Concordats with individual states of Germany
Encyclopedia
Concordats with individual German states were concluded even prior to the unification of Germany in the 1870s.
In addition to the Reichskonkordat
at the federal level, there are at present concordat
s between the Holy See
and 13 German states (Länder). This is because the individual states of the German federation have competencies in legislation as to education, culture and, (partially), finance. In 1929 Prussia and the Holy See signed the Prussian Concordat still valid for formerly Prussian territory within some of its successor states. Baden
signed its concordat in 1932. The Reich's Concordat
, affirmed as valid by West German jurisdiction in 1957, applied some contents of Baden's concordat to Hesse, Württemberg
and the Diocese of Meissen, then comprising all of Saxony and parts of Thuringia.
German states with concordats are Baden-Württemberg
(1932), Bavaria
(1817–1924), Brandenburg
(2003), Bremen
(2003), Hamburg
(2005), Lower Saxony
(1965-1973-1989-1993), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1997), North Rhine-Westphalia
(1929-1956-1984), Rhineland-Palatinate
(1929-1969-1973), Saarland
(1929-1975-1985), Saxony
(1996), Saxony-Anhalt
(1998), Schleswig-Holstein
(2009
) and Thuringia
(1997). Three states, Berlin
(1970), Hesse
(1963–1974), and Rhineland-Palatinate (1975), have agreements with Catholic bishoprics.
There have been three separate waves of concordats. The last one was set off by the dissolution of East Germany, when its 5 pre-war German states were reconstituted, joined the Federal Republic of Germany and entered agreements with the Holy See. Since then 3 of the northernmost German states, with a small Catholic minority, have also concluded concordats.
In recent years some of the educational provisions of the Bavarian concordat have aroused controversy. Protests were sparked by the Catholic Church veto in 2008 of an academically well-regarded nominee for president of Germany's only Catholic University. This was made possible by Article 5 of the Bavarian concordat. Another part of the same concordat, Article 3 on "concordat chairs" was unsuccessfully challenged in court in 2009. This sets up Church-controlled professorships at state universities in theology, philosophy, pedagogy and the social sciences.
- Bavaria 1817
- Prussia 1821
- Würtemberg, Baden, Hesse, Nassau, free city of Frankfurt, Mainz, Saxony, Oldenburg, Waldeck, Bremen and Lübeck 1821 (multilateral), and again 1827
- Oldenburg 1830
- Hannover 1834
In addition to the Reichskonkordat
Reichskonkordat
The Reichskonkordat is a treaty that was agreed between the Holy See and Nazi government, that guarantees the rights of the Catholic Church in Germany. It was signed on July 20, 1933 by Secretary of State Eugenio Pacelli and Vice Chancellor Franz von Papen on behalf of Pope Pius XI and President...
at the federal level, there are at present concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
s between the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and 13 German states (Länder). This is because the individual states of the German federation have competencies in legislation as to education, culture and, (partially), finance. In 1929 Prussia and the Holy See signed the Prussian Concordat still valid for formerly Prussian territory within some of its successor states. Baden
Republic of Baden
The Republic of Baden was a state of Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic, formed after the abolition of the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1918...
signed its concordat in 1932. The Reich's Concordat
Reichskonkordat
The Reichskonkordat is a treaty that was agreed between the Holy See and Nazi government, that guarantees the rights of the Catholic Church in Germany. It was signed on July 20, 1933 by Secretary of State Eugenio Pacelli and Vice Chancellor Franz von Papen on behalf of Pope Pius XI and President...
, affirmed as valid by West German jurisdiction in 1957, applied some contents of Baden's concordat to Hesse, Württemberg
Free People's State of Württemberg
The Free People's State of Württemberg was a state of Germany during the Weimar Republic in Württemberg.-1918 revolution:As Germany underwent violent revolution near the end of World War I, the Kingdom of Württemberg was transformed from a monarchy to a democratic republic without bloodshed; its...
and the Diocese of Meissen, then comprising all of Saxony and parts of Thuringia.
German states with concordats are Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
(1932), Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
(1817–1924), Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
(2003), Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
(2003), Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
(2005), Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
(1965-1973-1989-1993), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (1997), North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
(1929-1956-1984), Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
(1929-1969-1973), Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
(1929-1975-1985), Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
(1996), Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
(1998), Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
(2009
Concordat of 2009
The Concordat of 2009 between the Holy See and the Land of Schleswig-Holstein is an agreement between the Catholic Church in its temporal form and the state of Schleswig-Holstein that was signed on Monday 12 January 2009 was signed in Kiel, in Germany....
) and Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
(1997). Three states, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(1970), Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
(1963–1974), and Rhineland-Palatinate (1975), have agreements with Catholic bishoprics.
There have been three separate waves of concordats. The last one was set off by the dissolution of East Germany, when its 5 pre-war German states were reconstituted, joined the Federal Republic of Germany and entered agreements with the Holy See. Since then 3 of the northernmost German states, with a small Catholic minority, have also concluded concordats.
In recent years some of the educational provisions of the Bavarian concordat have aroused controversy. Protests were sparked by the Catholic Church veto in 2008 of an academically well-regarded nominee for president of Germany's only Catholic University. This was made possible by Article 5 of the Bavarian concordat. Another part of the same concordat, Article 3 on "concordat chairs" was unsuccessfully challenged in court in 2009. This sets up Church-controlled professorships at state universities in theology, philosophy, pedagogy and the social sciences.