Lothar Bucher
Encyclopedia
Lothar Bucher was a German
publicist
and trusted aide of German chancellor Otto von Bismarck
.
Bucher was born in Neustettin, Pomerania, his father being master at a gymnasium. After studying at the University of Berlin he adopted the legal profession. Elected a member of the National Assembly in Berlin
in 1848, he was an active leader of the extreme democratic party. With others of his colleagues he was in 1850 brought to trial for having taken part in organizing a movement for refusal to pay taxes; he was condemned to fifteen months imprisonment in a fortress, but left the country before the sentence was executed.
For ten years he lived in exile, chiefly in London
; he acted as special correspondent of the National Zeitung, and gained a great knowledge of English life; and he published a work, Der Parliamentarismus wie er ist, a criticism of parliament
ary government, which shows a marked change in his political opinions.
In 1860 Bucher returned to Germany, and became intimate with Ferdinand Lassalle
, who made him his literary executor
. In 1864 he was offered by Bismarck a high position in the Prussia
n foreign office, which he accepted. The reasons that led him to a step which involved so complete a break with his earlier friends and associations are not clearly known. From this time until his death he acted as Bismarck's aide, gaining a large amount of his confidence.
It was Bucher who drew up the text of the constitution of the North German Confederation
; in 1870 he was sent on a confidential mission to Spain
in connection with the Hohenzollern candidature for the Spanish crown; he assisted Bismarck at the final negotiations for the Treaty of Frankfurt
, and was one of the secretaries to the Congress of Berlin
; he also assisted Bismarck in the composition of his memoirs.
Bucher, who was a man of great ability, had considerable influence, which was especially directed against the economic doctrines of the Liberals
; in 1881 he published a pamphlet criticizing the influence and principles of the Cobden Club
. He identified himself completely with Bismarck's later commercial and colonial policy, and probably had much to do with introducing it, and he did much to encourage anti-British
feeling in Germany. He died at Glion
, Switzerland
.
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...
publicist
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
and trusted aide of German chancellor 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...
.
Bucher was born in Neustettin, Pomerania, his father being master at a gymnasium. After studying at the University of Berlin he adopted the legal profession. Elected a member of the National Assembly in 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...
in 1848, he was an active leader of the extreme democratic party. With others of his colleagues he was in 1850 brought to trial for having taken part in organizing a movement for refusal to pay taxes; he was condemned to fifteen months imprisonment in a fortress, but left the country before the sentence was executed.
For ten years he lived in exile, chiefly in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; he acted as special correspondent of the National Zeitung, and gained a great knowledge of English life; and he published a work, Der Parliamentarismus wie er ist, a criticism of 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...
ary government, which shows a marked change in his political opinions.
In 1860 Bucher returned to Germany, and became intimate 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...
, who made him his literary executor
Literary executor
A literary executor is a person with decision-making power in respect of a literary estate. According to Wills, Administration and Taxation: a practical guide "A will may appoint different executors to deal with different parts of the estate...
. In 1864 he was offered by Bismarck a high position in the 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...
n foreign office, which he accepted. The reasons that led him to a step which involved so complete a break with his earlier friends and associations are not clearly known. From this time until his death he acted as Bismarck's aide, gaining a large amount of his confidence.
It was Bucher who drew up the text of the constitution of the North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
; in 1870 he was sent on a confidential mission to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in connection with the Hohenzollern candidature for the Spanish crown; he assisted Bismarck at the final negotiations for the Treaty of Frankfurt
Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)
The Treaty of Frankfurt was a peace treaty signed in Frankfurt on 10 May 1871, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.- Summary :The treaty did the following:...
, and was one of the secretaries to the Congress of Berlin
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
; he also assisted Bismarck in the composition of his memoirs.
Bucher, who was a man of great ability, had considerable influence, which was especially directed against the economic doctrines of the Liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
; in 1881 he published a pamphlet criticizing the influence and principles of the Cobden Club
Cobden Club
The Cobden Club was a political gentlemen's club in London founded in 1866 for believers in Free Trade doctrine, and named in honour of Richard Cobden, who had died the year before....
. He identified himself completely with Bismarck's later commercial and colonial policy, and probably had much to do with introducing it, and he did much to encourage anti-British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
feeling in Germany. He died at Glion
Glion
This article is about the municipality in Canton Vaud. For the city in Canton Graubünden, see Ilanz.Glion is a village in the municipality of Montreux in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.