Preußenschlag
Encyclopedia
In 1932, the Preußenschlag, or "Prussian coup", was one of the major steps towards the end of the German
inter-war democracy
, which would later greatly facilitate the "Gleichschaltung
" of Germany after Adolf Hitler
's rise to power
. On July 20, 1932, Reichspräsident
Paul von Hindenburg
issued an emergency decree
which dismissed the cabinet of the Free State of Prussia, the largest German state
.
The pretext for this measure was violent unrest which was occurring in some areas of Prussia and the alleged inability of the Prussian government to handle the matter. The main trigger was the "Altonaer Blutsonntag" ("Bloody Sunday of Altona"), a shootout between SA
demonstrators and communists in Altona
on 17 July 1932, which claimed 18 lives.
The true reason, however, was that the Prussian government, headed by Ministerpräsident Otto Braun
, with authority over the powerful Prussian police force, was one of the last major republican forces against Reichskanzler Franz von Papen
.
The move was facilitated by the unstable situation of the Prussian government: The government coalition of Social Democrats
, Centre Party
and liberal German Democratic Party had lost its majority in the recent elections
to the Prussian Landtag
(state parliament
), but remained in office, as no alternative majority could be formed. The opposition, consisting mainly of Communists
and National Socialists, would not cooperate with each other or with other parties.
However, Papen also lacked majority support in the Reichstag
. His only means to govern was through presidential emergency powers and the decrees issued by the senile Hindenburg, over whom Papen had great influence. Papen and his supporters, mostly right-wing nationalists and monarchists (his cabinet, packed with aristocrats, was dubbed "Kabinett der Barone" ("cabinet of the barons"), loathed the democratic system established by the Weimar constitution
and aimed to replace it by an authoritarian regime. The emergency decree of July 20 declared Papen Reichskommissar (Reich Commissioner) for Prussia, which vested in him all the competences of the Prussian ministries and thus gave him direct control over the Prussian authorities.
The Preußenschlag was declared partially unconstitutional on October 25th 1932 by the German Constitutional Court, but only in so far as the formal existence of the Prussian cabinet was concerned. The transfer of power to Papen was upheld, while the cabinet retained the right to represent Prussia in the Reichsrat
.
Prussia remained under direct administration of the federal government until April 1933, when the Prussian parliament, now controlled by the Nazis
, elected Hermann Göring
as Ministerpräsident. However, under Hitler's rule, German states were stripped of all genuine powers and were reduced to mere administrative units, so Göring's post was largely ceremonial. The state of Prussia was finally dissolved by the Allies
after the end of World War II
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
inter-war democracy
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
, which would later greatly facilitate the "Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
" of Germany after Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's rise to power
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
. On July 20, 1932, Reichspräsident
Reichspräsident
The Reichspräsident was the German head of state under the Weimar constitution, which was officially in force from 1919 to 1945. In English he was usually simply referred to as the President of Germany...
Paul von Hindenburg
Paul von Hindenburg
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
issued an emergency decree
Article 48 (Weimar Constitution)
Article 48 of the constitution of the Weimar Republic of Germany allowed the President, under certain circumstances, to take emergency measures without the prior consent of the Reichstag...
which dismissed the cabinet of the Free State of Prussia, the largest German state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
.
The pretext for this measure was violent unrest which was occurring in some areas of Prussia and the alleged inability of the Prussian government to handle the matter. The main trigger was the "Altonaer Blutsonntag" ("Bloody Sunday of Altona"), a shootout between SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
demonstrators and communists in Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
on 17 July 1932, which claimed 18 lives.
The true reason, however, was that the Prussian government, headed by Ministerpräsident Otto Braun
Otto Braun
This article is about the Prime Minister of Prussia. For the German Communist and once the Comintern military adviser to the Chinese Communist revolution see Otto Braun ....
, with authority over the powerful Prussian police force, was one of the last major republican forces against Reichskanzler Franz von Papen
Franz von Papen
Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen zu Köningen was a German nobleman, Roman Catholic monarchist politician, General Staff officer, and diplomat, who served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor under Adolf Hitler in 1933–1934...
.
The move was facilitated by the unstable situation of the Prussian government: The government coalition of Social Democrats
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
, Centre Party
Centre Party (Germany)
The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
and liberal German Democratic Party had lost its majority in the recent elections
Elections in the Free State of Prussia
The Free State of Prussia held elections to the Landtag between 1918 and 1933. Until the 1930s these elections gave a plurality to the SPD, but this was handed to the NSDAP or Nazi party in the 1930s, generally in line with the rest of Germany....
to the Prussian Landtag
Preußischer Landtag
Preußischer Landtag or Prussian Landtag was the Landtag of the Kingdom of Prussia, which was implemented in 1849 after the dissolution of the Prussian National Assembly, building on the tradition of the Prussian estates that had existed from the 14th century in various forms and states in Teutonic...
(state parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
), but remained in office, as no alternative majority could be formed. The opposition, consisting mainly of Communists
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
and National Socialists, would not cooperate with each other or with other parties.
However, Papen also lacked majority support in the Reichstag
Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
. His only means to govern was through presidential emergency powers and the decrees issued by the senile Hindenburg, over whom Papen had great influence. Papen and his supporters, mostly right-wing nationalists and monarchists (his cabinet, packed with aristocrats, was dubbed "Kabinett der Barone" ("cabinet of the barons"), loathed the democratic system established by the Weimar constitution
Weimar constitution
The Constitution of the German Reich , usually known as the Weimar Constitution was the constitution that governed Germany during the Weimar Republic...
and aimed to replace it by an authoritarian regime. The emergency decree of July 20 declared Papen Reichskommissar (Reich Commissioner) for Prussia, which vested in him all the competences of the Prussian ministries and thus gave him direct control over the Prussian authorities.
The Preußenschlag was declared partially unconstitutional on October 25th 1932 by the German Constitutional Court, but only in so far as the formal existence of the Prussian cabinet was concerned. The transfer of power to Papen was upheld, while the cabinet retained the right to represent Prussia in the Reichsrat
Reichsrat (Germany)
The Reichsrat was one of the two legislative bodies in Germany under the Weimar constitution, the other one being the Reichstag. After the end of German monarchy and the founding of the Weimar Republic in 1919, the Reichsrat replaced the Bundesrat as the representation of the various German...
.
Prussia remained under direct administration of the federal government until April 1933, when the Prussian parliament, now controlled by the Nazis
Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
, elected Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
as Ministerpräsident. However, under Hitler's rule, German states were stripped of all genuine powers and were reduced to mere administrative units, so Göring's post was largely ceremonial. The state of Prussia was finally dissolved by the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Sources
- Lexikon der deutschen Geschichte – Ploetz, Verlag Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau, Österreich 2001