The Protocols of the Cisleithanian Cabinet 1867-1871

This edition of the Austrian-Cisleithanian minutes of the council of ministers covers the half century period from the Austrian-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 up to the end of the monarchy in 1918. The edition will connect the editions of the minutes of the imperial Austrian council of ministers until 1867 and the republican Austrian council of ministers from 1918 onwards. The minutes of the common council of ministers and of the Hungarian council of ministers of the period 1867-1918 are also being edited. Unfortunately, the Austrian-Cisleithanian minutes of the council of ministers severely suffered from the burning of the Justizpalast in 1927. They are today part of the so called Brandakten. However, not all minutes were destroyed. The still existing minutes are to be published with textual criticism and scientific commentary, like the minutes of the other editions. A search for copies of destroyed minutes in other archives is also part of this effort. In addition, a table of all meetings and topics from the Kabinettskanzlei will be published. Like the time before, until 1867, and the time after, from 1918 onwards, the council of ministers was the central institution, where the activity of government was concentrated. The width of topics covers all political and administrative problems: questions of structure and organisation of the state, development of the economy and society as well as cultural and social problems. The main topics are the interacting effects of problems of the provinces and problems of entirety of Austria-Cisleithania, including the nationality question, as well as the relation of the government to the parliament, the Reichsrat. This project includes the first two volumes, covering the period from 1867 to 1871. The important topics are the Austrian-Hungarian Compromise, the Austrian-Cisleithanian constitution, the so called Dezemberverfassung, the liberal reforms, mainly the correlation of church and state as well as the attempts to get a satisfying relationship with the Polish and Czech parts of the monarchy. Furthermore, questions of economy, justice, social policy and administration are part of the agenda. A scientific prepared edition of these important minutes is a necessary support for researchers and universities. They bear witness to crucial years of the history of today`s Austria and her neighbours. The project contributes a historical scientific base to international and interdisciplinary co-operation. Also, the publication of the Brandakten is a effort to save the cultural heritage, since each use of the original documents causes further damage.

A responsible Council of Ministers as the highest governing authority in the Habsburg Monarchy was installed in 1848. Although with changing fortune, this institution existed until the end of the Monarchy. Its minutes represent an important historical source. Their range of topics reflects all aspects of public life, the structure and organization of the state as well as economic, social and cultural developments. The edition, informed with textual criticism and containing a scientific commentary, of the protocols of the Austrian Council of Ministers 1848-1867 (1. series, up to the "Compromise" with Hungary) and that of the Common Council of Ministers of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy 1867-1918 (2. series) is well advanced. With the project in question work on the edition of the protocols of the Austrian/Cisleithanian Cabinet 1867-1918 has begun. Unfortunately, the minutes of the Austrian/Cisleithanian Council of Ministers severely suffered from the great fire of the Justizpalast in 1927. However, a list of all meetings and their topics could be reconstructed by using other archival sources. Those minutes which were preserved and copies of other protocols were transcribed and collated and these texts form the basis for a scientific edition according to the rules of the above mentioned series. The scientific commentary is already being worked on. In the course of further research it is quite possible that additional protocols or parts of protocols may be found. The manuscript will be published subsequently after the impending completion of series 1. As is the case with the other two series this edition also brings together important documents scientifically edited and places them at the disposal of scientists interested in Austrian history as well as for university teaching, and it is an important source for the history of Austria and its neighbours.