Diet of Galicia
Encyclopedia
The Diet of Galicia was the regional assembly
of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
, which was part of Austro-Hungary. The Galician diet was a unicameral assembly composed of 150 deputies, which was presided over by a marshal
(speaker
) or a vice-marshal that were appointed by the emperor. The vice-marshal was usually Ukrainian and most often the metropolitan
of Lviv. The main language of the diet was Polish, although the Ukrainian was also allowed.
The Galician diet was first reestablished in 1861 as a regional parliament of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The last convocation of the Galician diet was held in 1913.
In the elections, the seats were given by the direct vote to the representatives of four curiae: large landowners, chambers of commerce and manufacture, city population, and rural population. The rural curia, although bigger than the rest, had to choose electors who pick a candidate. Ukrainians voted only in the rural curia. The last elections to the diet were held in 1913. Each representative was elected for six year period. Beside the electing representatives the diet had some number of ex-officio members, non-elective: archbishops, bishops, and university rectors.
issued an Imperial Patent to create the Galician Diet of Estates under the supervision of Austrian Congress. The Diet also had the Department of Estates that was to supervise a local taxation and prepare corresponding reports. The meetings of that Diet took place on annual basis and usually in fall. At that time the institution was more of nominal form, not be able to amend neither the Imperial Postulates, nor send any propositions or petitions to the Austrian parliament. Historians mention that local farmers paid taxes of much higher degree than their neighbors in Russian Poland.
2nd curia (chambers of comerce): 3 izbas (Krakow, Lwow, Brody)
3rd curia (urban): 15, later up to 20 okrugs (okrugs of Lwow and Krakow contained multiple representation)
4th curia (rural): 74 okrugs
Initially there were seven representatives of clergy (3 Greek-Catholic, 3 Roman-Catholic, and one Arminian-Catholic) and two major universities (Lwow University and Krakow University). Later was added one more seat to Roman-Catholic representative and single representation for each Lwow Polytechnical University and Academy of Learning from Krakow.
(today Maria Zankovetska National Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater) until 1880 then it was relocated to the building of Lviv University
.
power in Galicia. The assembly was determining the principles of the domestic and regional policy, adopting laws, approving the region budget
, acting as the regional administration, providing corresponding policies for local economic and cultural affairs. The laws passed by the diet had to be approved by the emperor.
Note: Marshals sometimes were simultaneously the governors of the crown land such as Alfred and Andrzej Potockis (von Pilawa).
Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...
of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
, which was part of Austro-Hungary. The Galician diet was a unicameral assembly composed of 150 deputies, which was presided over by a marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
(speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
) or a vice-marshal that were appointed by the emperor. The vice-marshal was usually Ukrainian and most often the metropolitan
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
of Lviv. The main language of the diet was Polish, although the Ukrainian was also allowed.
The Galician diet was first reestablished in 1861 as a regional parliament of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The last convocation of the Galician diet was held in 1913.
In the elections, the seats were given by the direct vote to the representatives of four curiae: large landowners, chambers of commerce and manufacture, city population, and rural population. The rural curia, although bigger than the rest, had to choose electors who pick a candidate. Ukrainians voted only in the rural curia. The last elections to the diet were held in 1913. Each representative was elected for six year period. Beside the electing representatives the diet had some number of ex-officio members, non-elective: archbishops, bishops, and university rectors.
Name
Initially founded as a diet of the Austrian crown regional government. The institution, however, locally was known as "district sejm" both in both the Polish and Ukrainian languages.Background
On April 13, 1817 Francis IFrancis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...
issued an Imperial Patent to create the Galician Diet of Estates under the supervision of Austrian Congress. The Diet also had the Department of Estates that was to supervise a local taxation and prepare corresponding reports. The meetings of that Diet took place on annual basis and usually in fall. At that time the institution was more of nominal form, not be able to amend neither the Imperial Postulates, nor send any propositions or petitions to the Austrian parliament. Historians mention that local farmers paid taxes of much higher degree than their neighbors in Russian Poland.
Electoral districts
1st curia (land owners): 16 obwods (representation from each obwod varied from 1 to 3, Krakow had six)2nd curia (chambers of comerce): 3 izbas (Krakow, Lwow, Brody)
3rd curia (urban): 15, later up to 20 okrugs (okrugs of Lwow and Krakow contained multiple representation)
4th curia (rural): 74 okrugs
Initially there were seven representatives of clergy (3 Greek-Catholic, 3 Roman-Catholic, and one Arminian-Catholic) and two major universities (Lwow University and Krakow University). Later was added one more seat to Roman-Catholic representative and single representation for each Lwow Polytechnical University and Academy of Learning from Krakow.
Location
Initially the diet was located in the Skarbek TheatreSkarbek Theatre
Skarbek Theatre was a theater that existed in 1842-99 in the city of Lwów , which then belonged to Austria-Hungary. It was founded by Count Stanisław Skarbek, who as early as 1819 had applied for permission from the Austrian Imperial authorities.Construction of the theatre’s neoclassical building...
(today Maria Zankovetska National Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater) until 1880 then it was relocated to the building of Lviv University
Lviv University
The Lviv University or officially the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is the oldest continuously operating university in Ukraine...
.
Mission and authority
The diet was the main body of legislativeLegislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
power in Galicia. The assembly was determining the principles of the domestic and regional policy, adopting laws, approving the region budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
, acting as the regional administration, providing corresponding policies for local economic and cultural affairs. The laws passed by the diet had to be approved by the emperor.
Convocations
- First convocation (1861-1867)
- Second convocation (1867-1869)
- Third convocation (1870-1876)
- Forth convocation (1877-1882)
- Fifth convocation (1882-1889)
- Sixth convocation (1889-1895)
- Seventh convocation (1895-1901)
- Eighth convocation (1901-1907)
- Ninth convocation (1908-1913)
- Tenth convocation (1913-1914)
Marshal and vice-Marshal
- Prince Leon SapiehaLeon SapiehaLeon Sapieha was a Polish noble , politician and statesman.Leon was born and educated in Warsaw, and studied law and economic in Paris and Edinburgh from 1820 to 1824. He began to work in the administration in the Polish Kingdom...
(April 11, 1861 – March 19, 1875)- Spiridon Lytvynovych (1861 - 1868)
- Julian Lawriwsky (1869 - 1872)
- Ivan Stupnytsky (1873 - 1875)
- Duke Alfred Potocki von Pilawa (March 19 – December 1875)
- Ivan Stupnytsky (1875)
- Duke Włodzimierz Dzieduszycki (March 7, 1876–1876)
- Ivan Stupnytsky (1875 - 1876)
- Duke Ludwik Wodzicki (August 8, 1877–1881)
- Ivan Stupnytsky (1877 - 1881)
- Mikołaj Zyblikiewicz (September 14, 1881 – November 6, 1886)
- Ivan Stupnytsky (1881 - 1882)
- Sylvester SembratovychSylvester SembratovychSylvester Sembratovych was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1885 until his death in 1898 and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.-Life:...
(1883 - 1886)
- Duke Jan Tarnowski(November 18, 1886–1890)
- Sylvester SembratovychSylvester SembratovychSylvester Sembratovych was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1885 until his death in 1898 and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.-Life:...
(1886 - 1890)
- Sylvester Sembratovych
- Prince Eustachy Sanguszko (October 14, 1890 – September 24, 1895)
- Sylvester SembratovychSylvester SembratovychSylvester Sembratovych was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1885 until his death in 1898 and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.-Life:...
(1890 - 1895)
- Sylvester Sembratovych
- Duke Stanisław Badeni (October 31, 1895 – October 7, 1901), 1st time
- Sylvester SembratovychSylvester SembratovychSylvester Sembratovych was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1885 until his death in 1898 and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.-Life:...
(1895 - 1897) - Kostyantyn Chekhovych (1897 - 1901)
- Sylvester Sembratovych
- Duke Andrzej Potocki von Pilawa (October 9, 1901–1903), Governor of Galicia, was killed by the Ukrainian student Myroslav Sichynsky
- Andrey SheptytskyAndrey SheptytskyMetropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1901 until his death. During his tenure, he led the Church through two world wars and seven political regimes: Austrian, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Soviet, German National Socialist , and...
(1901 - 1903)
- Andrey Sheptytsky
- Duke Stanisław Badeni (June 26, 1903 – April 2, 1913), 2nd time
- Andrey SheptytskyAndrey SheptytskyMetropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1901 until his death. During his tenure, he led the Church through two world wars and seven political regimes: Austrian, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Soviet, German National Socialist , and...
(1903 - 1910) - Kostyantyn Chekhovych (1912)
- Andrey SheptytskyAndrey SheptytskyMetropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1901 until his death. During his tenure, he led the Church through two world wars and seven political regimes: Austrian, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Soviet, German National Socialist , and...
(1913)
- Andrey Sheptytsky
- Adam Gołuchowski von Gołuchowo (December 5, 1913 – April 15, 1914)
- Kostyantyn Chekhovych (1913 - 1914)
- Stanisław Niezabitowski (May 15, 1914 – November 1918)
Note: Marshals sometimes were simultaneously the governors of the crown land such as Alfred and Andrzej Potockis (von Pilawa).
Executive committee
The Executive Committee was consisting of the marshal and six other diet members with at least one Ukrainian representative. The committee was elected for six years by the diet.See also
- Verkhovna RadaVerkhovna RadaThe Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
, Ukrainian Council - Central Rada, UkrainianUkrainian People's RepublicThe Ukrainian People's Republic or Ukrainian National Republic was a republic that was declared in part of the territory of modern Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura.-Revolutionary Wave:...
parliament - Sejm of the Republic of Poland
- Imperial Council (Austria)
- Diet (assembly)Diet (assembly)In politics, a diet is a formal deliberative assembly. The term is mainly used historically for the Imperial Diet, the general assembly of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire, and for the legislative bodies of certain countries.-Etymology:...