburg parliament in the unification of Coburg with Bavaria; in: Yearbook of the Coburg State Foundation 1969, p. 37
- ↑ Negotiations of the Landtag for the Duchy of Coburg 1908-1911, p. 1 ff., Digitized
- ↑ Klaus Freiherr von Andrian-Werburg : The composition of the Coburg parliament at the unification of Coburg with Bavaria; in: Yearbook of the Coburg State Foundation 1969, p. 37
- ↑ Klaus Freiherr von Andrian-Werburg : The composition of the Coburg parliament at the unification of Coburg with Bavaria; in: Yearbook of the Coburg State Foundation 1969, p. 37.
- ↑ Negotiations of the Landtag for the Duchy of Coburg 1912-1918, p. 1 ff., Digitized
