Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein
[1] Stein's early training and his sternly, practical mentality made him completely impervious to the enthusiasm that his contemporaries had shown for the French Revolution.[4] While in office he introduced useful reforms in his department, particularly by abolishing various restrictions on the internal trade of the nation, but he was hampered in his endeavors by the spirit of Prussian conservatism.No other strong man was at hand who could save the ship of state, and on 8 October 1807 Frederick William III of Prussia, utterly depressed by the terrible terms of the Treaty of Tilsit, called Stein to office and entrusted him with very wide powers.At the heart of the reform efforts was the conviction that the Prussian state could be reinvigorated if the most talented people in Prussia's society were actively involved in the work of government.Stein in December 1807 wrote to Hardenberg, contemplating that it "is essential that the nation become accustomed to managing its own affairs, so that it will emerge from this state of infancy in which an anxious and officious government attempts to keep the people".The October Edict also abrogated all class distinctions respecting occupations and callings of any and every kind, thus striking another blow at the caste system that had been so rigorous in Prussia.[citation needed] Stein issued a measure for municipal reform on 19 November 1808 which granted local self-government on enlightened yet practical lines to all Prussian towns and even to all villages possessing more than 800 inhabitants.[6] While Stein's efforts were directed more towards civil affairs, he also furthered the progress of the military reforms, which are connected more especially with the name of Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst.In August 1808, the French agents, who swarmed throughout the land, had seized one of his letters, in which he spoke of his hope that Germany would soon be ready for a national rising like that of Spain.On 10 September, Napoleon gave orders that Stein's property in the new kingdom of Westphalia should be confiscated, and he likewise put pressure on Frederick William to dismiss him.Thanks to the help of his former colleague, Count Friedrich Wilhelm von Reden, who gave him an asylum in his castle in the Riesengebirge, he succeeded in crossing the frontier into Bohemia.When the miserable remains of the Grand Army reeled back into Prussia at the close of the year, Stein urged the Russian emperor to go on and free Europe from the French domination.[citation needed] He recovered, however, in time to take part in the drafting of a Russo-Prussian convention (19 March 1813) respecting the administration of the districts that should be delivered from French occupation.After the Battle of Leipzig (16–19 October 1813), Stein entered that city the day after its occupation by the Allies and thus expressed his feelings on the fall of Napoleon's domination: There it lies, then, the monstrous fabric cemented by the blood and tears of so many millions and reared by an insane and accursed tyranny.[8] His chief interest was in the study of history, and from 1818 to 1820, he worked hard to establish the society for the encouragement of historical research and the publication of the Monumenta Germaniae historica, of which his future biographer, Georg Heinrich Pertz, became the director.
Johann Christoph RincklakeNassauCounty of NassauHoly Roman EmpireCappenberg CastleProvince of WestphaliaKingdom of PrussiaPrussianstatesmanPrussian reformsunification of GermanyserfdomindemnificationFranconianGöttingencivil servicePeace of TilsitNapoleonAustrian EmpireRussian EmpireAlexander IBattle of LeipzigFrederick the GreatMatthäus MerianUniversity of GöttingenjurisprudenceWetzlarRegensburgImperial DietViennaBerlinPrussiaFriedrich Anton von Heynitzeconomicscivil governmentZweibrückenDarmstadtWestphalianMindenFrench RevolutionAustriaFrederick William IIIFrederick William IIPeace of BasleChristian Graf von HaugwitzBattle of JenaKarl August von HardenbergAlexander I of RussiaQueen Louise of PrussiaNicolas GosseTilsitFrederick William III of PrussiaTreaty of TilsitPrussian stateOctober Edictgovernmentland tenurenobilitypeasantsfree tradecaste systemmunicipalself-governmentvillagesGerhard Johann David von ScharnhorstPrussian armyWetter (Ruhr)hyperinflation in the Weimar RepublicMadridFriedrich Wilhelm von RedenRiesengebirgeBohemiaSaint PetersburgFranco-Russian WarUniversity of MarburgLudwig Yorck von WartenburgConvention of TauroggenHans Karl von DiebitschmilitiaBreslauTreaty of Kaliszà outranceKlemens Wenzel von MetternichHardenbergSaxonyCongress of ViennaMonumenta Germaniae historicaGeorg Heinrich PertzSchloss CappenbergWestphaliaBad EmsKoblenzTheodor von SchönTugendbundJohann Ludwig von Wallmoden-GimbornGeorge II of Great BritainGilman, D. C.New International EncyclopediaLord ActonEncyclopedia Americanapublic domainRose, John HollandChisholm, HughEncyclopædia BritannicaAustria-HungaryKingdom of BavariaKingdom of HanoverKingdom of SaxonyKingdom of WürttembergStates of the German ConfederationConfederation of the RhineGerman ConfederationZollvereinGerman Empire (1848–1849)Erfurt UnionNorth German ConfederationGerman EmpireVormärzWartburg FestivalCarlsbad DecreesHambach FestivalFrankfurter Wachensturm1848 RevolutionsFrankfurt ParliamentGreater Poland uprisingPunctation of Olmütz