The Protocols of the Austrian Cabinet 1857-1859

The result of this project is the basis of volume III/6 of the edition "Die Protokolle des österreichischen Ministerrates 1848-1867 (The Protocols of the Austrian Cabinet 1848-1867)". This sixth and last volume of the Buol-Schauenstein government covers the minutes of the cabinet meetings from March 5, 1857, until May 12, 1859. The publication consists of the complete text of the minutes including the protocols of the extraordinary meetings hold in 1859 preparatory to the outbreak of war against France and Sardinia, with footnotes concerning textual criticism and a thorough scientific commentary as well as a scientific introduction, a bibliography and a detailed index. The Protocols of this two years provide important sources for the last period of Francis Josephs so called neoabsolutistic reign. Neoabsolutism contributed on the one hand to the rise and development of modern civil society and the middle class in Habsburg Monarchy by reforms of the political administration, the common and criminal law and the social and economic conditions. On the other hand neoabsolutism failing the political legitimacy reached the limits of its possibilities. In 1859 it collapsed definitely and the government had began to search for political alternatives. Therefore the Protocols of these two years give impulses for both a re-evaluation of neoabsolutism as well as the understanding of its failure and fall. The volume III/6 will close the gap between the already published volumes 1 - 5 of the Buol-Schauenstein cabinet and the Protocols of the Rechberg cabinet, the first volume of which has been published lately, the second will be finished in 2004. The volume will be published with the öbv&hpt publishing house. It makes available an important source for the history of Austria and her neighbors.

The result of this project is the basis of volume III/6 of the edition "Die Protokolle des österreichischen Ministerrates 1848-1867 (The Protocols of the Austrian Cabinet 1848-1867)". This sixth and last volume of the Buol-Schauenstein government covers the minutes of the cabinet meetings from March 5, 1857, until May 12, 1859. The publication consists of the complete text of the minutes including the protocols of the extraordinary meetings hold in 1859 preparatory to the outbreak of war against France and Sardinia, with footnotes concerning textual criticism and a thorough scientific commentary as well as a scientific introduction, a bibliography and a detailed index. The Protocols of this two years provide important sources for the last period of Francis Josephs so called neoabsolutistic reign. Neoabsolutism contributed on the one hand to the rise and development of modern civil society and the middle class in Habsburg Monarchy by reforms of the political administration, the common and criminal law and the social and economic conditions. On the other hand neoabsolutism failing the political legitimacy reached the limits of its possibilities. In 1859 it collapsed definitely and the government had began to search for political alternatives. Therefore the Protocols of these two years give impulses for both a re-evaluation of neoabsolutism as well as the understanding of its failure and fall. The volume III/6 will close the gap between the already published volumes 1 - 5 of the Buol-Schauenstein cabinet and the Protocols of the Rechberg cabinet, the first volume of which has been published lately, the second will be finished in 2004. The volume will be published with the öbv&hpt publishing house. It makes available an important source for the history of Austria and her neighbors.