Robert Mayr-Harting

Robert Ritter von Mayr- Harting (up to 1907 by Mayr, since 1920 without a title of nobility ) (* September 13, 1874 at Aspern; † March 12, 1948 in Prague) was an Austrian and Czechoslovak after the First World War, legal scholars. In the First Czechoslovak Republic, he was one of the leaders of the German Christian Social People's Party. In the interwar period he was from 1926 to 1929 Minister of Justice.

Life and work

Robert Mayr- Harting came from a Tyrolean officials and military family. His father, Franz Anton, however, was an actor. He attended the Scots College in Vienna. He then studied law at the University of Vienna. According to a study trip to Leipzig, he entered Vienna in the legislative section of the Justice Department. In 1901 he was habilitated.

1905 Mayr- Harting went as A.O. Professor at the Franz Joseph University of Czernowitz, in 1908 appointed him to the chair.

In 1909 he moved for almost 30 years at the Karl- Ferdinand University. In Prague, he published partially annotated collections of laws on civil law. He also published 1912/13, a seven-volume history of the Roman law. In the years 1913 /14 and 1930/31, he was Dean of the Law Faculty. 1921/22, he was rector of the German university. He was from 1921 also one of the co-editor of the Prague legal journal. Mayr- Harting was a regular member of the German Society of Science and Art in Czechoslovakia. In 1931 he became President of the Permanent Representation of German Jurists in Czechoslovakia. He was also a member of the German League for the League of Nations and international understanding.

Policy

Immediately after the collapse of the ku k dual monarchy and the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, he pleaded for an active participation of the German-speaking population group in the new state. As an expert, he was a member of various government committees.

In the summer of 1919, he designed together with Karl Hilgenreiner ( both members of the KDSt.V. Saxo - Bavaria Prague) the party program of the German Christian Social People's Party. He belonged to the end of the party in 1938 on the inner leadership circle. He sat down, always supporting a state- loyal attitude.

From 1920 to 1925 he was a senator. After that, he was until 1938 a member of parliament. Even in the German parliamentary working group, which also included MPs from other parties, he stood up for a co-operation with the Czech parties. Mayr- Harting was in contact with President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and was one of the members of the politically influential castle district.

From 1926 to 1929, Mayr- Harting was Minister of Justice. He was committed to, among other things for the recognition of the German language in court. Although the Christian Social Party was no longer sitting in the government after 1929, he continued to be in favor of their support. A collaboration with the growing importance of party Konrad Henlein he refused.

In Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, he lived a secluded life in Prague. After the re-establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, he could continue to live through the intercession of President Edvard Beneš in Prague.