The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Bethmann-Hollweg, Moritz August

BETHMANN-HOLLWEG, Moritz August, German jurist and statesman: b. Frankfort-on-the-Main, 10 April 1795; d. Andernach, 14 July 1877. Having graduated from his law studies at Göttingen and Berlin, he was appointed professor of civil law at the latter institution. In 1829 he was appointed to a similar position at Bonn, which he held until 1842. Three years later he was made a cotmcillor of state and in 1852 he became a member of the First Chamber of the Prussian Parliament. In 1858 he was appointed Minister of Public Instruction, which office he held for four years. He was a strong supporter of the Moderate Constitutionalist Party. As a writer on jurisprudence he had a deep influence in the reforms of the German laws following the enactment of the German Civil Code in 1896. Among his works are &lsquo;Grundriss zu Vorlesungen über den gemeinen und preussischen Civilprozess&rsquo; (1821); &lsquo;Ursprung der lombardischen Städtefreiheit&rsquo; (1846); &lsquo;Der Civilprozess des gemeinen Rechts in geschichtlicher Entwickelung&rsquo; (6 vols., 1864-74}; &lsquo;Ueber Gestezgebung und Rechtswissenshaft als Aufgabe unserer Zeit&rsquo; (1876).