Friedrich Glaser

“What Was Deemed Good”

Dr. Friedrich Glaser (1814-49) significantly shaped the moderate revolutionary events in Kirchheimbolanden until his death on January 23, 1849.

The practical physician became a political actor not least because of the social conditions he encountered daily in his professional work. Therefore, he focused his interest primarily on the propertyless class. In an appeal titled ‘To My Fellow Citizens’ dated March 15, 1848, he stated: In the preceding decades, the propertyless class significantly increased, [caused by the] self-protection and selfishness of the arrogant money aristocracy.

It is therefore necessary, according to Glaser’s conclusion, to specifically implement reforms to prevent a potentially impending overthrow of everything existing.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ social analysis in 1848 was very similar. In contrast to them, however, Glaser sought a pragmatic solution based on very specific reform measures.

He formulated these reform projects in an eight-point plan on May 15, 1848. The guiding principle was to enable co-determination and transparency regarding municipal decisions, to establish a tax system that is fair to all “income classes” and, so as not to force workers to embrace the idea of Communism. Furthermore, it should be ensured that the poor [do not] have to struggle with daily food concerns. Therefore, wage setting for work commissioned by the city must be oriented towards individual subsistence. The establishment of a municipal kindergarten should also support this.

He then hoped for a political realization of what was thus “deemed good” with the help of a “Kirchheimbolanden Citizens’ Association” [Location 60].

However, this exceeded his capabilities, as his medical work was also not to be neglected. Furthermore, his political work was repeatedly exposed to various “adversarial attacks.” For the edifice of liberal, socio-political reforms he aimed for was by no means embraced by everyone in Kirchheimbolanden. Added to this was his intellectually demanding idea of freedom, which he saw as based on reason and the tension between self-determination and submission to democratic laws. The specific form of government – constitutional-monarchical or republican – was secondary to him.

That was as idealistic as it was politically pragmatic in 1848. However, in 1849, Glaser would likely have had to make a fundamental choice. With his death due to pneumonia on January 23, 1849, Kirchheimbolanden therefore lost a socio-political pioneer halfway through his unfinished path.

What further impulses could have been expected from him?

“our Fellow Citizens”

When Friedrich Glaser (1814-49) and Regine Giessen (1818-56) married, she was 22 years old. Nine years later, her husband died.

Together, Friedrich and Regine Glaser played a pioneering role in Kirchheimbolanden’s political life in 1848: he (Friedrich Glaser, Citizens’ Assembly of April 5, 1848, Kirchheimbolanden Citizens’ Association) as an opinion leader, especially for social reforms, she, by supporting the “democratic cause” on a completely different level. This is evidenced by an invitation in the “Kirchheimbolanden Weekly” on April 28, 1848.

Regine Glaser and Therese Giessen, aged 28 and 29 respectively in 1848, were connected not only by the project of a citizens’ militia flag. Both were also related by family (Therese as the wife of a cousin of Regine).

This involvement became existential for Regine after Friedrich Glaser’s death. Their son Carl, who later became a BASF chemist and chairman of the supervisory board, as well as an honorary citizen of Kirchheimbolanden, was only eight years old in 1849.