Adolf Heinrich Graf von Arnim-Boitzenburg (1803–68) was a German statesman, best known as Prussia’s first Minister-President during the 1848 Revolution. His career spanned government administration, diplomacy, and parliamentary leadership.
Born in Berlin, Prussia, he studied law at the University of Göttingen and the University of Berlin before joining the Prussian civil service. He held key administrative roles, including President of the Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) region (1834) and Governor of the Grand Duchy of Posen (1840.)
Appointed Prussian Minister of the Interior in 1842, he advocated constitutional reforms, but his proposals clashed with King Frederick William IV’s conservative stance, leading to his resignation in 1845. During the March Revolution of 1848, he briefly served as Minister-President and Foreign Minister but resigned within ten days due to political instability.
Arnim-Boitzenburg remained active in parliamentary politics, representing Prenzlau in the Frankfurt Parliament (1848) and later joining the Prussian House of Lords. His role in Prussian conservatism is explored in Wolf Nitschke’s Adolf Heinrich Graf v. Arnim-Boitzenburg (1803–68): Eine politische Biographie (2004, Adolf Heinrich Graf v. Arnim-Boitzenburg.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Adolf Heinrich von Arnim-Boitzenburg
The government must always be a step ahead of the popular movement.
—Adolf Heinrich von Arnim-Boitzenburg
Topics: Government
Leave a Reply