Carlsbad Decrees

Carlsbad Decrees, 1819, resolutions adopted by the ministers of German states at a conference at Carlsbad that was convened and dominated by Prince Metternich following the murder of August von Kotzebue by a student. The decrees provided for uniform press censorship and close supervision of the universities, with the aim of suppressing all liberal agitation against the conservative governments of Germany, particularly by the student organizations. The resolutions, ratified by the diet of the German Confederation, remained in force until 1848.

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Carlsbad Decrees

(Aug. 6–31, 1819) Resolutions issued by German leaders to suppress liberal and nationalistic tendencies. Meeting at Carlsbad, Bohemia (now Karlovy Vary, Cz.Rep.), the conference of ministers from the major German states agreed to Prince von Metternich's proposals advocating censorship, the disbanding of the Burschenschaft groups, and the creation of a commission to ferret out conspiratorial organizations. In the long run, the repressive decrees failed to stifle German nationalism or liberal developments.