The (, ''Hanseatics'') is a collective term for the hierarchy group (so called ''First Families'') consisting of

elite In political and sociological theory, the elite (french: élite, from la, eligere, to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. ...

individuals and families of prestigious rank who constituted the

ruling class In sociology, the ruling class of a society is the social class who set and decide the political and economic agenda of society. In Marxist philosophy, the ruling class are the capitalist social class who own the means of production and by ex ...

of the

free imperial city In the Holy Roman Empire, the collective term free and imperial cities (german: Freie und Reichsstädte), briefly worded free imperial city (', la, urbs imperialis libera), was used from the fifteenth century to denote a self-ruling city that ...

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...

, conjointly with the equal ''First Families'' of the free imperial cities

Bremen Bremen ( Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state cons ...

and

Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the state ...

. The members of these ''First Families'' were the persons in possession of hereditary grand burghership (') of these cities, including the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

s ('), the

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

s ('), joint

diplomat A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or interna ...

s (') and the senior

pastors A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and An ...

('). ' refers specifically to the ruling families of Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen, but more broadly, this group is also referred to as

patricians The patricians (from la, patricius, Greek: πατρίκιος) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom, and the early Republic, but its relevance waned after ...

along with similar social groups elsewhere in

continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by ...

. The three cities since the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon ...

1815 are each officially named the " Free and Hanseatic City Hamburg" ('), the "Free Hanseatic City Bremen" (') and the "Free and Hanseatic City Lübeck" ('), since 1937 merely the "Hanseatic City Lübeck" ('). Hamburg was one of the oldest stringent civic republics, in which the Hanseatics preserved their

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these pr ...

al privileges, which were granted in 1189 by

Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt ...

, until the

German Revolution of 1918–19 German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...

and the

Weimar Constitution The Constitution of the German Reich (german: Die Verfassung des Deutschen Reichs), usually known as the Weimar Constitution (''Weimarer Verfassung''), was the constitution that governed Germany during the Weimar Republic era (1919–1933). The c ...

. Hamburg was strictly republican, but it was not a

democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose g ...

, but rather an

oligarchy Oligarchy (; ) is a conceptual form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of people. These people may or may not be distinguished by one or several characteristics, such as nobility, fame, wealth, education, or corporate ...

. The Hanseaten were regarded as being of equal rank to the (landed)

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...

elsewhere in Europe, although the Hanseaten often regarded the (rural) nobility outside the city republics as inferior to the (urban and often more affluent, and in their own view, cultivated) Hanseaten.

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...

, a member of a Lübeck Hanseatic family, portrayed this class in his novel ''

Buddenbrooks ''Buddenbrooks'' () is a 1901 novel by Thomas Mann, chronicling the decline of a wealthy north German merchant family over the course of four generations, incidentally portraying the manner of life and mores of the Hanseatic bourgeoisie in th ...

'' (1901), principally for which he received the 1929 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Relationship to the nobility

The relationship between the Hanseatic and noble families varied depending on the city. The most republican city was Hamburg, where the nobility was banned, from the 13th century to the 19th century, from owning property, participating in the political life of the city republic, and even from living within its walls. Hamburg, however, was not a true democracy, but rather an

, with the Hanseaten as its elite occupying the position held by noble and princely families elsewhere. According to Richard J. Evans, "the wealthy of nineteenth-century Hamburg were for the most part stern republicans, abhorring titles, refusing to accord any deference to the Prussian nobility, and determinedly loyal to their urban background and mercantile heritage." Many grand burghers considered the nobility inferior to Hanseatic families. A marriage between a daughter of a Hanseatic family and a noble was often undesired by the Hanseaten. From the late 19th century, being integrated into a German nation state, a number of Hanseatic families were nevertheless ennobled (by other German states, e.g. Prussia), but this was often met with criticism among their fellow Hanseaten. As the Hanseatic banker Johann von Berenberg-Gossler was ennobled in Prussia in 1889, his sister Susanne, married

Amsinck Amsinck is a Dutch-origined patrician family whose members were prominent merchants in multiple countries including the Netherlands, Hamburg, Portugal, England, France, Hanover, Holstein, Denmark, Suriname and India. From the 17th ce ...

, exclaimed "' ut John, our good name! Upon hearing of the ennoblement of Rudolph Schröder (1852–1938) of the ancient Hanseatic Schröder family, Hamburg First Mayor Johann Heinrich Burchard remarked that the Prussian King could indeed "place" (') Schröder among the nobles, but he could not "elevate" (') a Hanseatic merchant.

Hanseatic rejection

The long standing tradition that Hanseaten do not accept medals and honors "of foreign powers" is called the "hanseatic rejection". It is reflecting the spirit of unconditional independence, modesty and equality of the citizens of hanseatic citys. In an early version of the Hamburg constitution from 1270 it is written that "the fact that the externally visible insignia of the order should distinguish the decorated one from his colleagues and fellow citizens as a superior one" as a circumstance that was in decisive contradiction to the spirit of the city constitution. Politician Hans Koschnik (Bremen), former chancelor

Helmut Schmidt Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt (; 23 December 1918 – 10 November 2015) was a German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), who served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. Before becoming Ch ...

(Hamburg) and several others people from Lübeck, Hamburg and Bremen refused the Order of the Federal Cross of Merit referring to the "hanseatic rejection". Bremen and Hamburg are also the only

federal states A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governi ...

that have not created their own orders of merit.

Hanseatic families

A few prominent families are listed here.

Abendroth

* Amandus Augustus Abendroth (1767–1842), mayor of Hamburg * August Abendroth (1796–1876), lawyer * Carl Eduard Abenroth (1804–1885), merchant, member of the Hamburg parliament

Albers

* Johann Christoph Albers (1741–1800), merchant representative of Bremen * Johann Heinrich Albers (1775–1800), merchant of Bremen/London, art collector * Anton Albers der Ältere (1765–1844), merchant of Bremen/Lausanne, painter

Amsinck

* Rudolf Amsinck (1577–1636), senator of Hamburg * Wilhelm Amsinck (1752–1831), mayor of Hamburg

Berenberg, Goßler and Berenberg-Goßler

Johann Hinrich Gossler Johann Hinrich Gossler (born 18 August 1738 in Hamburg, died 31 August 1790 in Hamburg) was a German banker and grand burgher of Hamburg, a member of the Hanseatic Berenberg/Gossler banking dynasty and the owner and head of the firm Joh. Beren ...

(1738–1790), banker * Johann Heinrich Gossler (1775–1842), senator and banker * Anna Henriette Gossler (1771–1836), married to Ludwig Edwin Seyler * Hermann Goßler (1802–1877), senator and First Mayor of Hamburg * John von Berenberg-Gossler (1866–1943), Hamburg senator and banker *

Oskar Goßler Oskar may refer to: * oskar (gene), the Drosophila gene * Oskar (given name) Oscar or Oskar is a masculine given name of Irish origin. Etymology The name is derived from two elements in Irish: the first, ''os'', means "deer"; the second element, ' ...

(1875–1953), German sculler *

Gustav Goßler Gustav Ludwig Goßler (4 April 1879 in Hamburg – 4 April 1940 in Hamburg) was a German rower who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics The 1900 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1900, link=no), today officially known a ...

(1879–1940), German sculler

Burchard

* Johann Heinrich Burchard (1852–1912), mayor of Hamburg * Johannes Leopold Burchard (1857–1925), Hamburg lawyer *

Wilhelm Amsinck Burchard-Motz Wilhelm Amsinck Burchard-Motz (born 4 July 1878 in Hamburg, died 13 January 1963 in Hamburg) was a German lawyer and national-liberal politician. He served as Senator for Trade, Shipping and Industry of Hamburg from 1925 to 1933 and as Second Mayo ...

(1878–1963), mayor of Hamburg

de Chapeaurouge

* Frédéric de Chapeaurouge (1813–1867), senator of Hamburg * Charles Ami de Chapeaurouge (1830–1897), senator of Hamburg * Paul de Chapeaurouge (1876–1952), senator of Hamburg * Alfred de Chapeaurouge (1907–1993), German politician

Fehling

Hermann von Fehling Hermann von Fehling (9 June 1812 – 1 July 1885) was a German chemist, famous as the developer of Fehling's solution used for estimation of sugar. Biography Hermann von Fehling was born in Lübeck. With the intention of taking up pharmacy he ...

(1812–1885), German chemist * Johann Fehling (1835–1893), Lübeck senator * Emil Ferdinand Fehling (1847–1927), mayor of Lübeck, "Dr. Moritz Hagenström" in ''

Godeffroy

Johann Cesar VI. Godeffroy Johann Cesar Godeffroy (7 July 1813 in Kiel – 9 February 1885 in Blankenese) was a German trader, blackbirder and Hanseat. He was the founder of Museum Godeffroy. Family history and the trading company J.C. Godeffroy & Sohn The Godeffro ...

(1813–1885), Hamburg merchant

Hudtwalcker

* Johann Michael Hudtwalcker (1747–1818), Hamburg merchant * Martin Hieronymus Hudtwalcker (1787–1865) Hamburg senator * Nicolaus Hudtwalcker (1794–1863), Hamburg insurance broker

Jauch

* Johann Christian Jauch senior (1765–1855), Hamburg merchant and

Grand Burgher Grand Burgher aleor Grand Burgheress emale(from German: Großbürger ale Großbürgerin emale is a specific conferred or inherited title of medieval German origin and legally defined preeminent status granting exclusive constitutional privil ...

* Auguste Jauch (1822–1902), Hamburg benefactor to the poor * Carl Jauch (1828–1888), Grand Burgher, Lord of

Wellingsbüttel Wellingsbüttel (), a quarter in the Wandsbek borough in the city of Hamburg in northern Germany, is a former independent settlement. In 2020 the population was 10,935. History The first records on Wellingsbüttel are from 1296. Wellingsbüttel ...

and

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...

lieutenant in the Hamburg Citizen Militia * August Jauch (1861–1930), delegate of the grand burghers (') to the Hamburg parliament * Hans Jauch (1883–1985), German colonel and

Freikorps (, "Free Corps" or "Volunteer Corps") were irregular German and other European military volunteer units, or paramilitary, that existed from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. They effectively fought as mercenary or private armies, rega ...

-leader * Walter Jauch (1888–1976), founder of Aon Jauch & Hübener *

Günther Jauch Günther Johannes Jauch (; born 13 July 1956) is a German television presenter, television producer, and journalist. Career Jauch is known for a unique style of informing and entertaining people that is generally considered witty and funny. ...

(born 1956), German television host and producer

Jencquel

Justus

* Bartholomäus Justus (1540–1607), Hamburg notary public at St Petri district of Hamburg * Christoph Justus (1579–1652), Merchant in the Gröninger Straße, St Katharinen district of Hamburg * Friederich Justus (1683–1757), Merchant in Neukalen and Mayor of Neukalen in the state of Mecklenburg, Founder of the Tobacco business est in 1723 * Friederich Justus (1722–1784), Merchant and Tobacco Manufacturer in the Gröninger Straße,

, Oberalter St Katharinen, top 5 ranking member of the Hamburg Parliament, President of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce * Joachim Christian Justus (1732–1802), Merchant and Tobacco Manufacturer in Hamburg and in Riga * Georg Heinrich Justus (1761–1803), Merchant and Tobacco Manufacturer in the Gröninger Straße * Friederich Justus (1797–1852), Merchant and Tobacco Manufacturer in the Gröninger Straße, Consul General of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in Hamburg * Heinrich Wilhelm Justus (1800–1839), Merchant and Tobacco Manufacturer in the Gröninger Straße * Heinrich Eduard Justus (1828–1899), Owner of the first united steam shipping fleet on the Alster and the dockyard at Leinpfad Hamburg, Member of Hamburg Parliament * Johannes Wilheln Justus (1857–1943), Partner of the Latin America Trading Company "Riensch & Held" est 1845 in Hamburg and Mexico, Co-Founding Member of the Hamburg Golf Club in 1905 * Heinz Heinrich Ernst Justus (1894–1982), Partner of the Latin America Trading Company "Riensch & Held", member of the plenum of Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, First Lieutenant WWI, EK I and EK II

Kellinghusen

* Heinrich Kellinghusen (1796–1879), Hamburg merchant and first mayor

Lorenz-Meyer

Mann

* Thomas Johann Heinrich Mann (1840–1891), senator of Lübeck; fictionalized "Thomas Buddenbrook" in ''

'' *

Heinrich Mann Luiz Heinrich Mann (; 27 March 1871 – 11 March 1950), best known as simply Heinrich Mann, was a German author known for his socio-political novels. From 1930 until 1933, he was president of the fine poetry division of the Prussian Academy ...

(1871–1950), German novelist *

(1875–1955), German novelist *

Erika Mann Erika Julia Hedwig Mann (9 November 1905 – 27 August 1969) was a German actress and writer, daughter of the novelist Thomas Mann. Erika lived a bohemian lifestyle in Berlin and became a critic of National Socialism. After Hitler came to power ...

(1905–1969), German actress and writer *

Klaus Mann Klaus Heinrich Thomas Mann (18 November 1906 – 21 May 1949) was a German writer and dissident. He was the son of Thomas Mann, a nephew of Heinrich Mann and brother of Erika Mann, with whom he maintained a lifelong close relationship, and Golo ...

(1906–1949), German novelist *

Golo Mann Golo Mann (born Angelus Gottfried Thomas Mann; 27 March 1909 – 7 April 1994) was a popular German historian and essayist. Having completed a doctorate in philosophy under Karl Jaspers at Heidelberg, in 1933 he fled Hitler's Germany. He followe ...

(1909–1994), German historian

Merck (Hamburg branch of the Merck family)

* Heinrich Johann Merck (1770–1853), Hamburg senator * Carl Merck (1809–1880), Hamburg

Syndicus Syndic (Late Latin: '; Greek: ' – one who helps in a court of justice, an advocate, representative) is a term applied in certain countries to an officer of government with varying powers, and secondly to a representative or delegate of a universi ...

(privy councillor) * Baron Ernst Merck (1811–1863), Hamburg merchant and cavalry chief of the Hamburg Citizen Militia

Moller (vom Baum)

* Barthold (Bartholomeus) Moller (1605–1667), mayor of Hamburg

Mutzenbecher

* Matthias Mutzenbecher (1653–1735), senator of Hamburg * Johann Baptista Mutzenbecher (1691–1759), privy councillor (') of Hamburg

Nölting

Overbeck

* Johann Daniel Overbeck (1715–1802), theologian and dean of the Katharineum * Christian Adolph Overbeck (1755–1821), mayor of Lübeck, novelist * Christian Gerhard Overbeck (1784–1846), judge at the High Court of Appeal of the four free cities *

Johann Friedrich Overbeck Johann Friedrich Overbeck (3 July 1789 – 12 November 1869) was a German painter. As a member of the Nazarene movement, he also made four etchings. Early life and education Born in Lübeck, his ancestors for three generations had been Protes ...

(1789–1869), German painter, head of the

Nazarene movement The epithet Nazarene was adopted by a group of early 19th-century German Romantic painters who aimed to revive spirituality in art. The name Nazarene came from a term of derision used against them for their affectation of a biblical manner of c ...

* Christian Theodor Overbeck (1818–1880), senator of Lübeck *

Johannes Overbeck Johannes Adolph Overbeck (27 March 1826 – 8 November 1895) was a German archaeologist and art historian. Biography Overbeck was born in Antwerp. He was son-in-law to zoologist Georg August Goldfuss (1782-1848), and was father-in-law to anthropo ...

(1826–1895), German archaeologist

Petersen

Carl Friedrich Petersen Carl Friedrich Petersen (6 July 1809 in Hamburg – 14 November 1892 in Hamburg) was a Hamburg lawyer and politician, who served several terms as First Mayor of Hamburg. He was a Hamburg senator from 1855 until his death. Education and early care ...

(1809–1892), mayor of Hamburg *

Carl Wilhelm Petersen Carl Wilhelm Petersen (born 1 January 1868 in Hamburg; died 6 November 1933 in Hamburg) was a German lawyer, politician for the German Democratic Party (German abbr.: DDP) and First Mayor of Hamburg (1924 – 29 and 1932 – 33). Peterse ...

(1868–1933), mayor of Hamburg *

Rudolf Petersen Rudolf Hieronymus Petersen (30 December 1878 in Hamburg – 10 September 1962 in Wentorf bei Hamburg) was a German businessman, politician ( CDU) and First Mayor of Hamburg (1945–46). Petersen's brother Carl Wilhelm Petersen was head of Ha ...

(1878–1962), mayor of Hamburg

Schlüter

Schröder

* Christian Matthias Schröder (1742–1821), mayor of Hamburg *

Christian Mathias Schröder Christian Mathias Schröder (27 January 1778 – 25 January 1860) was a German senator from the city of Hamburg, Germany. Schröder made history as the main member and stock holder of the " Society for the Protection of the Immigrant in Souther ...

(1778–1860), Hamburg senator * Johann Heinrich Schröder (Freiherr John Henry Schröder) (1784–1883), Baron, Hamburg banker * Carl August Schröder (1821–1902), Hamburg judge and member of parliament * Carl August Schröder (1855–1945), mayor of Hamburg

Schuback

* Nicolaus Schuback (1700–1783), mayor of Hamburg

Siemers

* Edmund Siemers (1840–1918), Hamburg ship-owner * Kurt Siemers (1873–1944), Hamburg ship-owner and banker * Kurt Hartwig Siemers (1907–1988), Hamburg banker

Sieveking

* Georg Heinrich Sieveking (1751–1791), Hamburg merchant * Sir Edward Henry Sieveking (1816–1904), physician * Kurt Sieveking (1897–1986), mayor of Hamburg

Sillem

* Garlieb Sillem (1717–1732), mayor of Hamburg

Sloman

* Robert Miles Sloman (1783–1867), Hamburg ship-owner *

Henry Brarens Sloman Henry Brarens Sloman (28 August 1848 – 24 October 1931) was a businessman and banker based in Hamburg, Germany. Around the First World War, he was considered a remarkable importer of saltpetre from his own mines in Chile, and was listed as the ri ...

(1848–1931), Hamburg ship-owner

Stern

Tesdorpf

* Peter Hinrich Tesdorpf (1648–1723), mayor of Lübeck * Peter Hinrich Tesdorpf (1751–1832), mayor of Lübeck * Johann Matthaeus Tesdorpf (1749–1824), mayor of Lübeck * Adolph Tesdorpf (1811–1887), Hamburg senator *

Ebba Tesdorpf Ebba Tesdorpf (23 January 1851 – 22 February 1920) was an illustrator and watercolorist from Hamburg, Germany. Life Tesdorpf came from a Hanseatic family. She was the daughter of businessman Hans Peter Friedrich Tesdorpf and Antoin ...

(1851–1920), Hamburg illustrator and

watercolour Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to ...

ist

Literature

* Lu Seegers (2016): ''Hanseaten: Mythos und Realität des ehrbaren Kaufmanns seit dem 19. Jahrhundert. (Hanseatic class: myth and reality of the honorable merchant since the 19th century).'' in: Katalog des Europäischen Hansemuseums, Lübeck 2016, p. 106-110. * Lu Seegers (2014): ''Hanseaten und das Hanseatische in Diktatur und Demokratie: Politisch-ideologische Zuschreibungen und Praxen (Hanseatic League and the Hanseatic in Dictatorship and Democracy: Political-Ideological Attributions and Practices)''. in: Zeitgeschichte in Hamburg 2014, hrsg. von der Forschungsstelle für Zeitgeschichte in Hamburg (FZH), Hamburg 2015, p. 71-83.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanseaten (Class) Hanseatic Cities History of Bremen (city) Lübeck History of Hamburg Social history of the Holy Roman Empire Social class in Germany Social class subcultures Republicanism in Europe