Paul Hensel (politician)
Encyclopedia
Paul Hensel was a German
Lutheran theologian and politician.
(today Jeże, Poland
) and visited school in Lyck. In 1886 he began to study Theology at the University of Königsberg
and the University of Berlin and was a member of the Burschenschaft
Corps Masovia. He started to work as a Lutheran Pastor at Gehsen and Friedrichshof
in Masuria
, later also at the Lutheran congregation of San Remo
and became the Superintendent
of Johannisburg. Hensel also published several publications in masurian language
.
Since 1891 he was engaged in several organisations of agricultural cooperatives and became a member of the supervisory board of the "Landwirtschaftliche Zentraldarlehenskasse für Deutschland" in Berlin in 1920–24.
In 1913 Hensel was elected for the Conservative Party as the deputy of the district Allenstein 3 (Oletzko/Lyck/Johannisburg) at the Prussian Landtag until 1918 and in 1921–28 Hensel, now a member of the DNVP, was the deputy of Allenstein 3 at the Reichstag
.
according to the Treaty of Versailles
a plebiscite in East Prussia
was organized by the League of Nations
to determine whether Masuria should remain as part of Weimar German East Prussia or belong to Poland. Hensel soon started to support the German side and, as Superintendent of Johannisburg, travelled to Versailles already in March 1919 to hand over a collection of 144.447 signatures to the Allied Powers
to protest against the planned cession.
Hensel appealed to the foundation of the pro-German Masurenbund and the Arbeitsausschuß Allenstein gegen die Polengefahr, which both joined the Masuren- und Ermländerbund in July 1919 under the presidency of Max Worgitzki. Hensel was active in the Ostdeutscher Heimatdienst and the head of the Committee of Lutheran parishes in Masuria.
The plebiscite turned out a majority of over 97 % to remain in East Prussia.
Hensel died in Kolberg in 1944.
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...
Lutheran theologian and politician.
Biography
Hensel was born in GehsenJeze, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship
Jeże is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Pisz, within Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately south of Pisz and east of the regional capital Olsztyn....
(today Jeże, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) and visited school in Lyck. In 1886 he began to study Theology at the University of Königsberg
University of Königsberg
The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina....
and the University of Berlin and was a member of the Burschenschaft
Burschenschaft
German Burschenschaften are a special type of Studentenverbindungen . Burschenschaften were founded in the 19th century as associations of university students inspired by liberal and nationalistic ideas.-History:-Beginnings 1815–c...
Corps Masovia. He started to work as a Lutheran Pastor at Gehsen and Friedrichshof
Rozogi, Szczytno County
Rozogi is a village in Szczytno County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Rozogi. It lies approximately east of Szczytno and south-east of the regional capital Olsztyn....
in Masuria
Masuria
Masuria is an area in northeastern Poland famous for its 2,000 lakes. Geographically, Masuria is part of two adjacent lakeland districts, the Masurian Lake District and the Iława Lake District...
, later also at the Lutheran congregation of San Remo
Sanremo
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival...
and became the Superintendent
Superintendent (ecclesiastical)
Superintendent is the head of an administrative division of a Protestant church, largely historical but still in use in Germany.- Superintendents in Sweden :...
of Johannisburg. Hensel also published several publications in masurian language
Masurian language
Masurian was a dialect group of the Polish language, spoken by Masurians in a part of East Prussia that belongs to today's Poland. Masurians are regarded as being descendants of Masovians....
.
Since 1891 he was engaged in several organisations of agricultural cooperatives and became a member of the supervisory board of the "Landwirtschaftliche Zentraldarlehenskasse für Deutschland" in Berlin in 1920–24.
In 1913 Hensel was elected for the Conservative Party as the deputy of the district Allenstein 3 (Oletzko/Lyck/Johannisburg) at the Prussian Landtag until 1918 and in 1921–28 Hensel, now a member of the DNVP, was the deputy of Allenstein 3 at the Reichstag
Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
.
East Prussian plebiscite
After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
according to the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
a plebiscite in East Prussia
East Prussian plebiscite
The East Prussia plebiscite , also known as the Allenstein and Marienwerder plebiscite or Warmia, Masuria and Powiśle plebiscite , was a plebiscite for self-determination of the regions Warmia , Masuria and Powiśle, which had been in parts of East Prussia and West Prussia, in accordance with...
was organized by the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
to determine whether Masuria should remain as part of Weimar German East Prussia or belong to Poland. Hensel soon started to support the German side and, as Superintendent of Johannisburg, travelled to Versailles already in March 1919 to hand over a collection of 144.447 signatures to the Allied Powers
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
to protest against the planned cession.
Hensel appealed to the foundation of the pro-German Masurenbund and the Arbeitsausschuß Allenstein gegen die Polengefahr, which both joined the Masuren- und Ermländerbund in July 1919 under the presidency of Max Worgitzki. Hensel was active in the Ostdeutscher Heimatdienst and the head of the Committee of Lutheran parishes in Masuria.
The plebiscite turned out a majority of over 97 % to remain in East Prussia.
Hensel died in Kolberg in 1944.
Publications
- Die evangelischen Masuren in ihrer kirchlichen und nationalen Eigenart, Königsberg 1908
- Die Polengefahr für die masurische Bevölkerung, Berlin 1911
- Kalendarz Królewsko-Pruski Ewangelicki, Johannisburg