Die Annexion von Bosnien-Herzegowina und die Probleme bei der Erlassung des Landesstatutes
Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Issues on the Edition of the Constitution

Summary/Abstract: The issue why it took more than fifteen months after the promulgation of the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina before it received the Constitution, although the monarch had publicly pledged immediate implementation of the constitutional institutions, is only fragmentarily treated in the literature. Based on research in the archives of Vienna and Sarajevo, the author shows that the controversy between the states of Austria and Hungary, especially on the problem of the treatment of agrarian relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and even competitive struggle between the states, as well as a generally increased level of mutual antagonism, impeded the making of fundamental State laws. Although the relationship between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Monarchy was not changed after the annexation, the Hungarian side tried to affirm its historic right on Bosnia and Herzegovina. The author researches the drafting of the constitutional law of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Joint Ministry of Finance, and its treatment by the Joint Council of Ministers of Austria and Hungary, and the two state governments. He points to the unsuccessful attempt of minister Aehrenthal in May 1909 to provide the sovereign’s autograph letter about the public financing of the purchase of serf ’s homesteads. Compromise on the constitutional arrangements was achieved only at the Joint Ministerial Council in September 1909. However, while the Austrian Government gave its approval on the 2nd of October 1909, the Hungarian government, which was in demission from April 1909, did not, despite the efforts by the monarch and Aehrenthal. Only after the new, liberal Hungarian Government of Khuen-Héderváry was formed in January 1910, was the Constitution finally approved by the Government of Hungary on February 14th, 1910 and sanctioned by the Monarch three days later.

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