Lübeck
(1813-1871)
The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck, a German state since 1226, was a member state of the Germanic Confederation from 1815 to 1866. There is some confusion because there is a principality of Lübeck, which is a province of Oldenburg, and also a separate entity, the Free City of Lübeck. After the Austro-Prussian War, Lübeck became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867. It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.
The Free State was a republic and Parliament consisted of two chambers. The Senate consisted of fourteen life members, who were elected by a joint session of the Senate and the lower house. The Senate was presided over by the Oberbürgermeister, who during his two-year term of office, was called “Magnificence” and was also considered the president of the Senate and the head of the republic. All citizens possessing four-year longevity elected the lower house (Bürgerschaft) of 130 members under a unique two-class property system of those who paid income tax. The Bürgerschaft had the right of initiating legislation, including that relative to foreign treaties.
In 1914, the population of 122,000 was nearly all Lutheran. The republic was 297 km² in size. The soldiers were concentrated in Infanterie-Regiment Lübeck (3.hanseatisches) Nr. 162.