Chancery (medieval office)

The term firm (from MHG kanzelie which is cherished with barriers space of an authority, especially a Court of Justice originally, to Latin cancelli " barriers") called today often the office of a lawyer ( law firm ) or notary ( notary office ). Usually, the industry term firm is used by tax advisers and patent agents. Meanwhile, this term is occasionally performed by insurance brokers and consultants. In court, the agency responsible for the execution of any documents and the implementation of the correspondence department is called the court registry or court paperwork.

With firm and an agency of the top administrative level is called that has no separate administrative structures and usually does not notice any areas of responsibility, but coordination and consultation exercises functions (eg Bavarian State Chancellery, Saxon State Chamber, Reich Chancellery, etc.).

In official and diplomatic parlance, the firm ( chancellery ), the building which houses the administration of the message, as opposed to the residence in which dwells the ambassador; both can be in the same place, but also be separated for miles.

Historical significance

Historically, the firm has the authority of the regents or a city that leads the correspondence and archived and is responsible for certifications. The head of such a law firm was the Chancellor ( from Latin Cancellarius ).

The Byzantine Empire continued the management style of the late Roman Empire and decreed until his demise in 1453 - over the centuries in different designs - a law firm for the purposes of an administrative authority.

From the 4th century it was the first time an Apostolic office as an institution of the Roman Curia, later the term was applied to authorities of the Lombard and Frankish kings. Guide was a Chancellor or Lord Chancellor.

In the Middle Ages firms acquired great importance. However, the firm from country to country developed. In France of the Ancien Régime, the Chancellor of France had an outstanding position.

The usual on the firms overall firm language offered Martin Luther the requirement of creating a unified German written language. The term Reich Chancellery has already been used for a public authority in the Holy Roman Empire, the Chancellery in Vienna's Hofburg. After the Empire of 1871, the Reich Chancellery in Berlin called the Office of the Chancellor.

In addition, there were offices of the Imperial Circles. There were also firms the individual estates of the Empire and its staff unions, the court chancelleries: Since at least 1620 there was an Austrian Chancellery, she was the central authority for the Austrian hereditary lands. I also had a 1527 Bohemian Court Chancellery.

Due to the semi-official character of the German legal profession ( the administration of justice ) different terms from the language of administration be applied to the legal profession today. Examples are firm and fees.

Conceptually firm is now commonly used for offices. The Brock House in a band ( 2nd edition, 1985, p 424) translates the term firm simply with "office".

Switzerland and Austria

In Switzerland the term is still common for the designation of staff positions by governments, see Gemeindekanzlei, State Chancellery or Federal Chancellery.

Also in Austria, the term for administrative bodies, for example, of the Federal Army ( security firm, chancery clerk ), but especially for law firms and notaries use. It is also used for individual offices in government departments.

Denmark

In addition to the Danish firm was a German firm for the management of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.

Great Britain

The German firm in London ruled the Kingdom of Hanover.