Sonderband 3. „wir aber aus unsern vorhero sehr erschöpfften camergeföllen nicht hernemben khönnen…” – Beiträge zur österreichischen Wirtschafts- und Finanzgeschichte vom 17. bis zum 20. Jahrhundert (1997)

Ronald E. Coons - Carey Goodman: An Audacious Proposal. A Memorandum Attributed to Finance Minister Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Bruck

An Audacious Proposal: A Memorandum Attributed to Karl Ludwig von Bruck

tive schemes for modernization and reform, the most notable of which was undoubtedly his call for the creation of a great central European customs union under Austrian aegis32. The attention historians have devoted to Brack’s vision of „Mitteleuropa“ should not, however, obscure his many contributions to what his contemporary Carl Freiherr von Czoernig termed „Österreichs Neugestaltung“ in his account of the government’s accomplishments between 1848 and 185733. Not only was Brack a prolific and facile author of reports, memoranda, and articles in his own right34, but he frequently commissioned associates to write important manuscripts according to guidelines he supplied35. Thus even if it is impossible to guarantee that Brack personally wrote or dictated the memorandum, there is reason to believe that it reflects his inspiration and his input. Given the sparse documentary record and the lack of information on the origins of the Nachlaß, this may be the most satisfactory conclusion that can be drawn at the present time.

A second question that arises concerning the memorandum asks when it was written. In communicating with his superiors in 1866 the younger Brack suggested that his father had prepared the manuscript sometime in 1855 or early in 185636. In fact, internal evidence allows for a far more precise estimate of the time of composition. In the course of proposing that municipal organizations be created throughout the monarchy the minister noted:

Eine solche Organisation besitzt das Lomb. Venez. Königreich bereits in seinem Communal-Statute, welches die Möglichkeit der seinerzeitigen Errichtung der Provinzial- und Central-Congregationen, und daher auch jene des wohlthätigen Beschlußes, welchen S. M. der Kaiser soeben in Betreff dieser Congregational gefaßt hat, begründet hat37.

It was on 15 July 1855 that Emperor Franz Joseph approved the Vortrag of Interior Minister Alexander Freiherr von Bach recommending re-establishment of central congregations in northern Italy, and publication of the patent announcing that deOn Bruck’s concept of Mitteleuropa see Schöningh, Franz Joseph: Karl Ludwig Brack und die Idee „Mitteleuropa“. In: Historisches Jahrbuch 56 (1936), pp. 1-14; B ô h m e, Helmut: Deutschlands Weg zur Großmacht. Studien zum Verhältnis von Wirtschaft und Staat während der Reichsgründungszeit 1848- 1881 (Köln-Berlin 1966), pp. 19-90; and Agnel 1 i ,Arduino: La genesi del’idea di Mitteleuropa. Milano 1971 (Pubblicazioni della Facoltà di Giurispradenza della Université di Trieste 11). „Mitteleuropa“ in general is discussed in Meyer,Henry Cord: Mitteleuropa in German Thought and Action 1815-1945. The Hague 1955 (International Scholars Forum 4) and Droz, Jacques: L’Europe centrale. Évolution historique de l’idée de „Mitteleuropa“. Paris 1960.

33 Czoernig,Carl Freiherr von: Oesterreichs Neugestaltung 1848-1857. Stuttgart-Augsburg 1858. For a discussion of the extensive reforming activities of the Commerce Ministry under Brack’s direction through the first half of 1850 see the Anonymous: Carl Freiherr von Brack. Leipzig 1850 (Männer der Gegenwart, Neue Folge 4); Brandt : Der österreichische Neoabsolutismus, pp. 712-900 thoroughly discusses Bruck’s policies at the Finance Ministry.

See the article Freiherr von Brack im Bureau. In: Die Neuigkeiten, published in Brünn on 18 May 1856, which observes: „Wie er schnell denkt, so schreibt er schnell; er beschreibet immer nur Eine Seite des Halbbogens, den er nie umwendet, sondern nur bei Seite schiebt, oder fallen läßt; ein Beamter ist beschäftigt, die einzelnen schnell sich folgenden Bogen fortlaufend zu numerieren“.

35 On Brack’s frequent reliance upon others to write his memoranda see B r a n d t : Der österreichische Neoabsolutismus, pp. 281-282, note 1 and p. 836, note 10.

36 HHStA Wien, AR, Fach 4, Karton 40: Convolut „Personalia Bro-Bra“, fol. 238r, Karl von Brack to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 January 1866.

37 Emphasis added.

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