Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg was a duchy and state of the German Empire in what is now federal state of Thuringia.
Territory
The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg consisted of two spatially separated areas, the Ostkreis with the towns of Altenburg, Schmölln, Goessnitz, Lucka and Meuselwitz with the enclaves Mumsdorf, Roschütz, Hilber village Neukirchen near Waldenburg and Russdorf in Chemnitz and the West circle with the cities Eisenberg, Kahla, Orlamünde and Roda and the exclave Ammelstädt. The Ostkreis the Duchy corresponded in its borders roughly to the present district Altenburger Land in Thuringia, in addition to the area belongs to the district of Ronneburg Greiz. The West District is located mostly in the Saale- Holzland, to a lesser extent also in neighboring counties today.
History
The duchy belonged in the Middle Ages to the Margraviate of Meissen and Leipzig since the division of 1485 total possession of the Ernestine. After another country subdivisions it belonged to Saxony- Gotha Saxe -Gotha -Altenburg since 1672. By Erbteilungsvertrag of 1680, the territory was divided between several duchies. The Altenburger share of 1660 resolved County Henneberg ( regulated in Kahlaer contract ), it was lost to the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. This also resulting in the division of the Duchy of Saxe -Eisenberg was in 1680 to 1707 and then fell back to Saxe-Gotha -Altenburg.
After the extinction of this line in 1826 fell the whole of Saxony -Hildburghausen and Saalfeld part of Saxe- Coburg -Saalfeld to Saxe-Meiningen. Duke Friedrich III. of Saxe- Hildburghausen received in return Saxe-Altenburg as independent duchy with the former part of Saxe- Eisenberg.
After the Duchy of Saxe -Altenburg had received a constitution on 29 April 1831 it entered 1833/34 as a sovereign state of the German Customs Union in 1867 the North German Confederation, and finally in 1871 the German Reich.
The last ruler of the Duchy of Saxe -Altenburg abdicated on 13 November 1918 Duke Ernst II and the Free State of Saxony -Altenburg was founded. Last ducal Minister of State was Waldemar von Wussow ( 1915-1918 ).
State organization and management structure
The duchy had one vote in the Bundesrat and had Altenburg, the state capital. In the area of justice, there was for the Thuringian States, the Oberlandesgericht Jena, the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was the district of the district court Altenburg with the local courts Altenburg, Eisenberg, Kahla, Roda, Ronneburg and Schmölln. Military belonged to the Duchy of spare the district of the IV Corps, where Altenburg garrison of the First and Second Battalion of the 8th Thuringian Infantry Regiment was No. 153. The III. Battalion of the regiment was in Merseburg.
In 1876, the two administrative districts of Altenburg and Schmölln were established in Ostkreis and the West District of the County Roda. The County Schmölln was disbanded in 1881 and incorporated its territory in the administrative district of Altenburg. On April 1, 1900, the County Roda was transferred to the District Office Roda in the West District. At the same time Ostkreis was divided into the independent city of Altenburg and the new district offices Altenburg and Ronneburg. 1910 included the Duchy total of 438 municipalities, of which only Altenburg could be called Mittelstadt.
Population
The Duchy counted
Largest cities
Moreover, there were 1910 compared to 1837 following places above the mark of 2,000 inhabitants: City Meuselwitz ( 8865-1527; 481 % ), City Goessnitz ( 5813-1528; 280 %), community Russdorf ( 3579-1031; 247 % ), community Hermsdorf ( 3417-1046; 227 %), community bathroom Klosterlausnitz ( 2204-1090; 102 %), Lucka ( 2086-1245; 68 %) and community Kauerndorf ( 2024-102; 1884 %).
Economy
In Altenburg, the Duchy had a playing card factory of world renown, as well as Kahla a porcelain industry. To a lesser extent, machinery and metal goods were produced, it is important to mention here would be the world famous sewing machine manufacturer Vesta. The farming operation especially favored by fertile loess soils in eastern Thuringia, the cultivation of wheat, rye, barley, oats, potatoes, fruit and vegetables. For the year 1907 the livestock population of the duchy with 12,401 horses, 67,745 cattle, 7,568 sheep, 77,681 pigs and 15,594 goats will be played. In the same year the mining produced 3,060,777 tons of lignite in Meuselwitz - Rositzer area. A mineral bath with Kurbetrieb in Ronneburg promoted tourism. The quite lively trade of the Duchy was supported by the operation of 185 km of railway lines, a state and Savings Bank, and 19 savings banks.
Landmark between the Electorate of Saxony and the Duchy
Ducal Landesbank in Altenburg
Sewing machine from Altenburg, the Vesta
Expression of peasant prosperity, Altenburger Vierseithof
Religion
Most of the inhabitants were members of the Evangelical Church, whose head of the Duke of Saxe- Altenburg as summus was episcopus. This 1907 was divided into eight administrative districts with 103 parishes. The Catholics were under the Apostolic Vicariate of Saxony, based in Dresden.
Dukes
- See Saxe-Gotha -Altenburg
Saxe-Altenburg 1826-1918
Residence locks
The ducal family resided from 1826 again in the Royal Palace in Altenburg. The Eisenberger residential palace was only from 1681 to 1707 Location of Duke Christian of Saxe- Eisenberg. The hunting lodge to rejoice return in Wolfersdorf was built in 1548 to 1551 in the Renaissance style ( neo-Gothic renovations in 1858 ) and was named I. from captivity after the return of the Elector John Frederick. Its function was in the 17th century through to the hunting lodge Hummelshain, from 1880 to 1885 then the new hunting lodge Hummelshain was built in Neo-Renaissance style.
Christiansborg castle in Eisenberg
Castle to The Gay return in Wolfersdorf
New hunting lodge in Hummelshain