Gagern

Gagern, HEINRICH WILHELM AUGUST, FREIHERR VON, German statesman, was born at Baireuth, 20th August 1799. He was one of the founders of the student movement (Burschenschaft) of 1815-19. After holding office under the government of Hesse-Darmstadt down to 1848, he became, in that year, one of the leading politicians of the Frankfurt parliament, of which he was elected president. In that capacity he endeavoured to carry his views that the new central government for all Germany should be established on the basis of monarchical constitutionalism, and that the king of Prussia was the most fitting monarch to be elected to the dignity of emperor. But, dis- couraged by the lukewarmness of Prussia, and repelled by the violence of the extreme democratic party, Gagern resigned his position, 20th May 1849, and shortly afterwards retired into private life. But from 1859 he again took part in the grand-ducal politics, as a strong partisan of Austria against Prussia. Pensioned off in 1872, he died at Darmstadt, 22d May 1880.