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Carl Merck
Carl Hermann Merck (3 May 1809 – 16 October 1880) was one of the leading Hamburg statesmen of the 19th century, holding the office of Syndicus from 1847 until his death in 1880.
His father Heinrich Johann Merck (1770-1853), originally from Schweinfurt, Franconia, was a Hamburg merchant and became a Senator in 1820. Carl Merck attended school at the Johanneum in Hamburg and the Gymnasium in Rinteln. He then studied law and political science in Leipzig, Göttingen, and Heidelberg universities, being awarded a doctorate at Heidelberg in 1831. Rather than pursue a career in Law, he travelled widely, nominally on behalf of his father's firm, to further his education. For several years he lived successively in England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.
In 1840 Merck returned to Hamburg to devote himself more and more to the public affairs of his native city. First, he took part in the establishment of the Hamburg-Bergedorf railway, the first railway line which was undertaken in north Germany. After the Great fire of Hamburg of May 1842, he joined as a Secretary in the then formed Technical Commission for reconstruction, which included British engineer William Lindley.
In 1843 the position of Senate Secretary became free, which, as a rule, opened the prospect of becoming a Syndicus, because a Syndicus would normally have progressed from Secretary. Both Merck and his friend from Heidelberg University, Gustav Heinrich Kirchenpauer, were interested and they submitted their applications at precisely the same time. The competition resolved itself, as the Senate elected Kirchenpauer to be a senator on 4 December and then gave the free secretary office to Merck on 22 December. From this Merck rose, as he had hoped, in July 1847 to become one of the four Syndics. He was elected Syndicus replacing Karl Sieveking, joining Syndics Wilhelm Amsinck, Johann Kauffmann and Edward Banks.
The four syndics sat in the Senate with the senators and took part in the debates, but had no vote. The office, at that time, was somewhat analogous to that of a cabinet minister (which did not exist as such in Hamburg). To them were entrusted all important negotiations, and the preparation of every legislative enactment.
Sieveking had been in charge of the Foreign Affairs of the State of Hamburg since 1820 when he became a Syndicus. After Sieveking's death, Banks was entrusted with the direction of foreign affairs. From 1848, Banks took up a number of diplomatic posts abroad and later suffered from ill health. Merck then took on the foreign affairs role. Since then, Merck was at the centre of public life in Hamburg.
Hermann Merck was a representative of Hanseatic particularism par excellence. Merck, who himself came from a wealthy merchant family, sought to guarantee the welfare of the city and its trade and promote the continuity of Hamburg's policy of neutrality and the preservation of its independence. He belonged to the anti-Prussian party in the Senate of Hamburg, because Prussia for him embodied the “power state” and he did not think the creation of something good and durable was likely, if the policy was based on power, rather than law.
Although the law of 1849 gave the Syndics only a consultative function, they were ranked between the senators and the two mayors. However, the Constitution of Hamburg of 1860 narrowed their rights, so that they now ranked behind the senators and they also lost their title "Magnificence". Merck's special position in the Senate can be measured by the fact that an exception was made in his case and he retained the title, rank and responsibilities.
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Carl Merck
Carl Hermann Merck (3 May 1809 – 16 October 1880) was one of the leading Hamburg statesmen of the 19th century, holding the office of Syndicus from 1847 until his death in 1880.
His father Heinrich Johann Merck (1770-1853), originally from Schweinfurt, Franconia, was a Hamburg merchant and became a Senator in 1820. Carl Merck attended school at the Johanneum in Hamburg and the Gymnasium in Rinteln. He then studied law and political science in Leipzig, Göttingen, and Heidelberg universities, being awarded a doctorate at Heidelberg in 1831. Rather than pursue a career in Law, he travelled widely, nominally on behalf of his father's firm, to further his education. For several years he lived successively in England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.
In 1840 Merck returned to Hamburg to devote himself more and more to the public affairs of his native city. First, he took part in the establishment of the Hamburg-Bergedorf railway, the first railway line which was undertaken in north Germany. After the Great fire of Hamburg of May 1842, he joined as a Secretary in the then formed Technical Commission for reconstruction, which included British engineer William Lindley.
In 1843 the position of Senate Secretary became free, which, as a rule, opened the prospect of becoming a Syndicus, because a Syndicus would normally have progressed from Secretary. Both Merck and his friend from Heidelberg University, Gustav Heinrich Kirchenpauer, were interested and they submitted their applications at precisely the same time. The competition resolved itself, as the Senate elected Kirchenpauer to be a senator on 4 December and then gave the free secretary office to Merck on 22 December. From this Merck rose, as he had hoped, in July 1847 to become one of the four Syndics. He was elected Syndicus replacing Karl Sieveking, joining Syndics Wilhelm Amsinck, Johann Kauffmann and Edward Banks.
The four syndics sat in the Senate with the senators and took part in the debates, but had no vote. The office, at that time, was somewhat analogous to that of a cabinet minister (which did not exist as such in Hamburg). To them were entrusted all important negotiations, and the preparation of every legislative enactment.
Sieveking had been in charge of the Foreign Affairs of the State of Hamburg since 1820 when he became a Syndicus. After Sieveking's death, Banks was entrusted with the direction of foreign affairs. From 1848, Banks took up a number of diplomatic posts abroad and later suffered from ill health. Merck then took on the foreign affairs role. Since then, Merck was at the centre of public life in Hamburg.
Hermann Merck was a representative of Hanseatic particularism par excellence. Merck, who himself came from a wealthy merchant family, sought to guarantee the welfare of the city and its trade and promote the continuity of Hamburg's policy of neutrality and the preservation of its independence. He belonged to the anti-Prussian party in the Senate of Hamburg, because Prussia for him embodied the “power state” and he did not think the creation of something good and durable was likely, if the policy was based on power, rather than law.
Although the law of 1849 gave the Syndics only a consultative function, they were ranked between the senators and the two mayors. However, the Constitution of Hamburg of 1860 narrowed their rights, so that they now ranked behind the senators and they also lost their title "Magnificence". Merck's special position in the Senate can be measured by the fact that an exception was made in his case and he retained the title, rank and responsibilities.