Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1017

 RELIGION — INSTRUCTION

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Religion,

Absolute religions liberty is guaranteed by the Constitution. Nearly two- thirds of the population are Protestants, and rather over one-third Roman Catholics. The numbers of the different creeds by provinces at the census of 1895 were as follows : —

Provinces

Protestants

Catholics

Other Cliristians

Jews 14,364

Others and un- known

East Prussia

1,724,374

266,641

1,220

90

West Prussia

715,581

758,168

310

20,238

63

City of Berlin

1,426,591

155,363

7,824

86,152

1,374

Brandenburg

2,681,637

118,265

2,725

18,394

674

Pomerania.

1,530,003

31,739

679

11,661

65

Posen.

561,201

1,227,197

221

40,019

20

Silesia.

1,980,552

2,384,754

2,232

47,593

178

Saxon V

2,498,748

187,559

4,081

7,850

311

Schleswig-Holstein

1,257,454

24,184

517

3,702

559

Hanover

2,094,604

311,457

602

1.5,065

292

AVestphalia.

1,298,852

1,378,676

4,394

19,359

139

Hesse-Nassau

1,224,021

482,752

3,709

45,725

595

Rhine.

1,434,715

3,610,142

11,278

49,018

849

Hohenzollern

Total 1895.

2,566

62,608

2

576

—

20,430,899

10,999,505

39,794

379,716

5,209

Per cent.

64-14

34-53

0-12

1-19

0-02

Total 1890.

19,294,180

10,252,807

31,545

372,058

4,691

Per cent.

64-41

34-23

0-10

1-24

0-02

The Evangelical or Protestant Church is the State Church, and since 1817 has consisted of a fusion of the Lutheran and Calvinistic bodies, from which, however, there are still a few dissenters. It is governed by * consistories,' or boards appointed by Government, one for each province. There are also synods in most circles and provinces, and general synods representing the old provinces only. The constitution of the Catholic Church differs in the various provinces. In the Upper Rhenish ecclesiastical province it is fixed by a concordat between the Government and Pope Pius VII. In every part of the Monarchy the Crown has reserved to itself a control over the election of bishops and priests. The higher Catholic clergy are paid by the State, the Prince Bishop of Breslau receiving 34,000 marks a year, and the other bishops about 22,700 marks. The incomes of the parochial clergy mostly arise from endo^^^nents. In the budget of 1896-97 the sum of 3,016,161 marks is set down as direct expenditure in Evangelical Churches, and 2,599,631 marks for the Catholic Church.

Instruction.

Education in Prussia is general and compulsory. Every town, or community in town or country, must maintain a school supported by local rates, supplemented by the State, and administered by the local authorities, who are elected by the citizens, and called aldermen or town councillors. All parents are compelled to bave their children properly taught