"There is a dark side"

Mr. Büschel, it is often said that although the revolution of 1848/49 failed, its draft constitution had a beneficial effect in the long term. Do you share this view?

Hubertus Bü schel: It is true that the National Assembly and the constitution it drafted had an impact. Not only in Germany, by the way: it also influenced the Danish constitution and the liberal movement in Italy. And yes, the ideas of the Paulskirche continued to have an impact in Germany and found their way into today's Basic Law via the Weimar Constitution. However, there is a darker side that is rarely discussed.

And what would that be?

Büschel: The dominant interpretation is that the liberal bourgeoisie, who essentially wrote the constitution, sought a balance with the so-called 'lower classes' on the one hand and the monarchs on the other. I see it somewhat differently. The relatively new working class was not taken into account, basic social rights were not enshrined, not to mention women's suffrage. And there was no confrontation with the rampant anti-Semitism.

Wait a minute, the constitution guaranteed freedom of religion. And the President of the National Assembly, Eduard Simson, was a baptized Jew.

Büschel: Declarations and proclamations are one thing, social practice is another. One of the after-effects of the revolution was an enormous surge in the founding of associations with a strong German nationalist flavor. These associations often became breeding grounds for anti-Semitism.

What were the revolutionary years like in Kassel and Kurhessen?

Büschel : My predecessor in the department, Winfried Speitkamp, has published interesting information on this. The princely house of Kassel tried to stall the revolutionaries for longer than other states, but then relented. Later, Electoral Hesse was one of the states that initially accepted the constitution.

So Kassel was not the reason for the failure ... Nevertheless, relatively little in the city commemorates the considerable circle of liberals of that time: there is a small Jordan Street, an even smaller Bernhardi Street, a bust of Schomburg. Are there a few monuments missing?

Büschel: It was a great achievement to resist the monarchs back then. But I'm not a fan of monuments. It would make more sense, for example, if the city's museums dealt with the political commitment of the Grimms or if there were school competitions on the revolutionary period in Kassel. An active and participative - and certainly critical - culture of remembrance is more contemporary because it is more sustainable and raises awareness than street names and monuments.

Back to the document: What significance does a tangible original have for historians in times of digitization?

Büschel: Digitization is important because it makes documents accessible. But part of the research experience and knowledge is that you have a sensory experience, for example that you can touch the material. To stay with the constitutional document in the Murhard Library: its very presentation, the binding and the weight signal that it claims to be permanent and legally binding. This is important for analysis.

This article appeared in the university magazine publik 2024/1. Interview: Sebastian Mense