Governing Mayor of Berlin
Encyclopedia
The Governing Mayor of Berlin is the head of government
in the city-state
of Berlin
, one of the States of Germany
. It is the equivalent of the Ministers-President
of the other German states except the two other city-states of Hamburg
and Bremen
, where the heads of government are called "First Mayor" and "Mayor and President of the Senate", respectively. Furthermore the title Governing Mayor of Berlin related to the city council of Berlin is also the equivalent of "Lord Mayor".
. The ministers are called senators. The two deputies additionally hold the title of Mayor ' onMouseout='HidePop("78981")' href="/topics/Burgomaster">burgomaster
). The title Mayor is also held by the heads of the twelve boroughs
.
) was elected on 5 December 1948, electing two days later a separate city government (Magistrat) and Ernst Reuter
as lord mayor (Oberbürgermeister) for West Berlin, in response to the Soviet occupants deposing of the previous elected government for all of Berlin with effect only in the eastern sector and installing their own Lord Mayor Friedrich Ebert junior in East Berlin on 30 November 1948 (Communist putsch in Berlin's government).
West Berlin introduced its own constitution, accounting for the de facto changes, with effect of 1 October 1950. This constitution provided for the renaming of the city parliament to House of Representatives of Berlin (Abgeordnetenhaus von Berlin
), of the city government into Senate of Berlin and the head of government into Governing Mayor of Berlin. Following the new constitution representatives were elected on 3 December 1950 and the new parliament re-elected Ernst Reuter
as head of city government on 18 January 1951, with Reuter then adopting the new title. Berlin was formerly a part of Prussia
and became a state of its own in 1990. From 1951 to 1990, during the Cold War
, the Governing Mayor was the head of government in West Berlin, while East Berlin was occupied by the Soviet Union and de facto a part of the German Democratic Republic
(not recognized by the NATO members). The government of West Berlin claimed to be the legitimate government for all of Berlin within the borders established by the 1920 Greater Berlin Act
.
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
in the city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, one of the States of Germany
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...
. It is the equivalent of the Ministers-President
Minister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
of the other German states except the two other city-states of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, where the heads of government are called "First Mayor" and "Mayor and President of the Senate", respectively. Furthermore the title Governing Mayor of Berlin related to the city council of Berlin is also the equivalent of "Lord Mayor".
Overview
The Governing Mayor is the head of the city government, known as the Senate of BerlinSenate of Berlin
The Senate of Berlin is the executive body governing the city of Berlin, which at the same time is a state of Germany. According to the Constitution of Berlin the Senate consists of the Governing Mayor of Berlin and up to eight Senators appointed by the Governing Mayor, two of whom are appointed ...
. The ministers are called senators. The two deputies additionally hold the title of Mayor ' onMouseout='HidePop("78981")' href="/topics/Burgomaster">burgomaster
Burgomaster
Burgomaster is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief magistrate or chairman of the executive council of a sub-national level of administration...
). The title Mayor is also held by the heads of the twelve boroughs
Boroughs and localities of Berlin
Berlin is both a city and one of Germany’s federal states. It is made up of twelve boroughs , each with its own borough government, though all boroughs are subject to Berlin’s city and state government.-History:Each borough is made up of several officially recognized localities...
.
History
A separate city parliament (still named Stadtverordnetenversammlung von Groß-Berlin), however, de facto only competent for the western occupation sectors of Berlin (West BerlinWest Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
) was elected on 5 December 1948, electing two days later a separate city government (Magistrat) and Ernst Reuter
Ernst Reuter
Ernst Rudolf Johannes Reuter was the German mayor of West Berlin from 1948 to 1953, during the time of the Cold War.- Early years :...
as lord mayor (Oberbürgermeister) for West Berlin, in response to the Soviet occupants deposing of the previous elected government for all of Berlin with effect only in the eastern sector and installing their own Lord Mayor Friedrich Ebert junior in East Berlin on 30 November 1948 (Communist putsch in Berlin's government).
West Berlin introduced its own constitution, accounting for the de facto changes, with effect of 1 October 1950. This constitution provided for the renaming of the city parliament to House of Representatives of Berlin (Abgeordnetenhaus von Berlin
Abgeordnetenhaus von Berlin
The Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin is the state parliament for the German state of Berlin, according to the state's constitution. The parliament is based at the building on Niederkirchnerstraße in Mitte which until 1934 was the seat of the lower house of the Preußischer Landtag...
), of the city government into Senate of Berlin and the head of government into Governing Mayor of Berlin. Following the new constitution representatives were elected on 3 December 1950 and the new parliament re-elected Ernst Reuter
Ernst Reuter
Ernst Rudolf Johannes Reuter was the German mayor of West Berlin from 1948 to 1953, during the time of the Cold War.- Early years :...
as head of city government on 18 January 1951, with Reuter then adopting the new title. Berlin was formerly a part 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 became a state of its own in 1990. From 1951 to 1990, during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the Governing Mayor was the head of government in West Berlin, while East Berlin was occupied by the Soviet Union and de facto a part of the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(not recognized by the NATO members). The government of West Berlin claimed to be the legitimate government for all of Berlin within the borders established by the 1920 Greater Berlin Act
Greater Berlin Act
The Greater Berlin Act , in full the Law Regarding the Reconstruction of the New Local Authority of Berlin , was a law passed by the Prussian government in 1920 that greatly expanded the size of the German capital of Berlin.-History:...
.