Free State of Coburg

Free State of Coburg Freistaat Coburg
State of Germany
1918–1920
Flag
Location of Coburg (south) and Gotha (north) within the German Empire
Capital	Coburg
Area
• 1918-1920	562 km2 (217 sq mi)
Population
• 1918-1920	74,340
• Type	Republic
History
• Established	1918
• Disestablished	1920
Preceded by Succeeded by Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Free State of Bavaria
Today part of	Germany

The Free State of Coburg (German: Freistaat Coburg) emerged from the Duchy of

On 7 June 1919 Duke Charles Edward finalized the settlement with the Free State of Coburg over his properties and compensation. He received 1.5 million

The National Liberal Quarck, according to the Constitution of 10 March 1919, held the most senior position in the government and administration. He was both the Chairman of the State Government and the Head of the Department of State.[3] After the SPD fraction, which had the majority in the State Assembly, named Reinhold Artmann to represent Coburg in the State Council of Thuringia (Board of Directors for the Law Enforcement),^[4] he rejoined Quarck in their offices on 2 July 1919. This was followed on 11 July 1919 by a constitutional amendment that abolished the personal union of the State Council and Assembly. Franz Klingler was then named as the new Chairman of the State Government and Hans Schack (DDP) became the newest member of the State Council of Coburg. The leadership of the Ministry was given to Ernst Fritsch, an administrative lawyer, with the official title of Secretary.

Since the political leaders did not consider the new Free State as economically viable, they sought a union with another state. It was therefore assumed in March and May 1919 that the conferences with other Thuringian states would create the state of Thuringia but, ultimately, they did not result in an agreement that would please all the sides. Along with these conferences, official negotiations for a possible merger began with Bavaria in the middle of June and with Prussia one month later. However, Prussia had already declined the proposed union as early as August. But Bavaria was receptive to the merger. Unlike the State of Thuringia, it was able to make many concessions, especially on the matter of the preservation of the cultural institutions of Coburg.

On 30 November 1919, the first democratic referendum in Germany^[5] was finally held to determine the future of the Coburger Land. With a turnout of about 70%, 88% of the population voted on the question, “Soll Coburg dem Gemeinschaftsvertrag der thüringischen Staaten beitreten? [Should Coburg join the Communal Treaty of the Thuringian States]?” with a No on the ballot and therefore for the merger with Bavaria.^[6][7][8] The reasons for this clear-cut result were manifold. On the one hand, the people had always seen themselves more strongly associated with Franconia than with Thuringia. On the other hand, they were influenced by the fact that, during the First World War, food had to be sent to Thuringia, as well as by their significantly stronger accommodation with the views of Bavaria.^{[citation needed]}

With a new state treaty signed on 14 February 1920, the union of Coburg with Bavaria was set. In it, Coburg was given financial guarantees for its State Foundation, its agricultural and forestry trade associations, its

Therefore, with the union of the Free States of Coburg and Bavaria on 1 July 1920, almost 600 years of political autonomy of the Coburger Land came to an end. According to the State Treaty, the Free State of Coburg would be assigned to the (Kreis, now Regierungsbezirk [administrative district] of Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). The district of Königsberg with the town of Königsberg, as well as the communities of Altershausen, Dörflis, Erlsdorf, Hellingen, Kottenbrunn and Nassach, were sent to the district (Bezirk, now Landkreis) of Hofheim in Lower Franconia (Unterfranken).

The Referendum of 1919 and the subsequent union with Bavaria had unexpected consequences in 1945 at the end of the

Social Democratic Party of Germany (SDP):

• Reinhold Artmann (1870 – 1960) from Coburg, carpenter
• Erhard Kirchner (1866 – 1927) from Neustadt bei Coburg, manager at Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse [General Local Health Insurance] (AOK) and President of the State Assembly
• Franz Xavier Klingler (1875 – 1933) from Coburg, editor of the newspaper, the Coburger Volksblatt [Coburger People's Bulletin]
• Bernhard Lauer (1867 – 1927) from Neustadt bei Coburg, employee at AOK
• Hermann Mämpel (1866 – 1944) from Coburg, administrative assistant at AOK
• Johann Stegner (1866 – 1954) from Frohnlach, brewer and innkeeper
• Carl Wendt (1887 – 1936) from Rodach, machinist

Other Parties and Independents:

• Max Oscar Arnold (1854 – 1938) from Neustadt bei Coburg, manufacturer of dolls
• Hans Woldemar Schack (1878 – 1946) from Coburg, Judge of the District Courts
• Ernst Külbel (1863 – 1938) from Coburg, maltmaker
• Gustav Hess (1874 – 1940) from Neuses bei Coburg, farmer

Towns and communities

• 4 towns: Coburg (capital), Neustadt bei Coburg, Rodach bei Coburg, Königsberg
• 139 communities: Ahlstadt,
  Creidlitz, Dörfles, Drossenhausen, Ebersdorf bei Coburg, Ebersdorf bei Neustadt, Einberg, Elsa, Esbach, Fechheim, Fischbach, Fornbach, Friesendorf, Frohnlach, Fürth am Berg, Gauerstadt, Gestungshausen, Gossenberg, Grattstadt, Großgarnstadt, Großheirath, Großwalbur, Grub am Forst, Haarbrücken, Haarth, Hassenberg, Heldritt, Herbartsdorf, Höhn, Hof an der Steinach, Horb an der Steinach, Horb bei Fürth am Berg, Kemmaten, Ketschenbach, Ketschendorf, Kipfendorf, Kleingarnstadt, Kleinwalbur, Kösfeld, Lempertshausen, Leutendorf, Lützelbuch, Mährenhausen, Meeder, Meilschnitz, Meschenbach, Mirsdorf, Mittelberg, Mittelwasungen, Mödlitz, Mönchröden, Moggenbrunn, Neida, Neukirchen, Neuses am Brand, Neuses an den Eichen, Neuses bei Coburg, Neu- und Neershof, Niederfüllbach, Oberfüllbach, Oberlauter, Obersiemau, Oberwasungen, Oberwohlsbach, Oeslau, Oettingshausen, Ottowind, Plesten, Rögen, Rohrbach, Rossach, Rossfeld, Roth am Forst, Rothenhof, Rottenbach, Rudelsdorf, Rüttmannsdorf, Schafhof, Scherneck, Scheuerfeld, Schönstädt, Schweighof, Seidmannsdorf, Sonnefeld, Spittelstein, Steinach an der Steinach, Stöppach, Sulzdorf, Sülzfeld, Thann, Tiefenlauter, Tremersdorf, Trübenbach, Unterlauter, Untersiemau, Unterwasungen, Unterwohlsbach, Waldsachsen, Waltersdorf, Watzendorf, Weickenbach, Weidach, Weidhausen bei Coburg, Weimersdorf, Weischau, Weißenbrunn am Forst, Weißenbrunn vorm Wald, Weitramsdorf
  , Wellmersdorf, Wiesenfeld, Wildenheid, Wörlsdorf, Wohlbach, Wüstenahorn, Zedersdorf, Zeickhorn, Ziegelsdorf
• Enclave of the District of Königsberg: Communities of Altershausen, Dörflis, Erlsdorf, Hellingen, Köslau, Kottenbrunn and Nassach.

References