Prussian-Hessian Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Royal Prussian and Grand-Ducal Hessian State Railways (German
: Königlich Preußische und Großherzoglich Hessischen Staatseisenbahnen or K.P.u.G.H.St.E.) was a state-owned network of independent railway divisions in the German states of Prussia
and Hesse
in the early 20th century. It was not, as sometimes maintained, a single state railway company.
On 1 April 1897, the management of the Royal Prussian State Railways
(Königlich Preußische Staatseisenbahnen) took over the operations of the railways
within the Grand Duchy of Hesse
under the initial name "Prussian-Hessian Railway Operation and Financial Association" (Preußisch-Hessische Eisenbahnbetriebs- und Finanzgemeinschaft). Ownership, sovereign rights, and profits remained with the state of Hesse
in accordance with a state treaty of 23 June 1896. The headquarters of the railway division (Eisenbahndirektion) was at Mainz
.
Hesse could also influence the selection of staff for managerial posts, but engineering and operating procedures followed Prussian regulations alone. All staff wore the Prussian uniform, although the Hessians were allowed to wear a Hessian insignia in addition.
The reason for this agreement was firstly the geographical situation of the state of Hesse
— divided into two regions and tightly interlocked with areas of Prussia
— and secondly the aim of both states to nationalize the last big private railway company, the Hessian Ludwig Railway
(Hessische Ludwigsbahn). With 486,318 employees in 1907, Prussian-Hessian Railways was the largest company in the German empire. The Prussian-Hessian Railway Company was renamed following World War I
to the Prussian State Railway
, but was absorbed in 1920 with other German state railways (Länderbahnen
) into the Deutsche Reichsbahn
.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Königlich Preußische und Großherzoglich Hessischen Staatseisenbahnen or K.P.u.G.H.St.E.) was a state-owned network of independent railway divisions in the German states of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and 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...
in the early 20th century. It was not, as sometimes maintained, a single state railway company.
On 1 April 1897, the management of the Royal Prussian State Railways
Prussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
(Königlich Preußische Staatseisenbahnen) took over the operations of the railways
Grand Duchy of Hesse State Railways
The Grand Duchy of Hesse State Railways belonged to the Länderbahnen at the time of the German Empire. In the 19th century, the Grand Duchy of Hesse consisted of three provinces. Between the rivers Rhine, Main and Neckar the province of Starkenburg embraced the Odenwald and the Hessian Ried...
within the Grand Duchy of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
under the initial name "Prussian-Hessian Railway Operation and Financial Association" (Preußisch-Hessische Eisenbahnbetriebs- und Finanzgemeinschaft). Ownership, sovereign rights, and profits remained with the state of Hesse
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
in accordance with a state treaty of 23 June 1896. The headquarters of the railway division (Eisenbahndirektion) was at Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
.
Hesse could also influence the selection of staff for managerial posts, but engineering and operating procedures followed Prussian regulations alone. All staff wore the Prussian uniform, although the Hessians were allowed to wear a Hessian insignia in addition.
The reason for this agreement was firstly the geographical situation of the state of 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...
— divided into two regions and tightly interlocked with areas of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
— and secondly the aim of both states to nationalize the last big private railway company, the Hessian Ludwig Railway
Hessian Ludwig Railway
The Hessian Ludwig Railway or HLB with its network of 697 kilometres of railway was one of the largest privately owned railway companies in Germany.- Early history :...
(Hessische Ludwigsbahn). With 486,318 employees in 1907, Prussian-Hessian Railways was the largest company in the German empire. The Prussian-Hessian Railway Company was renamed following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to the Prussian State Railway
Prussian state railways
The term Prussian state railways encompasses those railway organisations that were owned or managed by the State of Prussia...
, but was absorbed in 1920 with other German state railways (Länderbahnen
Länderbahnen
The German term Länderbahnen generally refers to the state railways of the German Empire in the period from about 1840 to 1920 when they were merged into the Deutsche Reichsbahn after the First World War....
) into the Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn was the name of the following two companies:* Deutsche Reichsbahn, the German Imperial Railways during the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the immediate aftermath...
.
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany