Länderkammer
Encyclopedia
The Länderkammer was one of the two legislative chambers of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1949, when the GDR was formed, until 1952, at which time it was largely sidelined, when the five Länder
(states) of the GDR were abolished and replaced with smaller administrative regions. The Länderkammer itself was abolished on 8 December 1958. The other chamber, which continued in existence until German reunification
in 1990, was the Volkskammer
(People's Chamber).
In the Federal Republic of Germany the expression Länderkammer is sometimes used to denote the Bundesrat although it is not considered to be a parliament chamber.
After 1945, the Soviet military administration established the five Länder of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg
, Saxony
, Saxony-Anhalt
and Thuringia
.
Initially, in 1949, the communists aimed for a unitary
state with some degree of decentralisation. Laws were to be made by the central legislature
in East Berlin
, and the Land authorities were responsible for the implementation of the laws.
The GDR quickly developed strong centralist tendencies, but initially operated in this bicameral
framework in which the Länder were represented. The Länderkammer had theoretically the power to introduce bills and to veto laws proposed by the Volkskammer, although another vote in the Volkskammer could overturn such a veto. The Länderkammer never made use of this veto.
According to the Constitution of East Germany, in addition to a Chamber of Deputies (that is, the Volkskammer), a “provisional Land Chamber” was formed. The fifty members of the Land Chamber were to be determined by the assemblies in the various Lands, according to the memberships of these assemblies. Sachsen sent 13 delegates, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thuringia 10 each, Brandenburg nine, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania seven. Berlin sent 13 delegates with speaking rights (because of the Berlin status).
In 1952, the East German Länder were abolished. The Länderkammer continued to exist, but was something of a constitutional absurdity. Since the Landtagen could no longer meet to elect members of the Länderkammer, the 1954 delegates for each Land were chosen by a special meeting of the District Assemblies (Bezirkstage) of that Land. The members of the even later Länderkammer in 1958 were directly elected by their Bezirkstage. The delegates of this last assembly were appointed as a "suicide squad," raising no objection as the Volkskammer abolished the Länderkammer on 8 December 1958.
Länder
Länder or Bundesländer may refer to:* States of Germany, the 16 federal subdivisions of Germany* States of Austria, the 9 federal subdivisions of Austria...
(states) of the GDR were abolished and replaced with smaller administrative regions. The Länderkammer itself was abolished on 8 December 1958. The other chamber, which continued in existence until German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
in 1990, was the Volkskammer
Volkskammer
The People's Chamber was the unicameral legislature of the German Democratic Republic . From its founding in 1949 until the first free elections on 18 March 1990, all members of the Volkskammer were elected on a slate controlled by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany , called the National Front...
(People's Chamber).
In the Federal Republic of Germany the expression Länderkammer is sometimes used to denote the Bundesrat although it is not considered to be a parliament chamber.
Idea and reality
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
and Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
.
Initially, in 1949, the communists aimed for a unitary
Unitary
Unitary may refer to:* Unitary construction, in automotive design, another common term for a unibody or monocoque construction**Unitary as chemical weapons opposite of Binary...
state with some degree of decentralisation. Laws were to be made by the central legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, and the Land authorities were responsible for the implementation of the laws.
The GDR quickly developed strong centralist tendencies, but initially operated in this bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
framework in which the Länder were represented. The Länderkammer had theoretically the power to introduce bills and to veto laws proposed by the Volkskammer, although another vote in the Volkskammer could overturn such a veto. The Länderkammer never made use of this veto.
According to the Constitution of East Germany, in addition to a Chamber of Deputies (that is, the Volkskammer), a “provisional Land Chamber” was formed. The fifty members of the Land Chamber were to be determined by the assemblies in the various Lands, according to the memberships of these assemblies. Sachsen sent 13 delegates, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thuringia 10 each, Brandenburg nine, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania seven. Berlin sent 13 delegates with speaking rights (because of the Berlin status).
In 1952, the East German Länder were abolished. The Länderkammer continued to exist, but was something of a constitutional absurdity. Since the Landtagen could no longer meet to elect members of the Länderkammer, the 1954 delegates for each Land were chosen by a special meeting of the District Assemblies (Bezirkstage) of that Land. The members of the even later Länderkammer in 1958 were directly elected by their Bezirkstage. The delegates of this last assembly were appointed as a "suicide squad," raising no objection as the Volkskammer abolished the Länderkammer on 8 December 1958.
Presidents of the Länderkammer
| Name | Period | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Reinhold Lobedanz | October 11, 1949 – March 5, 1955 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (East Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany ) was an East German political party founded in 1945. It was part of the National Front with the Socialist Unity Party of Germany until 1989.... |
| August Bach August Bach August Bach was an East German Christian Democratic politician.August Bach was born in Rheydt. From 1915 to 1918 he served in German army. After the War he studied History at the University of Berlin. He worked as a journalist during the Weimar Republic and he was a member of the liberal German... |
1955 – December 8, 1958 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (East Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany ) was an East German political party founded in 1945. It was part of the National Front with the Socialist Unity Party of Germany until 1989.... |
Vice-Presidents of the Länderkammer
| Name | Period | Party |
|---|---|---|
| August Fröhlich | 1950–1958 | SED Socialist Unity Party of Germany The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology... |
| Hans Luthardt | 1950–1958 | NDPD National Democratic Party of Germany (East Germany) The National Democratic Party of Germany was an East German political party that acted as an organisation for former members of the NSDAP, the Wehrmacht and middle classes... |
| Erich Hagemeier | 1950 - ? | LDPD Liberal Democratic Party of Germany The Liberal Democratic Party of Germany ) was a political party in East Germany. Like the other allied parties of the SED in the National Front it had 52 representatives in the Volkskammer.-Foundation:... |
| Dr. Karl Mühlmann | ? - 1958 | LDPD Liberal Democratic Party of Germany The Liberal Democratic Party of Germany ) was a political party in East Germany. Like the other allied parties of the SED in the National Front it had 52 representatives in the Volkskammer.-Foundation:... |
| Diedrich Besler | 1950 - ? | DBD Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany The Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany ) was an East German political party. The DBD was founded in 1948. It had 52 representatives in the Volkskammer, as part of the National Front. The DBD participated in all GDR cabinets... |
| Albert Rodiger | ? - 1958 | DBD Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany The Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany ) was an East German political party. The DBD was founded in 1948. It had 52 representatives in the Volkskammer, as part of the National Front. The DBD participated in all GDR cabinets... |
See also
- Administrative divisions of the German Democratic RepublicAdministrative divisions of the German Democratic RepublicThe Administrative divisions of the German Democratic Republic were constituted in two different forms during the country's 41-year-long history. The Republic first retained the traditional German division into federated states called Länder, but in 1952 replaced them with arbitrarily-drawn...
- Politics of East GermanyPolitics of East GermanyThe German Democratic Republic was created as a socialist republic on 7 October 1949 and began to institute a government based on that of the Soviet Union...