Epiphany Covenant

The Dreikönigsbündnis ("Alliance Treaty between Prussia, Saxony and Hanover") was an agreement dated May 26, 1849. It was concluded between the Kingdom of Prussia , the Kingdom of Hanover and the Kingdom of Saxony . While they were still violently suppressing the revolution , they agreed on the "establishment of a unified management of German affairs". The aim was to found a German federal state , a German Reich. The project was later called the Erfurter Union .

The treaty text of the Epiphany is a provisional constitutional order. It was accompanied by a draft for an electoral law . There was also an agreement on an arbitration tribunal. A draft for a constitution for the German Empire only followed two days later . This was based on the Frankfurt constitution from the previous month.

Other states joined the attempt at unification, but not the other kingdoms of Bavaria and Württemberg. Hanover and Saxony broke away from the attempt at unification in the autumn of 1849. After the autumn crisis of 1850 at the latest , the Erfurt Union came to an end, and with it the institutions of the Epiphany.

Emerge

At the same time as the rejection of the Frankfurt Imperial Crown in April, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV invited the other German states to discuss the establishment of a federal state. His main advisor was Joseph von Radowitz . From May 17, 1849, the representatives of Prussia, Bavaria, Württemberg, Hanover and Saxony were gathered in Berlin. However, only Prussia, Hanover and Saxony signed the agreement. Hanover and Saxony made a reservation: They only wanted to be bound by the constitution if all German states (except Austria) join the alliance (all-participation clause).

content

The alliance treaty of May 26, 1849 avoids the words Reich and Federal State , but speaks of an alliance for "establishing a unified management of German affairs, a closer union of those governments that are determined to proceed according to the same principles" (introductory sentence). The alliance should be open to all member states of the German Confederation.

Furthermore, the contract already sets up organs (Art. III):

Prussia is to have the "overall direction of the measures to be taken to achieve the purpose of this alliance" for one year from June 1st. After that, either the “Imperial Constitution” (published two days later) would apply or the existing treaty rules could be extended.
Each of the allies sends one or more authorized representatives to a " board of directors ", which is to conduct the business to achieve the purpose.
A Reichstag should decide on the constitution.
Furthermore, there should be a federal court (Art. V) and, in the event of civil unrest, the possibility of requesting military assistance. The operations would be directed by Prussia.

According to Art. IV the allies should grant “the German people” a constitution. The draft was agreed between them and attached to this contract. The draft will be presented together with the draft of an electoral law to a "Reich Assembly" (the Erfurt Union Parliament ). Should the Imperial Assembly request changes, the allies would have to give their consent.

source

Doc. No. 172. Alliance treaty between Prussia, Saxony and Hanover of May 26, 1849. In: Ernst Rudolf Huber : Documents on German constitutional history . Volume 1: German constitutional documents 1803-1850 . W. Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1961,

literature

Gunther Mai (Ed.): The Erfurt Union and the Erfurt Union Parliament 1850. Böhlau, Cologne [u. a.] 2000, ISBN 3-412-02300-0 .

supporting documents

^ Ernst Rudolf Huber: German constitutional history since 1789. Volume 2: The struggle for unity and freedom 1830 to 1850. 3rd, substantially revised edition. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart [a. a.] 1988, ISBN 3-17-009741-5 , p. 887.

[1] Ernst Rudolf Huber: German constitutional history since 1789. Volume 2: The struggle for unity and freedom 1830 to 1850. 3rd, substantially revised edition. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart [a. a.] 1988, ISBN 3-17-009741-5 , p. 887.