The article deals with corruption in Bavaria and Prussia around
1800. In accordance with recent research, the author assumes corruption as a socially constructed phenomenon that is subjected to a historical change. In this article, he tries to show how a new notion of corruption appeared in public, became a weapon in political conflicts and influenced the legal and administrative reforms in both German monarchies. The author concludes
that corruption charges might be seen as a driving force behind the legal reforms: The reformers in both countries tried to delegitimise the old regime by corruption charges and, thus, cleared the way for bureaucratic reforms.This delegitimation can be observed in public debates, in internal discussions and in the new laws themselves.
In 2016, 150 years will have passed since the Austro-Prussian War. Near the fortress of Hradec Králové, the decisive battle of this conflict took place, with Austria losing. The fortress was besieged and its immediate surroundings were flooded. Using eyewitness accounts and historical realities, the author describes the until recently-rarely revisited life of the civilian populations in the besieged fortress.