View source for Rudolf von Auerswald

{{Short description|Prussian politician (1795–1866)}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox Prime Minister
|name         = Rudolf von Auerswald
|image        = Rudolf von Auerswald Haase BNF Gallica.jpg
|caption      = Rudolf von Auerswald in 1862
|order        = 3rd [[Minister President of Prussia]]
|term_start   = 25 June 1848
|term_end     = 8 September 1848
|predecessor  = [[Gottfried Ludolf Camphausen]]
|monarch      = [[Frederick William IV of Prussia|Frederick William IV]]
|successor    = [[Ernst von Pfuel]]
|order1       = [[List of foreign ministers of Prussia|Foreign minister of Prussia]]
|term_start1  = 25 June
|term_end1    = 21 September 1848
|predecessor1 = [[Alexander von Schleinitz]]
|successor1   = [[August Heinrich Hermann von Dönhoff|August von Dönhoff]]
|order2       = 
|term_start2  =
|term_end2    =
|predecessor2 =
|successor2   = 
|birth_date   = 1 September 1795
|death_date   = {{death date and age|df=y|1866|1|15|1795|9|1}}
|birth_place  = [[Marienwerder]], [[West Prussia]], [[Kingdom of Prussia]]
|death_place  = [[Berlin]], [[Kingdom of Prussia]]
|party        =
|spouse       =
}}
'''Rudolf Ludwig Cäsar von Auerswald''' (1 September 1795 &ndash; 15 January 1866) was a German official who served as [[Prime Minister of Prussia]] during the [[revolutions of 1848 in the German states|Revolution of 1848]]. Later, during the ministry of [[Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern (born 1811)|Charles Anthony, Prince of Hohenzollern]], he led the government in all but name.

==Biography==
Auerswald was born in [[Kwidzyn|Marienwerder (Kwidzyn)]], [[West Prussia]]. He was a member of a [[Margraviate of Meissen|Meissen]] family of nobility, first mentioned in 1263, from Auerswalde, now part of [[Lichtenau, Saxony]]. His father was the official [[Hans Jakob von Auerswald]], while his brothers were the general [[Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald]] (1792&ndash;1848) and the politician [[Alfred von Auerswald]] (1797&ndash;1870).

A friend of Prince [[Wilhelm I, German Emperor|William]], much of Auerswald's youth was spent in [[Königsberg]]. After the completion of his education he entered [[Hussar#Hussars of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars|the 1. Leibhusarenregiment]] of the [[Prussian Army]]. In 1812 as part of [[Napoleon's invasion of Russia]], Auerswald participated in campaigns in [[Governorate of Livonia|Livonia]] and [[Governorate of Courland|Courland]] under the command of [[Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg|Yorck]]. He also served from 1813&ndash;15 during the [[War of the Sixth Coalition|wars]] against [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]]. Auerswald remained in the military until 1821, when he was discharged as a cavalry captain.

Auerswald married his cousin Countess Adela Dohna-Lauck in 1817. After his discharge from the military he acquired an estate in the [[Heiligenbeil (district)|Heiligenbeil District]] of [[East Prussia]], where he became ''Landrat'' (district administrator) in 1824. Auerswald became ''General-Landschaftsrath'' of the [[Province of Prussia]] in 1835 and ''Oberbürgermeister'' (roughly [[Lord Mayor]]) of Königsberg in 1835.

Auerswald was a member of the knighthood of the East Prussian provincial diet, sometimes with the role of parliamentary marshal (''Landtagsmarschall''). During a diet paying homage to King [[Frederick William IV of Prussia]], Auerswald was one of the politicians who reminded the new king of the 1815 promise of his predecessor, [[Frederick William III of Prussia|Frederick William III]], to grant a constitution. Auerswald became ''Regierungspräsident'' of [[Trier (region)|Regierungsbezirk Trier]] in 1842.

[[Image:Abgeordneten1848.png|thumb|right|300px|Eleven liberals: ''Back'' (l-r): [[Carl Mittermaier]], [[David Hansemann]], [[Maximilian von Schwerin-Putzar]], Rudolf von Auerswald, [[Franz Leo Benedikt Waldeck]], [[Friedrich Römer]]; ''Front row'' (l-r): [[Friedrich Christoph Dahlmann]], [[Ludolf Camphausen]], [[Hermann von Beckerath]], [[Hermann Schulze-Delitzsch]] and [[Karl Welcker]]]]
[[Image:Auerswald2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Berlin democrats attacking Prime Minister Auerswald's Wilhelmstraße hotel on 21 August 1848 (contemporary drawing)]]
After the outbreak of the [[Revolutions of 1848 in the German states|March Revolution]] in 1848, Auerswald was named ''Oberpräsident'' in Königsberg of the Province of Prussia by Prime Minister [[Ludolf Camphausen]]. After Camphausen resigned, Auerswald became Prime Minister on 25 June, as well as [[Foreign Minister of Prussia|Foreign Minister]]. A constitution for the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] was proposed during Auerswald's term; its model was the liberal [[Belgian Revolution|Belgian Constitution of 1831]], which had strongly influenced Rhenish liberalism. However, it was not accepted by the [[Prussian National Assembly]], which created its own constitutional committee instead. Auerswald's ministry collapsed on 8 September when the National Assembly called for the government to demand the resignation of conservative members of the military.

After his resignation, Auerswald returned to his post as Oberpräsident in Königsberg. After the dissolution of the National Assembly, the imposition of the [[Constitution of Prussia (1848)|constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia]] and the vote for a new [[parliament of Prussia]] led Auerswald to return to national politics. He served as president of the First Chamber (later the [[Prussian House of Lords]]) until 1850. Auerswald also participated in the [[Erfurt Union|Erfurt Parliament]]. In 1850 he became Oberpräsident of the [[Rhine Province]], but was forced to resign a year later for remarks critical of the conservative government. Auerswald then spent almost two years out of public office, traveling to [[Paris]], [[Italy]], and [[North Africa]].

Auerswald became a member of the Second Chamber (the [[Prussian House of Representatives]]) in 1853 as part of the liberal opposition, owing to his friendship with Crown Prince William. After William's assumption of the Prussian regency and the end of the Manteuffel government, William named [[Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern (born 1811)|Charles Anthony, Prince of Hohenzollern]], as Prime Minister. Auerswald served as a minister without portfolio, although he led the government in all but name. Hopes for a more liberal era ended, however, in the face of resistance from the civil service, the court of Regent William, and especially from the House of Representatives.

The military budgetary crisis of 1860 brought Auerswald in opposition to his own liberal party, but he sought a middle ground between William and parliament. The inability to form a compromise caused a splintering of the liberals in 1861. The lack of a liberal majority led to the resignation of Auerswald and a number of ministers in March 1862. The next government was led by [[Otto von Bismarck]].

Auerswald resigned from politics completely. Despite his liberal views and the defeat of the Prussian liberals, he was not disgraced, and a court position as lord burgrave of [[Malbork|Marienburg (Malbork)]] was created for him instead. Auerswald died in [[Berlin]], [[Province of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]].

==See also==
*[[Auerswald cabinet]]

==References==
{{Wikisourcelang|de|ADB:Auerswald, Rudolf von|Rudolf von Auerswald}}
* {{de-ADB|1|651|654|Auerswald, Rudolf von|Richard von Bardeleben|ADB:Auerswald, Rudolf von}}

{{Prime Ministers of Prussia}}
{{PrussianFMs}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Auerswald, Rudolf von}}
[[Category:1795 births]]
[[Category:1866 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Kwidzyn]]
[[Category:Prussian nobility]]
[[Category:Prussian Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Members of the Prussian House of Representatives]]
[[Category:People from West Prussia]]
[[Category:German people of the Revolutions of 1848]]
[[Category:Minister presidents of Prussia]]
[[Category:Prussian Army personnel]]
[[Category:Foreign ministers of Prussia]]
[[Category:Members of the Prussian National Assembly]]