Johann Heinrich von Carmer

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Johann Heinrich Casimir, Baron von Carmer
Kreuznach
Died23 May 1801(1801-05-23) (aged 80)
Rützen, Silesia
NationalityPrussian
OccupationJurist
Years active1760–1795
Notable workCorpus Juris Fridericianum

Johann Heinrich Casimir, Baron von Carmer (29 December 1720 in

inscribed on the Equestrian statue of Frederick the Great
in 1851.

Career

Carmer studied law at the universities of

Breslau; 1751 Director (und 1763 President) of the Upper Chamber of Breslau. In 1768, he became president of all the governing ministries in Silesia, and he was awarded the title of Silesian Minister of Justice.[1] From this position, he was in contact with Frederick on questions of the reform of the judiciary and the law of procedure. Frederick had great concerns about the state of justice in Prussia, understanding that it was not as up-to-date as it should be, but these were passed to the de jure chancellor-prince. The whole situation came to a head in 1778 with the Miller-Arnold Affair.[2]

Miller Arnold Affair

Main article: Miller Arnold case

The miller Arnold from the

Küstrin, which, however, confirmed Schmettau's verdict. In 1778, the mill was forcibly confiscated, and von Schmettau acquired it. The outraged miller wrote to King Frederick, who ordered an investigation.[2]

Frederick's investigators reported back and the king was appalled by what he learned. He wrote in summary of the Miller's case, that the judiciary was:

...acting in self-interest, and [a judicial college] which practices injustices, is more dangerous and worse, such as a gang of thieves, [from which] one can protect oneself, but no one can guard against those who use the mantle of justice to carry out their evil passions. They are worse than the greatest rascals in the world, and merit a double punishment.[2]

Frederick demanded the arrest of the chamber judge, and the Grand Chancellor Karl Abraham von Zedlitz refused. He was relieved of his duties and a new Grand Chancellor, Maximilian von Fürst und Kupferberg [de] appointed; when he refused to arrest the recalcitrant judge from the original case, he also was dismissed by Frederick. In 1779, the King made Carmer Maximilian's successor.[2] Frederick realized that he needed to reshape the Prussian justice system, which was riddled with corruption, delay, and medieval punishments that were irrational and counterproductive.[3]

Reshaping Prussian law

As Grand Chancellor, Carmer, Samuel von Cocceji, and another jurist,

inscriptions on the Equestrian statue of Frederick the Great as among the founders of the modern Prussian state.[4]

Citations

  1. ^ a b Erich Döhring, Carmer, Johann Heinrich Casimir Graf von. Neue Deutsche Biographie 3 (1957), S. 150 Online-Version.
  2. ^ a b c d e Georg Friedrich Felix Eberty, Carmer, Johann Heinrich Casimir. Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, herausgegeben von der Historischen Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Band 4 (1876), S. 1–3, Digitale Volltext-Ausgabe in Wikisource, (Version vom 16. Februar 2017, 20:06 Uhr UTC)
  3. ^
    ISBN 9780198219682
    p. 132.
  4. ^ Denkmal König Friedrich II von Preußen Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine,Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung und Umwelt, Berlin, revised 10 April 2014 (in German)
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