The list of justice ministers of Prussia lists the Prussian ministers of justice from the founding of the General Directorate () in 1723 until the completion of the federalization () of the Prussian justice system during the Gleichschaltung in 1935. The first officeholder was (1723–1729) and the last caretaker of the office was Franz Gürtner (1934–1935).
The office thereby existed during very different political contexts for Prussia: From 1723 until 1806, while Prussia was – at least formally – part of the Holy Roman Empire. From 1806 until 1871 as an office of an independent Kingdom of Prussia. And from 1871 onward as an office of a state of the German Empire (the Free State of Prussia since 1918). The empire itself was a monarchy until its abolition in 1918, before it became the Weimar Republic and finally was transformed into Nazi Germany in 1933.
The German Empire had a separate federal State Secretary of Justice since 1876, who headed the . In 1919 the federal office became known as the Reich Minister of Justice, who headed the Reich Ministry of Justice.
History of the office Modern ministerial administration began in Prussia under King Frederick William I. From around 1723, his five ministers each had responsibility for a province and specific areas. At the same time, three ministers were always given the role of Justice Minister; They could only make important decisions together. The main tasks were nominating judges, training of lawyers, administration of the judicial apparatus (buildings and personnel), registries (especially the land registers) and advising the king. This system was maintained until 1737 and was later temporarily reactivated.
Under King Frederick II, the systematic drafting of laws began. This task was given to a Grand Chancellor (also known as Senior Minister of Justice and Chef of Justice), newly created in 1747. At times, there was also ongoing administration in parallel by other justice ministers; especially under Grand Chancellor Jariges, who worked with four other ministers. Typical responsibilities of these additional justice ministers were the management of the Criminal Department, the Military Justice System or the Justice Administration as well as the supervision of the Provincial Justice System. From 1762 until the 19th century, "spiritual matters" (churches and education) were also part of the remit of the Justice Ministers (Zedlitz, Wöllner, Massow).
List of ministers 1723–1737: Collegiate Principle In 1723, the General Directorate () was founded by Frederick William I. Originally the General Directorate had five departments; the first four had regional competencies, while the fifth department dealt with judicial matters from all Prussian regions and directed and (secretly) controlled the other departments. This department was headed by Katsch. He is generally regarded as the first minister of justice of Prussia.
Name Image Term Start Term End Notes January 17231729Katsch died in office.1729April 1739Viebahn died in office.
1737–1817: Ministers and Grand Chancellors By cabinet decree () dated 5 November 1737 Frederick William I reorganized the Prussian administration of justice and established Samuel von Cocceji as "Ministre Chef de Justice" who should inspect all aspects of the Prussian administration of justice. After the death of Frederick William I, Frederick the Great did not use the title "Ministre Chef de Justice" but left Cocceji in place and elevated his position to become the inaugural Prussian Grand Chancellor in 1747.
Ministres Chef de Justice and Grand Chancellors (1737–1808) Name Image Term Start Term End Notes Samuel von Cocceji 5 November 1737 24 October 1755Cocceji headed the Prussian administration of justice as Ministre Chef de Justice (appointed on 5 November 1737) and was made Grand Chancellor () on 8 March 1747. Cocceji died in office.November 17559 October 1770Jariges died in office.14 November 177011 December 1779Fürst was dismissed by Frederick II due to his handling of the Miller Arnold case.Johann Heinrich von Carmer25 December 17797 January 1795Carmer was dispensed from his duties at his own request by Frederick II.7 February 179526 August 1807Goldbeck was minister of state and justice () from 1789 to 1795 (see below) before he became Grand Chancellor and Chef de Justice. He was succeeded by after the formation of the modern Prussian ministry of justice necessitated by the Prussian defeat at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in 1806.
Other posts Justizdepartement NameImageTerm startTerm endNotes20 December 174614 April 1763Bismarck was minister of state and justice () with responsibility for criminal law matters (). He requested his dismissal due to old age on 14 April 1763. His successor Fürst was appointed on 26 April 1763.26 April 17631770Management of the judiciary in several provinces 19 September 1763 1764 Münchhausen was minister of state and justice (). On 17 June 1764 he gained the spiritual department in Lutheran church and school matters (). He was succeeded by Zedlitz in this office on 18 January 1771. Karl Abraham Zedlitz 18 November 1770 17 December 1789 [or 3 December 1789] Zedlitz was made minister of state and justice () on 18 November 1770 with responsibility for the criminal department (). Zedlitz was also made head of the Lutheran spiritual department () on 18 January 1771 [or 15 January 1771] and held it until 3 July 1788.
He was dismissed in 1789 on his own wishes. 28 Februar 1771 1793 Minister of Justice of the French Colony and Spiritual Affairs 31 December 1784 1807Reck (sometimes Recke) was made minister of state and justice () in 1784 to replace the deceased Münchhausen. Johann Christoph von Wöllner 3 July 1788 1798 Wöllner was minister of state and justice (). He was made head of the spiritual department in Lutheran and Catholic matters. With his appointment the department of justice () was restructured: There were now not four, but five ministers of state and justice (): Zedlitz, Carmer, Dörnberg, Reck and Wöllner. 11 December 1789 7 February 1795Goldbeck was minister of state and justice () and succeeded Zedlitz. On 7 February 1795 he became Grand Chancellor (see above). 1798 15 July 1802Arnim was minister of state and justice (). He was succeeded as head of the department for criminal matters () by grand chancellor Goldbeck on 15 July 1802 2 April 17981807 Massow was minister of state and justice () and succeeded Wöllner in 2 April 1798. He headed the spiritual and school department.17631770Friedrich Wilhelm von Thulemeyer17931807
1808–1848: Foundation of a modern Ministry of Justice and its separation into two entities The modern Prussian Ministry of Justice was formally founded as an independent entity by cabinet decree on 25 November 1808 during the time of the Stein–Hardenberg Reforms. On 3 November 1817 the First Ministry of Justice for the Revision of Laws and for the Judicial Organisation of the new Provinces () was formed as a separate entity which would deal with the revision of Prussia's laws. This ministry was, however, quickly abolished again in December 1819. The business of judicial organisation was transferred to the Immediate Justice Organisation Commission in Berlin () and from 1823 onward all business was dealt with within one unified justice ministry. On 9 February 1832 the former idea of two separate entities was revived and by cabinet decree of the same date the Department for the Revision of Laws () was formed, which also dealt with judicial business of the Rhine Province until 17 December 1838. From 1842 onward the department was again established as a separate and independent ministry (as the Ministry for the Revision of Laws []); it was abolished in 1848.
Prussian Ministry of Justice for the Administration of Justice or Second Ministry of Justice (1808–1848) Name Image Term Start Term End Notes(Sovereign) Kingdom of Prussia era (1806–1879) (continued)25 November 18084 June 1810Beyme was the first minister of justice with a unified ministry of justice () and the last with the traditional title of Grand Chancellor (). He later became minister of justice again (1817–1819). 9 June 1810 18 March 1825Due to the Regulation of 27 October 1810 "" the role of the minister of justice was restricted quite significantly vis-a-vis the role or the former Grand Chancellor. Kircheisen died in office on 18 March 1825. 23 April 1825 29 December 1830Danckelmann died in office on 29 December 1830. 9 February 1832 18 August 1844 25 September 1844 20 March 1848
Prussian Ministry of Justice for the Revision of Laws or First Ministry of Justice (1817–1819, 1832–1848) Name Image Term Start Term End Notes(Sovereign) Kingdom of Prussia era (1806–1879) (continued)3 November 181731 December 1819Beyme was the only minister of the First Ministry of Justice for the revision of legislation and for the judicial organisation of the new provinces (). It was his second term as minister of justice (first term: 1808–1810).No Prussian ministry of justice for the revision of legislation existed.Karl Albert Christoph Heinrich von Kamptz9 February 183228 February 1842Kamptz was the only minister of the separate (Department for the Revision of Laws) within the Prussian ministry of justice.Friedrich Carl von Savigny28 February 184220 March 1848Savigny headed the reestablished independent Ministry for the Revision of Laws () and was its sole minister.
1848–1935: Prussian Ministry of Justice During the time of the German revolutions of 1848–1849, both ministers of justice (Savigny and Uhden) resigned their portfolios in March 1848 and their ministries were headed by one minister. With a royal decree dated 1 September 1848, the Ministry for the Revision of Laws () was formally abolished and its business transferred to the unified Prussian Ministry of Justice. Name Image Term Start Term End Notes (Sovereign) Kingdom of Prussia era (1806–1879) (continued)20 March 184825 June 1848Minister during the German revolutions of 1848–1849. 25 June 1848 21 September 1848 Minister during the German revolutions of 1848–1849. From 21 September 1848 to 24 September 1848 Undersecretary Müller was acting minister of justice. 24 September 1848 8 November 1848 Minister during the German revolutions of 1848–1849. 11 November 1848 10 April 1849 Minister during the German revolutions of 1848–1849. 10 April 1849 1 December 1860 16 December 1860 17 March 1862 17 March 1862 1 December 1867 5 December 1867 29 October 1879 [or 30 October 1879] On 18 January 1871, the German Empire was proclaimed and the Kingdom of Prussia became a state of the Empire. German Empire era (1871–1918)Heinrich von Friedberg 29 October 1879 [or 30 October 1879] 17 January 1889 31 January 1889 14 November 1894 13 November 1894 [or 14 November 1894] 21 November 1905 21 November 1905 5 August 1917 6 August 1917 27 November 1918 Weimar Republic era (1918–1933)Kurt Rosenfeld 27 November 1918