Landeshauptmann - Landeshauptmann and Landesdirektor (Prussia)

Landeshauptmann and Landesdirektor (Prussia)

In the Free State of Prussia a Landeshauptmann was the elected president within each of the provinces of Prussia. He was elected for six-year terms (and maximally two terms) by the respective Provinziallandtag (provincial diet), representing the rural and urban districts within the province. The districts organised through their elected deputees their utilities, such as construction and maintenance of provincial roads, hospitals, schools, public savings banks, waste disposal etc., in self-rule.

Whereas the Oberpräsident (upper president) was the government-appointed representative for the province, busy with implementing and supervising central prerogatives of Prussia. After the kingdom had turned into a free state Landeshauptmann replaced the earlier expression Landesdirektor (land director), an office established in 1875 with the strengthening of provincial self-rule, in all but one of Prussia's provinces. The holder of the office presided the Landesdirektorium, i.e. provincial government of self-rule. The provincial Landtag of the Province of Brandenburg had decided to keep the traditional expression. With the abolition of democratic self-rule on all government levels after the Nazi takeover in 1933 the office-holders were furloughed or retired and the offices remained vacant.