Franz Matt
Encyclopedia
Franz Matt was a German lawyer
, politician
and minister, who belonged to the Bavarian People's Party
(BVP). Following the revolution, he substantially defined and put through Bavaria
n cultural and educational policy.
at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and at the University of Leipzig
. In Munich, he became a member of the Catholic fraternity, Katholische Deutsche Studentenverbindung Aenania München, in the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
(or Cartellverband, CV). Later, he also became a member of the fraternity, Katholische Deutsche Studentenverbindung Markomannia Würzburg in the CV. After he received his doctorate degree, he held several offices in the Bavarian civil service. As the Ministerial Director of the Interior Ministry for Cultural and School Affairs (Ministerialdirektor des Staatsministeriums des Inneren für Kultur- und Schulangelegenheiten), he experienced the overthrow of the Bavarian monarchy. Cooperation with the new Minister of Education and the Arts (Kultusminister) of the Bavarian Republic, Johannes Hoffmann
(SPD
), appointed by Kurt Eisner
, appeared to be extremely difficult, since Franz Matt rejected Hoffman's school reforms.
As a result, Matt became involved in the newly-founded Bavarian People's Party (Bayerische Volkspartei or BVP) and in 1920, after the resignation of Johannes Hoffmann as Prime Minister, he was named Minister of Education and the Arts by the new Prime Minister, Gustav Ritter von Kahr
(no party affiliation).
In the period following, Franz Matt pursued a comprehensive course correction with regard to school policies and reformed the entire system of higher education in Bavaria. He developed the Bavarian policies regarding the arts and created the prerequisites for a revision of the relations between the state and the church. The concordat
with the Holy See
from 1923, as well as the treaties with the established Evangelical churches in the state of Bavaria can be substantially traced back even today to the determined policies of Matt.
During the Beer Hall Putsch
of November 9, 1923, Franz Matt was the only member of the Bavarian State
cabinet not present. At the time of the putsch, he was having dinner with Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber, the Archbishop of Munich
and the Nuncio to Bavaria
, Monsignor Eugenio Pacelli, the future pope Pius XII. When informed of the coup, he as the Vice Prime Minister organized a government-in-exile at Regensburg
and called on the police, military, and other public servants to support the government, which effectively doomed the prospects of the putschists.
Matt was engaged in the Catholic lay movement. He was honored with numerous awards and several honorary doctorates.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and minister, who belonged to the Bavarian People's Party
Bavarian People's Party
The Bavarian People's Party was the Bavarian branch of the Centre Party, which broke off from the rest of the party in 1919 to pursue a more conservative, more Catholic, more Bavarian particularist course...
(BVP). Following the revolution, he substantially defined and put through 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...
n cultural and educational policy.
Life
Franz Matt studied lawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
. In Munich, he became a member of the Catholic fraternity, Katholische Deutsche Studentenverbindung Aenania München, in the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
The Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen or Cartellverband is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities .-Foundation:...
(or Cartellverband, CV). Later, he also became a member of the fraternity, Katholische Deutsche Studentenverbindung Markomannia Würzburg in the CV. After he received his doctorate degree, he held several offices in the Bavarian civil service. As the Ministerial Director of the Interior Ministry for Cultural and School Affairs (Ministerialdirektor des Staatsministeriums des Inneren für Kultur- und Schulangelegenheiten), he experienced the overthrow of the Bavarian monarchy. Cooperation with the new Minister of Education and the Arts (Kultusminister) of the Bavarian Republic, Johannes Hoffmann
Johannes Hoffmann
Johannes Hoffmann was a Bavarian Minister-President and member of the SPD.-Life:Born in Ilbesheim, near Landau, his parents were Peter Hoffmann and Maria Eva Keller...
(SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), appointed by Kurt Eisner
Kurt Eisner
Kurt Eisner was a Bavarian politician and journalist. As a German socialist journalist and statesman, he organized the Socialist Revolution that overthrew the Wittelsbach monarchy in Bavaria in November 1918....
, appeared to be extremely difficult, since Franz Matt rejected Hoffman's school reforms.
As a result, Matt became involved in the newly-founded Bavarian People's Party (Bayerische Volkspartei or BVP) and in 1920, after the resignation of Johannes Hoffmann as Prime Minister, he was named Minister of Education and the Arts by the new Prime Minister, Gustav Ritter von Kahr
Gustav Ritter von Kahr
Gustav Ritter von Kahr was a German right-wing conservative politician, active in the state of Bavaria...
(no party affiliation).
In the period following, Franz Matt pursued a comprehensive course correction with regard to school policies and reformed the entire system of higher education in Bavaria. He developed the Bavarian policies regarding the arts and created the prerequisites for a revision of the relations between the state and the church. The 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...
with 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...
from 1923, as well as the treaties with the established Evangelical churches in the state of Bavaria can be substantially traced back even today to the determined policies of Matt.
During the Beer Hall Putsch
Beer Hall Putsch
The Beer Hall Putsch was a failed attempt at revolution that occurred between the evening of 8 November and the early afternoon of 9 November 1923, when Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, and other heads of the Kampfbund unsuccessfully tried to seize power...
of November 9, 1923, Franz Matt was the only member of the Bavarian State
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...
cabinet not present. At the time of the putsch, he was having dinner with Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber, the Archbishop of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and the Nuncio to Bavaria
Apostolic Nuncio to Bavaria
The Apostolic Nunciature to Bavaria was an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Bavaria. It was a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative was called the Apostolic Nuncio to Bavaria, a state – consecutively during the nunciature's existence – of the Holy Roman Empire,...
, Monsignor Eugenio Pacelli, the future pope Pius XII. When informed of the coup, he as the Vice Prime Minister organized a government-in-exile at Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
and called on the police, military, and other public servants to support the government, which effectively doomed the prospects of the putschists.
Matt was engaged in the Catholic lay movement. He was honored with numerous awards and several honorary doctorates.
Literature
- Lydia Schmidt: "Kultusminister Franz Matt (1920-1926): Schul-, Kirchen- und Kunstpolitik in Bayern nach dem Umbruch von 1918 (Schriftenreihe zur bayerischen Landesgeschichte)", CH Beck 2000, ISBN 3406107079