The Prussian State Council of Nazi Germany (
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
: ''Preußischer Staatsrat'') was an advisory body to the Prussian minister president from 1933 to 1945. It was the successor to the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...
body of the same name that represented the interests of
Prussia's provinces in the legislative process. In
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
its members were either appointed by Prussian minister president
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...
or were members as a result of their official positions in the state of Prussia. The Council met only six times and ceased to exist with the end of Nazi rule in 1945.
History
Background
During the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...
, the
Prussian State Council
The Prussian State Council ( German: ''Preußischer Staatsrat'') was the second chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Free State of Prussia between 1921 and 1933; the first chamber was the Prussian Landtag (). The members of the State Cou ...
was the second chamber of the bicameral legislature of the
Free State of Prussia
The Free State of Prussia (, ) was one of the States of the Weimar Republic, constituent states of Weimar Republic, Germany from 1918 to 1947. The successor to the Kingdom of Prussia after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I, it cont ...
. Its members were elected by the Prussian provincial parliaments to represent the interests of the
provinces
A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...
at the state level.
With the
elections to the Prussian state parliament () that were held in parallel with the national
Reichstag elections on 5 March 1933, and also with the elections to the Prussian provincial parliaments held on 12 March 1933, the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
was able to secure the necessary majority in the and in the State Council to pass a Prussian
enabling act
An enabling act is a piece of legislation by which a legislative body grants an entity which depends on it (for authorization or legitimacy) for the delegation of the legislative body's power to take certain actions. For example, enabling act ...
on 18 May 1933. It gave the Prussian state government the same powers at the state level that the Reich government had received at the national level through the
Enabling Act of 24 March 1933. The Prussian minister president was authorized to make and implement laws without the involvement of the legislature. Through the enabling act, the State Council was deprived of its co-legislative and co-executive functions. Article 15 of the Law on the Prussian State Council of 8 July 1933 dissolved the State Council in its previous form.
The National Socialist State Council and its membership
The Law created a new body in line with the
National Socialist
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was frequen ...
worldview. The new State Council was a purely advisory body that by law consisted of (1) members by virtue of office (''
ex officio
An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, or council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by r ...
'' members, § 2 1.) and (2) members who were appointed by
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...
in his capacity as Prussian
minister president (§ 2 2.). All members were awarded the title of State Councilor (). Members by virtue of office were the Prussian minister president and the government
ministers
Minister may refer to:
* Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric
** Minister (Catholic Church)
* Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department)
** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
. Appointed members were to include the Prussian
state secretaries as well as certain other office holders, among whom were the ''
Stabschef
(, ) was an office and paramilitary rank in the (SA), the paramilitary stormtroopers associated with the Nazi Party. It was a rank and position held by the operating chief of the SA. The rank was equivalent to the rank of in the German Army an ...
'' of the SA, the ''
Reichsführer-SS
(, ) was a special title and rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945 for the commander of the (SS). ''Reichsführer-SS'' was a title from 1925 to 1933, and from 1934 to 1945 it was the highest Uniforms and insignia of the Schut ...
'' and all the ''
Gauleiter
A ''Gauleiter'' () was a regional leader of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) who served as the head of a ''Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany, Gau'' or ''Reichsgau''. ''Gauleiter'' was the third-highest Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party, rank in ...
'' of the Prussian ''
Gaue''. Other appointed members were to be drawn from among representatives of churches, business, labor, science, art and other "men of merit".
Members had to be males at least 25 years old with German citizenship and a residence in Prussia. For those who were members by virtue of office, membership ended by leaving office. Appointed members' terms were ended by death, resignation, or dismissal by Göring.
Members of the State Council received an expense allowance of 1,000 ''
Reichsmark
The (; sign: ℛ︁ℳ︁; abbreviation: RM) was the currency of Germany from 1924 until the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945, and in the American, British and French occupied zones of Germany, until 20 June 1948. The Reichsmark was then replace ...
s'' per month (from 1 April 1936, ℛℳ 500).
In his extensive biographical study of the members of the Prussian State Councils, German historian listed 122 known members of the State Council of Nazi Germany. This included 11 ministers, 19 state secretaries and 92 other appointed members. Of the total membership, 78 joined the State Council in 1933, with the first appointments taking place on 11 July. Another 40 individuals were added between 1934 and 1939, with only 4 additions being made after that year, the last in August 1943. Over the years, the membership fluctuated as a result of deaths, departures from office, resignations and dismissals (including that of Göring himself on 23 April 1945). A total of 31 members died in office (including 4 that were executed during the
Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives (, ), also called the Röhm purge or Operation Hummingbird (), was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Adolf Hitler, urged on by Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler, ord ...
and 7
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
s in the closing days of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
). There were approximately 60 individuals still technically in office as Prussian State Councillors following the surrender of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
on 8 May 1945.
Meetings
Only six meetings of the State Council were held. It met for the first time on 15 September 1933 for a ceremonial opening in the auditorium of the
Friedrich Wilhelms University in Berlin, before reconvening for a working session the next day at the
New Palace, Potsdam
The New Palace () is a palace situated on the western side of the Sanssouci park in Potsdam, Germany. The building was begun in 1763, after the end of the Seven Years' War, under King ''Friedrich II'' (Frederick the Great) and was completed in 1 ...
where all subsequent meetings would be held. The second meeting was held on 12 October 1933 and the third on 18 June 1934, with a report by the minister of finance on Prussia's financial situation. The fourth session was convened on 21 March 1935, the second anniversary of
Potsdam Day commemorating the reopening of the
Reichstag building
The Reichstag (; ) is a historic legislative government building on Platz der Republik in Berlin that is the seat of the German Bundestag. It is also the meeting place of the Federal Convention, which elects the President of Germany.
The Ne ...
following the
fire of February 1933, and the fifth was on 25 June 1935. The last session was held on 5 March 1936.
End of the State Council
After the March 1936 session, the State Council was no longer convened, although it continued to exist. In August 1943,
Albert Hoffmann was the last member appointed. With the fall of the National Socialist state in May 1945, the State Council also effectively came to an end. On 25 February 1947, the
Allied Control Council
The Allied Control Council (ACC) or Allied Control Authority (), also referred to as the Four Powers (), was the governing body of the Allies of World War II, Allied Allied-occupied Germany, occupation zones in Germany (1945–1949/1991) and Al ...
promulgated
Promulgation is the formal proclamation or the declaration that a new statutory or administrative law is enacted after its final approval. In some jurisdictions, this additional step is necessary before the law can take effect.
After a new law i ...
Control Council Law No. 46, which stated: "The Prussian State together with its central government and all its agencies is abolished." This formally put an end to the State Council.
Control Council Law No. 46 (25 February 1947)
/ref>
Text of the law establishing the State Council
See also
* List of Members of the Prussian State Council of Nazi Germany
Notes to the text
References
External links
The New Palace, Potsdam
{{Authority control
Historical legislatures in Germany
Politics of Nazi Germany
1933 establishments in Germany
1945 disestablishments in Germany