GRAND DUCHY OF SACHSEN / SACHSEN - WEIMAR - EISENACH
Although the style was formally changed to Sachsen in 1877, the name Sachsen-Weimar
-Eisenach also continued to be commonly and (partly) formally used.
In 1485 the ruling House of Wettin of the ancient Duchy of Sachsen was divided into
two lines :
- the Albertine Line, ruling the territories in the East (Meissen, ...) and later
forming the Kingdom of Sachsen)
- the Ernestine Line, ruling the territories in the West (Thüringen,...).
The Ernestine Line was further divided, re-united and re-divided several times in
the course of the following centuries :
1572 : Ernestine Line divided into :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Gotha (Ältere Linie), in 1596 divided into :
- Sachsen-Coburg, in 1633 to Sachsen-Eisenach
- Sachsen-Eisenach, in 1638 divided between :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Altenburg (s.b.)
1603 : Sachsen-Weimar divided into :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Altenburg, in 1672 divided between :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Gotha (Jüngere Linie) (s.b.)
1640 : Sachsen-Weimar divided into :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Eisenach, in 1644 divided between
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Gotha (Jüngere Linie)
- Sachsen-Gotha (Jüngere Linie), which would later be divided into a number
of states that existed until 1920 (see Sachsen-Altenburg, Sachsen-Coburg,
Sachsen-Gotha and Sachsen-Meiningen - all to be added)
1672 : Sachsen-Weimar divided into :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Eisenach
- Sachsen-Jena, in 1690 divided between :
- Sachsen-Weimar
- Sachsen-Eisenach
1719 : Agreement between the two surviving states prohibiting new divisions.
1741 : Union between Sachsen-Weimar and Sachsen-Eisenach
1809 : Merger of both states into Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach
In 1815 Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach was upgraded to the rank of a Grand Duchy, that
was successively a member of :
- the German Confederation 1815 - 1848 and 1849 - 1866
- the German Empire 1848 - 1849
- the Confederation of Northern Germany 1867 - 1871
- the German Empire since 1871
At the end of the monarchy the Grand Duchy consisted of three non-contiguous parts
separated from each other by territoires of other Thüringian states and of Prussia
- Weimar-Jena covering :
- the original Duchies of Weimar and Jena, including the exclaves of :
- Allstedt, in the Prussian province of Sachsen
- Ilmehau, between Sachsen-Gotha and the Schwarzburg states, a small part of
the former Princely County of Henneberg (since 1660)
- the Lordships of Blankenhayn and Tautenburg and some other minor territories
acquired in 1815.
It was divided into the administrative districts of Weimar and Apolda.
- Eisenach covering :
- the original Duchy of Eisenach, including the exclave of Ostheim in Bavaria,
a small part of the former Princely County of Henneberg (since 1660)
- some minnor territories of Fulda and Erfurt acquired in 1815.
It formed the administrative districts of Eisenach and Dermbach.
- Neustadt covering some territories taken from the Kingdom of Sachsen in 1815 and
forming the administrative district of the same name.
(This division would actually exist until 1922)
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HEADS OF STATE
Grand Dukes
Grossherzöge
Full Style (as at the end of the Monarchy) :
... by the Grace of God Grand Duke of Sachsen, Landgrave in Thüringen, Margrave of
Misnia, Princely Count of Henneberg, Lord of Blankenhayn, Neustadt, Tautenburg, etc
... von Gottes Gnaden Grossherzog zu Sachsen, Landgraf in Thüringen, Markgraf zu
Meissen, Gefürsteter Graf zu Henneberg, Herr zu Blankenhayn, Neustadt, Tautenburg,
usw.
House of Wettin - Ernestine Line - Branch of Weimar
(rules since 1572)
1853 - 1901 Carl Alexander (Carl Alexander August
Johan) 1818 - 1901
1901 - 1918 Wilhelm Ernst (Wilhelm Ernst Carl
Alexander Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard
etc), grandson, abdicated at the
outbreak of the November Revolution 1876 - 1923
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MINISTERS AND HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENTS
The Ministry of State (Staatsministerium) was divided into several administrative
departments. Among them were those of :
- the Interior and of Foreign Affairs
- Justice
- Finance
- Worship
They were headed by officials who did not have the rank of Minister, but rather of
Councillor (Rat)
One of them assumed the title of Minister of State (Staatsminister) and was the
head of the whole administration.
Ministers of State
Staatsminister
1870 - 1871 none
1871 - 1882 Gustav Thon 1805 - 1882
1882 - 1890 Gottfried Theodor Stichling 1814 - 1891
1890 - 1899 Rudolph Gabriel Freiherr von Gross 1822 - 1907
1899 - 1918 Karl Friedrich Otto Rothe, resigned
at the outbreak of the November
Revolution 1848 - 1921
Heads of the Department of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs
Leiter des Departements des Innern und des Äusseren
1870 - 1899 Rudolph Gabriel Freiherr von Gross s.a.
1899 - 1907 Hans Lutze von Wurmb 1846 - 1907
1908 - 1912 Arnold Rudolf Otto Paulssen 1864 - 1942
1912 - 1918 Karl Ferdinand Undeutsch
Heads of the Department of Justice
Leiter des Departements der Justiz
1870 - 1871 Gustav Thon s.a.
1871 - 1890 Gottfried Theodor Stichling s.a.
1890 - 1899 Rudolph Gabriel Freiherr von Gross s.a
1899 - 1918 Karl Friedrich Otto Rothe s.a.
Heads of the Department of Finance
Leiter des Departements der Finanz
1850 - 1882 Gustav Thon s.a.
1882 - 1893 Hermann Vollert
1893 - 1901 Karl Friedrich Otto Rothe s.a.
1901 - 1918 Johannes Hunnius
(As far as they hadn't been taken over by Prussia, military affairs were under the
direct care of the Grand Duke, assisted by an adjutant)
FREE PEOPLE'S STATE OF SACHSEN - WEIMAR - EISENACH
In November 1918 Soldiers' and Workers' Councils seized power and ended Grand Ducal
rule. (1)
A provisional administration was later instored and in 1919 a Free People's State
(Freie Volksstaat) of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach was formally organized as a member
of the German Empire.
(1) Heads of the Grand Ducal House of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach after the
Revolution :
1918 - 1923 Wilhelm Ernst Carl Alexander
Friedrich Heinrich Bernhard etc,
before reigning Grand Duke s.a.
1923 - 1988 Carl August Wilhelm Ernst
Friedrich Georg Johann Albrecht,
son 1912 - 1988
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CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR AND MINISTERS
State Commissioner
Staatskommissar
1918 - 1919 August Baudert, before Head
of the Workers' Council that
ended the monarchy. (2) 1860 - 1942
Presiding Minister of State, Minister of State of Justice and of Finance
Vorsitzender Staatsminister, Staatsminister der Justiz und der Finanz
1919 - 1920 Arnold Rudolf Otto Paulssen (3) s.a.
Minister of State of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs
Staatsminister des Innern und des Äusseren
1919 - 1920 August Baudert s.a.
(2) Baudert later headed a provisional administration including :
- Louis Hill
- Joseph Klose (in 1919)
- Paul Leutert
- Ali Oswald
- Julius Palm
(information on the portfolios they held will be very welcomed)
(3) On mar 13 1920 Paulssen and his government were briefly deposed by MajGen.
von Hagenberg. Hermann Jöck was then appointed leading minister, but he
already resigned after one day, wherafter Paulssen returned to power.
(see here for more on this period).
THÜRINGIAN TERRITORY OF SACHSEN - WEIMAR - EISENACH
In 1920 Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach became part of the new German land of Thüringen.
Until 1923 - when the land was divided into Circles (Kreise) - it kept however its
own territorial government (Gebietsregierung). (1)
(1) The Circles were actually already established in 1922 and didn't alwas take
accaount of the original frontiers of the territory :
- Weimar-Jena was divided into/among the
- Landkreis Roda - Stadtkreis Apolda
- Landkreis Rudolstadt - Stadtkreis Jena
- Landkreis Sondershausen - Stadtkreis Weimar
- Landkreis Weimar
- Eisenach was divided into/among the
- Landkreis Eisenach - Stadtkreis Eisenach
- Landkreis Meiningen
- Neustadt was divided among the
- Landkreis Gera - Landkreis Saalfeld
- Landkreis Greiz - Landkreis Schleiz
- Landkreis Roda
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CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS OF THE TERRITORY
Minister of State - Chairman of the Ministry of State
Staatsminister - Vorsitzender des Statsministerium
1920 - 1921 Arnold Rudolf Otto Paulssen s.a.
Ministers of State - Chairmen of the Territoriial Government
Staatsminister - Vorsitzende der Gebietsregierung
1921 Arnold Rudolf Otto Paulssen s.a.
1921 - 1923 August Baudert s.a.
Territorial Leader
Gebietsleiter
1922 - 1923 August Baudert (concerned
with the liquidation of the
territorial institutions after
the division into Kreise) s.a
The Lutheran religion was introduced in Sachsen in the 1520's, gradually replacing
Catholicism. In 1539 it became the official Land Church (Landeskirche).
(See also : Roman Catholic Hierarchy in Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, for more on church
history)
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CHIEF OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF THE CHURCH
Supreme Heads of the Church
1815 - 1918 The Grand Dukes, as Supreme Bishops
(Oberster Bischöfe) of the Church s.a.
1918 - 1920 ...
Chief Administrative LeadersHeads of the Department of Worship and Presidents of the Church CouncilLeiter des Departments des Kultus und Vorsteher des Kirchenrates
1867 - 1890 Gottfried Theodor Stichling s.a.
1890 - 1896 Adolph Guyet
1896 - 1901 Hans Werner Gustav Rudolph von
Pawel-Rammingen
1901 - 1918 Karl Friedrich Otto Rothe s.a.
(situation not known 1918 - 1919)
Minister of State of WorshipStaatsminister des Kultus
1919 - 1920 Arnold Rudolf Otto Paulssen s.a.
President of the Church CouncilVorsteher des Kirchenrates
1919 - 1920 W. Krippendorff
Chief Spiritual Leaders
There were Superintendents in the major cities.
In 1920 the Landeskirche of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach merged with the other Lutheran
churches of Thüringen to form the Thüringian Evangelical Church.
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