Kreis (Habsburg monarchy)

After the Prussian annexation of the bulk of Silesia following the First and Second Silesian Wars, it became apparent that Frederick II's administrative structures allowed him to take much higher tax revenues from the area. Therefore, in the years following end of the War of the Austrian Succession in 1748, Maria Theresa and Joseph II enacted several administrative reforms with Prussia as a model, and the old territorial divisions were converted into new Kreise. These reforms were carried out by Maria Theresa's advisor Count Friedrich Wilhelm von Haugwitz and continued under chancellor Prince Wenzel Anton von Kaunitz-Rietberg from 1760. The bureaucratisation in the form of Kreisämtern ('circle offices', SG Kreisamt) lessened the influence of the estates by essentially separating them from the administration of the realms.

The origin of the Kreis as a unit of administration lay in Bohemia, where Kraje (Kreise in German) had existed as territorial units since the 14th century (see Bohemia § Historical administrative divisions). Through the reform the system was further developed and applied to the Habsburgs' other realms (other than Hungary). In the Archduchy of Austria and Duchy of Styria the old quarters (German: Viertel) served as a basis for the new Kreise (Waldviertel, Mostviertel, Industrieviertel and Weinviertel in Lower Austria; Innviertel, Hausruckviertel, Mühlviertel, and Traunviertel in Upper Austria; Quarter division of Styria 1462).

The Hungarian counterparts were the Comitatus (German: Gespanschaften or Komitate, formerly spelled Comitate; Hungarian: Vármegyék), which had existed for much longer and were dominated by the nobility.

In Lombardy–Venetia (1815–1859/66) there were "delegations",[1] which gave rise to the later Provinces.

The Amtsbezirke ('office districts'), or more precisely the Bezirksämter ('district offices'), created in the reforms which followed the Revolutions of 1848 (specifically those of 1849[2] and 1853[3]), largely took over the responsibilities of the Kreisämter. These were proposed as early as 1849 by Interior Minister Alexander von Bach as part of a necessary reform to the administrative apparatus to deal with the increase in the number citizens interacting with the offices following the final abolition of serfdom in 1848. The Kreis administrations were thereby subdivided into subordinate Amtsbezirke. Some smaller Kreise were abolished or merged. The Kreis system was also expanded to the Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar[3][4] (formerly part of southern Hungary) and the Grand Duchy of Transylvania[5] in the course of these reforms.

The statutory cities were also excluded from Kreis administration, much like they are excluded from the modern districts (Bezirke).

With the creation of the political districts (Bezirke) in 1868, which go back to the December Constitution of 1867,[6] the Kreis divisions were abolished and replaced with much more finely divided Bezirk divisions; however, the newly created district commissions (Bezirkshauptmannschaften) were strongly influenced by the former Kreis administrations.

In the 1849 administrative reforms which followed the Revolutions of 1848 and introduced the first political districts (Bezirkshaupmannschaften), the Kreise of Bohemia were reduced to seven:[9]

These Kreise lasted until the reforms of 1853/54.[8]

Overview map of Moravia from the Josephinian Land Survey (c. 1764–81) showing the Kreise

Kreise of Moravia and Austrian Silesia c. 1845

Until 1848 part of the joint Gubernium of Moravia and Silesia (Gouvernment Mähren und Schlesien or Mährischschlesisches Landesgubernium).[1]

• City of Brünn (Brno)[10]
• Kreis Brünn or Brünner Kreis
• Kreis Iglau or Iglauer Kreis (Jihlava)
• Kreis Neutitschein (Nový Jičín); until 1848: Kreis Prerau or Prerauer Kreis (Přerov)
• Kreis Olmütz or Olmützer Kreis (Olomouc)
  • City of Olmütz (Stadtbezirk subordinate to Kreis Olmütz)[10]
• Kreis Hradisch or Hradischer Kreis (Uherské Hradiště)
• Kreis Znaim or Znaimer Kreis (Znojmo)

In the 1849 administrative reforms which followed the Revolutions of 1848 and introduced the first political districts (Bezirkshaupmannschaften), the Kreise of Moravia were reduced to two:[11]

The pre-revolution Kreise were restored, with minor changes, in the reforms of 1853/54.[10]

Map of the Teschner Kreis c. 1844.

Formally the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia (Herzogtum Ober- und Niederschlesien). Until 1848 part of the joint Gubernium of Moravia and Silesia (Gouvernment Mähren und Schlesien or Mährischschlesisches Landesgubernium).[1] Although administratively separate Silesia was judicially subordinate to Brünn (Moravia) thereafter.[12] Austrian Silesia had no Kreise after the 1849[11] or 1853 reforms,[3] but the separate Kreisgerichte remained for judicial matters.[12]

• City of Troppau (Opava)
• Kreis Troppau or Troppauer Kreis
• Kreis Teschen or Teschener Kreis (Těšín, Polish: Cieszyn; similar to Cieszyn Silesia but with an exclave on the far side of the Oder)

Corresponds with modern Lower Austria.

• City of Vienna (Wien)
• Kreis Ober dem Manhartsberg ('Circle above the Manhartsberg')
• Kreis Ober dem Wienerwald ('Circle above the Vienna Woods')
• Kreis Unter dem Manhartsberg ('Circle below the Manhartsberg')
• Kreis Unter dem Wienerwald ('Circle below the Vienna Woods')
• City of Waidhofen an der Ybbs
• City of Wiener Neustadt

Corresponds with modern Upper Austria. The Kreise in Austria above the Enns were from 1749 subdivided into district commissions and regional courts.[13]

• City of Linz
• Hausruckkreis; 1810–16 partially annexed to Bavarian Unterdonaukreis.[note 1]
• after 1779: Innkreis; annexed from the Electorate of Bavaria by the 1779 Treaty of Teschen; 1810–16 to Bavarian Unterdonaukreis.[note 1]
• Mühlkreis
• City of Steyr
• Traunkreis
• until 1849: Salzburgkreis or Salzachkreis (see below)

Formerly the Salzburgkreis or Salzachkreis of Austria above the Enns, the Duchy of Salzburg became a crown land in its own right (with a single Kreis) on 26 June 1849[14] (formally constituted 30 December[15]). The Duchy of Salzburg had no Kreise after 1853.[3]

• City of Salzburg
• Salzburgkreis or Salzachkreis (1849[14] to 1853[3])

Kreise of Styria c. 1855. The solid coloured areas show the pre-1848 Kreise; the post-1848 Kreise are shown as numbered areas.

• City of Graz (from 1850)[16]
• Kreis Graz or Grazer Kreis
• Kreis Bruck or Brucker Kreis (Bruck an der Mur); Kreisgericht ('circle/district court') in 1854 in Leoben.[17]
• Kreis Marburg or Marburger Kreis (Marburg an der Drau, Slovene: Maribor); in 1848 northwestern parts merged into Kreis Graz; Kreisgericht ('circle/district court') in 1854 in Cilli.[17]
• until 1848: Kreis Cilli or Cillier Kreis (Celje; merged into Kreis Marburg 1848)
• until 1848: Kreis Judenburg or Judenburger Kreis (Judenburg; merged into Kreis Bruck 1848)

The Kingdom of Illyria was a crown land formed as a successor to the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces[note 2] after the 1815 Congress of Vienna returned its territory to Austria. It was divided into two Gubernia: Gubernium Laibach[note 3] and Gubernium Triest.[note 4] It was disbanded in 1849 and replaced with the separate Duchy of Carinthia, Duchy of Carniola and Austrian Littoral crown lands. The Kreise listed below are grouped by these post-1849 crown lands; internally within the Kingdom they were grouped as such,[1] and the duchies and subdivisions of the Littoral correspond with Habsburg states which existed before the 1809 Treaty of Schönbrunn by which they were annexed by Napoleon.

1815–49 part of Gubernium Laibach of the Kingdom of Illyria; separate crown land thereafter. The Duchy of Carinthia had no Kreise after 1853.[3]

• City of Klagenfurt
• Kreis Klagenfurt (comprised Lower Carinthia until 1848)
• until 1848: Kreis Villach (Villach; Upper Carinthia)

Map of the Kreise of Carniola c. 1836

1815–49 part of Gubernium Laibach of the Kingdom of Illyria. The Duchy of Carniola had no Kreise after 1853.[3]

• City of Laibach (Ljubljana)
• Kreis Laibach (comprising Upper Carniola until 1848; all of Carniola thereafter)
• until 1848: Kreis Adelsberg (Postojna; Inner Carniola)
• until 1848: Kreis Neustädtl (Novo mesto; Lower Carniola)

Map of the Austrian Littoral, showing the situation some time after 1868; however the Littoral's internal borders are unchanged from the 1850s.

Formally the Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca, the Margraviate of Istria and the City of Triest with its Territory (die gefürstete Grafschaft Görz und Gradiska, die Markgrafschaft Istrien und die Stadt Triest mit ihr Gebiet). 1815–49 Gubernium Triest of the Kingdom of Illyria; separate crown land thereafter.

• City of Triest (Italian: Trieste, Slovene: Trst)
• City of Görz (Gorizia, Gorica)
• Kreis Görz; also Görzer Kreis, österreichisches Friaul[1] (Austrian Friuli)
• Kreis Istrien (Istria, Istra); also Istrier Kreis, Mitterburger Kreis[1]
• City of Rovigno (Croatian: Rovinj)

In addition to the Kreise of Carinthia, Carniola and the Littoral listed above, until the 1820s the Kingdom of Illyria also included the former Croatie civile province of the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces. This territory was transferred to the re-established Kingdom of Croatia, except for Fiume (Rijeka), which returned to its previous status as a Corpus separatum under Hungary. This was organised into:

• Kreis Karlstadt/Karlstädter Kreis (Karlovac)
• Kreis Fiume/Fiumaner Kreis (Fiume/Rijeka, which also included the eastern parts of the Istrian peninsula which would later become part of Kreis Istrien

Like the Littoral, these belonged to Gubernium Triest. During this time the remainder of Istria and the southern part of what was later Görz, including all of its coastline, was organised as the Triester Kreis, which was distinct from the city of Triest.

Map showing the Kreise of the County of Tyrol with Vorarlberg c. 1845

Formally the Princely County of Tyrol with Vorarlberg (die gefürstete Grafschaft Tirol mit Vorarlberg)[18] until 1861.

• City of Innsbruck[18]
• Kreis Innsbruck. Broadly coextensive with modern North Tyrol. Formed in 1849 from:[19]
  • Kreis Oberinntal[note 5] (Upper Inntal/Inn Valley) or Imster Kreis
  • Kreis Unterinntal[note 5] (Lower Inntal); also Kreis Unter-Inn- und Wipptal[note 5] or Schwazer Kreis
• City of Bozen
• Kreis Brixen, centred on Bozen. Broadly coextensive with modern South and East Tyrol. Formed in 1849 from:[19]
  • Kreis Pustertal[note 5] or Brunecker Kreis
  • Etschkreis or Bozener Kreis
  • The district of Glurns, formerly belonging to Kreis Oberinntal
• until 1861: Kreis Bregenz, Bregenzer Kreis, Kreis Vorarlberg or Vorarlberger Kreis; detached as a separate crown land – Land Vorarlberg – in the 1861 February Patent.[20]
• City of Rovereto
• City of Trient (Italian: Trento)
• Kreis Trient. Broadly coextensive with modern Trentino (after 1849).
• until 1849: Kreis Rovereto; merged into Kreis Trient 1849.[19]

Formally the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria with the Grand Duchy of Kraków (after 1846) and the Duchies of Auschwitz and Zator (Königreich Galizien und Lodomerien mit dem Großherzogt(h)um Krakau und den Herzogt(h)ümern Auschwitz und Zator). The Grand Duchy of Kraków, which was annexed in 1846 (previously the Free City of Cracow) corresponded with the Krakauer Kreis; Auschwitz and Zator had no administrative status, with both forming part of the Wadowicer Kreis, although nominally they were part of the German Confederation while the rest was not.

• City of Lemberg (Ukrainian: Львів, romanized: Lviv, Polish: Lwów)
• Kreis Lemberg or Lemberger Kreis
• Kreis Bochnia or Bochnier Kreis; merged with Kreis Krakau 1860[21]
• Kreis Brzeżan or Brzeżaner Kreis (Berezhany)
• Kreis Bukowina, Bukowiner Kreis, Czernowitzer Kreis or Kreis Czernowitz; military district before 1786; separate crown land – the Duchy of Bukovina – from 1849;[22] the Duchy had no Kreise from 1853;[3] reincorporated (as Kreis Czernowitz) into Galicia and Lodomeria in 1860;[21] re-separated in the 1861 February Patent.[20]
• City of Czernowitz (Ukrainian: Чернівці́, romanized: Chernivtsi Romanian: Cernăuți); part of Bukovina when a separate crown land.
• Kreis Czortków or Czortówer Kreis (Chortkiv) – former Russian part of Kreis Zaleszczyki restored to Austria by the Congress of Vienna 1815.
• Kreis Jasło or Jasłoer Kreis; disbanded and split between the Sandecer (Bezirke Gorlice and Biecz), Tarnower (Bezirke Brzostek, Frysztak and Jasło), Rzeszower (Bezirk Strzyżów) and Sanoker (Bezirke Krosno, Żmigród and Dukla) Kreise in 1860[21]
• Kreis Kolomea or Kolomeaer Kreis (Kolomyja) – created in 1809 out of the rump of Kreis Zaleszczyki and part of Kreis Stanislau.
• City of Krakau (Polish: Kraków)
• after 1846: Kreis Krakau (see Grand Duchy of Kraków)
• Kreis Przemyśl or Przemyśler Kreis (Przemyśl; Ukrainian: Перемишль, romanized: Peremyshl, German: Premissel)
• Kreis Rzeszów or Rzeszówer Kreis (Rzeszów)
• Kreis Sambor or Samborer Kreis (Sambir)
• Kreis Sandec or Sandecer Kreis (Neu Sandec; Polish: Nowy Sącz)
• Kreis Sanok or Sanoker Kreis (Sanok)
• Kreis Stanislau or Kreis Stanisławów, Stanislauer Kreis, Stanisławower Kreis (Stanisławów, contemporary Ukrainian: Станісла́вів Stanislaviv; modern Івано-Франківськ Ivano-Frankivsk)
• Kreis Stryj or Kreis Stryi, Stryer Kreis (Stryi)
• Kreis Tarnopol or Tarnopoler Kreis (Tarnopol, Ukrainian: Тернопіль, romanized: Ternopil). Ceded to Russia in the 1809 Treaty of Schönbrunn – Tarnopolsky Krai. Restored to Austria by the Congress of Vienna 1815.
• Kreis Tarnów or Tarnówer Kreis (Tarnów)
• Kreis Wadowice or Wadowicer Kreis (Wadowice); Myslenicer Kreis until 1819; merged with Kreis Krakau 1860[21]
• until 1809: Kreis Zamość; ceded to Duchy of Warsaw in the 1809 Treaty of Schönbrunn (to Congress Poland after 1815)
• Kreis Złoczów or Złozówer Kreis (Złoczów; German: Solotschiw, Ukrainian: Золочів, romanized: Zolochiv)
• Kreis Żółkiew or Zołkiewer Kreis (Żółkiew; German: Schowkwa, Ukrainian: Жовква, romanized: Zhovkva)
• until 1809: Kreis Zaleszczyki or Zalestschyker Kreis. Bulk of the Kreis (the part bounded by the Dniester and Strypa rivers) ceded to Russia in the 1809 Treaty of Schönbrunn – Tarnopolsky Krai; remainder becomes part of Kreis Kolomea. Restored to Austria by the Congress of Vienna 1815 as Kreis Czortków.

In 1850 Galicia and Lodomeria was divided into three Regierungsbezirke ('government districts'), named after their capitals: Lemberg, Krakau and Stanislau. The Kreise were abolished and replaced with political districts (Bezirkshauptmannschaften).[23]

The 1850 changes to the administrative structure of the empire were reversed in Bach's January 1853 reforms, although the precise divisions remained to be determined.[3] In April 1854 Galicia and Lodomeria was divided into two Verwaltungsgebiete (lit. 'administrative regions/territories') and its Kreise formally restored:[24]

The cities of Lemberg and Krakau remained directly subordinate to the crown land.[24] Bukovina was not part of Galicia and Lodomeria at this time.[3]

A list detailing the Bezirke of each Kreis from 1853 can be found at Subdivisions of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria § List of Kreise and Bezirke from 1854

In 1860 Verwaltungsgebiet Krakau and Bukovina were dissolved and re-subordinated to Lemberg.[21]

Maps of the Kreise of West Galicia c. 1803

West or New Galicia (Westgalizien/Neugalizien) comprised the Habsburgs' gains in the Third Partition of Poland in 1795. The first-partition Myslenicer, Sandecer and Bochnier Kreise were also attached to it. It was incorporated into Galicia and Lodomeria 1803–09 as a separate gubernium. Other than the first-partition Kreise it was ceded to the Duchy of Warsaw in 1809 by the Treaty of Schönbrunn (Congress Poland and Free City of Cracow after 1815).

• Krakauer Kreis (Kraków)
• Myslenicer Kreis (first partition)
• Sandecer Kreis (first partition)
• Bochnier Kreis (first partition)
• Slomniker Kreis
• Stopnicer Kreis
• Opatower Kreis (before 1789: Kreis Sandomierz)
• Konskier Kreis (Końskie)
• Radomer Kreis (Radom)
• Jozefower Kreis (Józefów)
• Lubliner Kreis (Lublin)
• Chełmer Kreis or Chelmer Kreis (Chełm)
• Bialer Kreis (Biała Podlaska)
• Siedlcer Kreis (Siedlce)
• Wiazowner Kreis or Wiazownaer Kreis (earlier: Kreis Mińsk)

• Kreis Zara (Croatian: Zadar)
• Kreis Cattaro (Kotor)
• Kreis Ragusa (Dubrovnik)
• Kreis Spalato (Split)

In the years following the revolutions of 1848 the Kreis system was extended to some additional crown lands:

The Kreise of the Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar.

The Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar, a short-lived crown land which existed 1849–60, was formally divided into Kreise in 1854.[4] Before the revolutions of 1848 it had been the Bács-Bodrog, Torontál, Temes, and Krassó Counties of Hungary and part of the Syrmia County of Slavonia

• Kreis Temesvár (Temesvár, German: Temeswar (or Temeschwar), Romanian: Timișoara, Serbian: Темишвар Temišvar). Corresponded with Temes County.
• Kreis Lugos ((Deutsch-)Lugos, modern German: Lugosch; Romanian: Lugoj, Serbian: Лугош Lugoš). Corresponded with Krassó County.
• Kreis Gross-Becskerek (modern German: Großbetschkerek; Hungarian: Nagybecskerek, Romanian: Becicherecul, Serbian: Велики Бечкерек Veliki Bečkerek; modern Serbian: Зрењанин Zrenjanin). Corresponded with Torontál County.
• Kreis Zombor (Zombor, Serbian: Сомбор Sombor). Corresponded with the northern parts of Bács-Bodrog County.
• Kreis Neusatz (Neusatz, Hungarian: Újvidék, Serbian: Нови Сад Novi Sad). Corresponded with the southern parts of Bács-Bodrog County and eastern parts of Syrmia County.

• 1851–54 (5 Kreise):[5]
  • Kreis Herrmannstadt or Herrmannstädter Kreis (the "Sachsenland"; Romanian: Sibiu, Hungarian: Nagyszeben)
  • Kreis Karlsburg or Karlsburger Kreis (Romanian: Alba Iulia, Hungarian: Gyulafehérvár)
  • Kreis Klausenburg or Klausenburger Kreis (Romanian: Cluj-Napoca, Hungarian: Kolozsvár)
  • Kreis Dées or Déeser Kreis (Romanian: Dej; modern Hungarian: Dés; German: Desch, Burglos)
  • Kreis Maros-Vásárhely (modern Hungarian: Marosvásárhely, Romanian: Târgu Mureș, German: Neumarkt am Mieresch)
• 1854 (10 Kreise):[25]
  • Kreis Herrmannstadt
  • Kreis Kronstadt (Romanian: Brașov, Hungarian: Brassó)
  • Kreis Udvarhely (German: Odorhellen, Romanian: Odorheiu Secuiesc, Hungarian: (Székely)udvarhely)
  • Kreis Maros-Vásárhely
  • Kreis Bistritz (Romanian: Bistrița, Hungarian: Beszterce)
  • Kreis Déés
  • Kreis Szilágy-Somlyó (German: Schomlenmarkt, Romanian: Șimleu Silvaniei, modern Hungarian: Szilágysomlyó)
  • Kreis Klausenburg
  • Kreis Karlsburg
  • Kreis Broos (Romanian: Orăștie, Hungarian: Szászváros)