Hermann Wagener
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann Wagener (March 8 1815 in Segeletzt (now Wusterhausen
) – April 22, 1889 in Friedenau
(now part of Berlin)) was a Prussian jurist, chief editor of the Kreuzzeitung
(The "New Prussian Newspaper") and was a politician and minister from the Prussian Conservative Party.
. After studies and graduation in Salzwedel
in 1835 he studied legal science in Berlin. He was interested in the judicial philosophy of Friedrich Julius Stahl
and the economic theories of Karl Ludwig von Haller
regarding political legitimacy.
He followed the usual legal career, becoming a law clerk in 1838 at the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt (Oder)
under vice president Ludwig von Gerlach and worked from 1844-1847 as an attorney at the Prussian land-improvement
bureau and later at the consistory
at the province of Saxony
. In 1847 he became an appellate court attorney representing the consistory in Madeburg where he was assigned to prosecute liberal clergyman Leberecht Uhlich
.
He left government service in 1848 and established himself as a lawyer at the High court, and at the request of Gerlach founded the organ of the Prussian conservative party, the New Prussian Newspaper to Save the Monarchy. He served as its chief editor until 1854. Theodor Fontane
, who worked with him at the time, said in his memoirs Wagenar was a "sort of side-sun to Bismarck." Through his close-working with Otto von Bismarck
, Wagenar became one of the best-known and controversial conservative pundits. In 1848 he founded the "Society for King and Fatherland."
In 1854 he retired from editing the newspaper (called the Kreuzzeitung because it featured a large iron cross) and invested his severance in a scheme in Neustettin (now Szczecinek
) and worked as a criminal lawyer in Berlin. In 1856 he resigned his position as Justizrat and settled in Farther Pomerania to run for office. He became a clever and quick-witted speaker of the Prussian House of Representatives (Preußisches Abgeordnetenhaus) and provided great service to his party from 1867 in the North-German and from 1871 in the German Reichstag
. His views often came with scientific justification, compiled in his 1859 "State and Society Dictionary."
In 1861 he participated in the founding of a Prussian Volksverein, a conservative society that was active until 1872. On March 29 1866 he was appointed by Bismarck as an advisor to the department of State against the wishes of King Wilhlem I. Bismarck also consulted Wagener on social issues (Fontane reported he tried to instill upon Bismarck "fight against the hated bourgeoisie through social democracy," meaning he encouraged Bismarck's talks with Ferdinand Lassalle
). In the first German parliament he supported Bismarck in is speeches about the German constitution and the Kulturkampf
. His efforts to establish a social conservative party in 1872 failed.
In 1873 he became the first Council in the state department, but the Emperor refused to admit him personally. There had been bad rumors about Wagener's involvement in the Pommersche Centralbahn, a railway company. In a speech by Eduard Lasker
on February 7 1873, Lasker exposed the railways financial mismanagement, and it soon went bankrupt. Wagner was forced to resign in the scandal and was also fined in court 40,000 Taler for illegal profiteering. This cost Wagener his entire fortune. In 1878 he founded the interdenominational "Social Conservative Association."
Wagener published numerous writings, especially on social issues. His most important work was the 1862 Political and Social Lexicon. He wrote the 1876 platform of the German Conservative Party
. He was also the spiritual father of labor insurance. Although a Catholic, he sought to curb the political influence of the catholic church. For this he advocated the creation of a "social pope" or "social emperor."
Wusterhausen
Wusterhausen is a municipality in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district, in northwestern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated on the river Dosse, 7 km southeast of Kyritz, and 75 km northwest of Berlin....
) – April 22, 1889 in Friedenau
Friedenau
Friedenau is a locality within the borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg in Berlin, Germany. Per population density it is the highest one into the city.- Etymology :...
(now part of Berlin)) was a Prussian jurist, chief editor of the Kreuzzeitung
Kreuzzeitung
The Neue Preußische Zeitung was a German newspaper printed in Berlin from 1848–1939. It was known as the Kreuzzeitung or Kreuz-Zeitung because its emblem was an Iron Cross .The newspaper was founded during the revolutions of 1848 by Herrmann Wagener to act as the voice for Prussian conservatives,...
(The "New Prussian Newspaper") and was a politician and minister from the Prussian Conservative Party.
Biography
Wagenar was the son of a country priest from NeuruppinNeuruppin
Neuruppin is a town in Brandenburg, Germany. Located on the shore of Ruppiner See , it is the capital of the district of Ostprignitz-Ruppin. Population: 32,800 .-Overview:...
. After studies and graduation in Salzwedel
Salzwedel
Salzwedel of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salzwedel is located on the German Framework Road.-Geography:...
in 1835 he studied legal science in Berlin. He was interested in the judicial philosophy of Friedrich Julius Stahl
Friedrich Julius Stahl
Friedrich Julius Stahl , German ecclesiastical lawyer and politician, was born at Würzburg, of Jewish parentage....
and the economic theories of Karl Ludwig von Haller
Karl Ludwig von Haller
Karl Ludwig von Haller was a Swiss jurist. He was the author of Restauration der Staatswissenschaften , a book which Hegel strongly criticized in Elements of the Philosophy of Right...
regarding political legitimacy.
He followed the usual legal career, becoming a law clerk in 1838 at the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River, on the German-Polish border directly opposite the town of Słubice which was a part of Frankfurt until 1945. At the end of the 1980s it reached a population peak with more than 87,000 inhabitants...
under vice president Ludwig von Gerlach and worked from 1844-1847 as an attorney at the Prussian land-improvement
Land improvement
Land improvement or land amelioration refers to investments making land more usable by humans. In terms of accounting, land improvements refer to any variety of projects that increase the value of the property...
bureau and later at the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
at the province of Saxony
Province of Saxony
The Province of Saxony was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and later the Free State of Prussia from 1816 until 1945. Its capital was Magdeburg.-History:The province was created in 1816 out of the following territories:...
. In 1847 he became an appellate court attorney representing the consistory in Madeburg where he was assigned to prosecute liberal clergyman Leberecht Uhlich
Leberecht Uhlich
Leberecht Uhlich was a German clergyman and one of the founders of the German Free Congregations.-Biography:He studied at Halle, and served as pastor in various places till 1847, when he withdrew from the Evangelical Church, and thenceforth was preacher of the Free Congregation at Magdeburg...
.
He left government service in 1848 and established himself as a lawyer at the High court, and at the request of Gerlach founded the organ of the Prussian conservative party, the New Prussian Newspaper to Save the Monarchy. He served as its chief editor until 1854. Theodor Fontane
Theodor Fontane
Theodor Fontane was a German novelist and poet, regarded by many as the most important 19th-century German-language realist writer.-Youth:Fontane was born in Neuruppin into a Huguenot family. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary, his father's profession. He became an...
, who worked with him at the time, said in his memoirs Wagenar was a "sort of side-sun to Bismarck." Through his close-working with Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
, Wagenar became one of the best-known and controversial conservative pundits. In 1848 he founded the "Society for King and Fatherland."
In 1854 he retired from editing the newspaper (called the Kreuzzeitung because it featured a large iron cross) and invested his severance in a scheme in Neustettin (now Szczecinek
Szczecinek
Szczecinek [] is a city in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland with some 39,777 inhabitants . Previously in Koszalin Voivodeship , it has been the capital of Szczecinek County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
) and worked as a criminal lawyer in Berlin. In 1856 he resigned his position as Justizrat and settled in Farther Pomerania to run for office. He became a clever and quick-witted speaker of the Prussian House of Representatives (Preußisches Abgeordnetenhaus) and provided great service to his party from 1867 in the North-German and from 1871 in the German Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
. His views often came with scientific justification, compiled in his 1859 "State and Society Dictionary."
In 1861 he participated in the founding of a Prussian Volksverein, a conservative society that was active until 1872. On March 29 1866 he was appointed by Bismarck as an advisor to the department of State against the wishes of King Wilhlem I. Bismarck also consulted Wagener on social issues (Fontane reported he tried to instill upon Bismarck "fight against the hated bourgeoisie through social democracy," meaning he encouraged Bismarck's talks with Ferdinand Lassalle
Ferdinand Lassalle
Ferdinand Lassalle was a German-Jewish jurist and socialist political activist.-Early life:Ferdinand Lassalle was born on 11 April 1825 in Breslau , Silesia to a prosperous Jewish family descending from Upper Silesian Loslau...
). In the first German parliament he supported Bismarck in is speeches about the German constitution and the Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
. His efforts to establish a social conservative party in 1872 failed.
In 1873 he became the first Council in the state department, but the Emperor refused to admit him personally. There had been bad rumors about Wagener's involvement in the Pommersche Centralbahn, a railway company. In a speech by Eduard Lasker
Eduard Lasker
Eduard Lasker was a German politician and jurist.-Biography:He was born at Jarotschin, a village in Posen, being the son of a Jewish tradesman. He attended the gymnasium, and afterwards the University of Breslau...
on February 7 1873, Lasker exposed the railways financial mismanagement, and it soon went bankrupt. Wagner was forced to resign in the scandal and was also fined in court 40,000 Taler for illegal profiteering. This cost Wagener his entire fortune. In 1878 he founded the interdenominational "Social Conservative Association."
Wagener published numerous writings, especially on social issues. His most important work was the 1862 Political and Social Lexicon. He wrote the 1876 platform of the German Conservative Party
German Conservative Party
The German Conservative Party was a right-wing political party of the German Empire, founded in 1876.- Policies :It was generally seen as representing the interests of the German nobility, the East Elbian Junkers and the Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union, and had its political stronghold...
. He was also the spiritual father of labor insurance. Although a Catholic, he sought to curb the political influence of the catholic church. For this he advocated the creation of a "social pope" or "social emperor."
Writings
- Das Judentum und der Staat. Berlin 1857. [attributed]
- Denkschrift über die wirtschaftlichen Associationen und sozialen Koalitionen. Neuschönefeld 1867.
- Staats- und Gesellschaftslexikon. Berlin 1859–1867, 23 Volumes; Supplement 1868 http://books.google.com/books?id=fzQSAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=wagener&hl=de#PPP9,M1
- Die Lösung der sozialen Frage vom Standpunkt der Wirklichkeit und Praxis. Von einem praktischen Staatsmanne. Bielefeld und Leipzig 1878.
- Die Politik Friedrich Wilhelm IV. Berlin 1883.
- Erlebtes. Meine Memoiren aus der Zeit von 1848-1866 und von 1873 bis jetzt. 1. Abteilung. Berlin 1884.
- Erlebtes. Meine Memoiren aus der Zeit von 1848-1866 und von 1873 bis jetzt. 2. Abteilung. Berlin 1885.
- Die kleine aber mächtige Partei. Nachtrag zu „Erlebtes“. Meine Memoiren aus der Zeit von 1848–1866 und von 1873 bis jetzt. Berlin 1885
- Die Mängel der christlich-sozialen Bewegung. Minden 1885.
External Links
- Gerald Christopeit: Wagener, Friedrich Wilhelm Hermann (Biography)