Local government in Germany

Local government and local government in the Second Reich and the Weimar Republic (until 1933)

From the 19th century until 1933 in Germany there were 2 systems of local government - the magistrate ( magistratsverfassung ), which provided for the existence of collegial executive bodies of local government , and the burgomaster ( buergermeisterverfassung ), which provided for the existence of sole executive bodies of local government, in Hesse , Anhalt , Palatinate , both Reussach, both Schwarzburgs, Waldeck , Württemberg and Baden .

On March 11, 1850, the Municipal Code of the State of Prussia ( Gemeinde-Ordnung für den Preußischen Staat ) was adopted, establishing community councils ( gemeinderat ), as a representative body , and community boards ( gemeindevorstand ), as an executive body ^[1] , however, on May 24 It was canceled in 1853; the municipal code adopted on July 23, 1845, novelized in 1856, was restored in the Rhine province . Following this, during the second half of the 19th century a number of municipal (for Westphalia in 1856, eastern provinces in 1891, Schleswig-Holstein in 1892, Hesse-Nassau in 1897), urban (for the eastern provinces in 1853, Westphalia and the Rhine provinces) were adopted in 1856, Schleswig-Holstein in 1869, Hesse-Nassau in 1897) and district codes (for the eastern province in 1872, Hanover in 1884, Hesse-Nassau in 1885, Westphalia in 1886, Rhine province in 1887, Schleswig-Holstein in 1888 ), established the following system of local government ^[2] :

• First level:
  • Communities ( landgemeinde ):
    • representative body community meeting ( gemeindeversammlung ), consisting of all community taxpayers
    • the executive body is the sole unpaid warden ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} ;

• Second level:
  • Parish districts ( amtsbezirk ): the local government body is the parish committee ( amtsausschuss ), which consisted of a parish headman ( amtsvorsteher ) appointed by the president-president and community leaders ;
  • Community subordination communities ( amtsfreie gemeinde ):
    • representative body - community representation ( gemeindevertretung ), elected by the people according to the majority system in 2 rounds, with a free second round, in a single multi-member constituency for a period of 6 years, with rotation every third year of a third of community representatives;
    • executive body - community board ( gemeindevorstand ), consisting of:
      • paid warden ( gemeindevorsteher ) (in Prussia they could be called schulze), judges ( richter ), village judges ( dorfrichter ), in other states - village wardens ( dorfvorsteher ), appointed by the community for 12 years;
      • unpaid schaeffen (could be called gerichtsmann), jury ( gerichtsgeschworen ), village jury ( dorfgeschworen ), elected by the community for a term of 6 years;
  • Cities ( stadtgemeinde ):
    • local government authority - city committee ( stadtausschuss ), consisting of a burgomaster ( buergermeister ) (in Prussia in cities of provincial subordination - a paid ober-burgomaster ( oberbuergermeister ), in other states - a city schulzgeiss ( Stadtschultheiss )) and assistant ( beige ) in cities of provincial subordination - the burgomaster), appointed by the king on the proposal of the magistrate for a term of 12 years, and members elected by the magistrate for a period of 6 years with half of the members rotated every 3 years;
    • representative body - city assembly of deputies ( stadtverordnetenversammlung ) (in other lands of the German Empire - the college of civil elders ( Kollegium der Bürgervorsteher ), city elders ( Stadtältesten ), the college of city attorneys ( Stadtverordnetenkollegium ), the council of the community ( Gemecherdässä ) , collegium of community commissioners ( Gemeindebevollmächtigtenkollegium )), elected by the people in the majority system in 2 rounds, with a free second round, in a single multi-member district for a period of 6 years with a rotation of a third of the members every 2 years (in the cities of the provincial subordination by districts in 2 rounds), elected from among its members:
      • for conducting its meetings, the board of city deputies ( stadtverordnetenvorstand ), consisting of the head of city deputies, deputy heads of city deputies, secretary of city deputies and assessors of city deputies
    • the executive body is the magistrate , consisting of:
      • paid members (chamber ( kämmerer ) (in charge of city finances), syndic ( syndikus ), school adviser ( schulrat ) and construction adviser ( baurat )) appointed by the city assembly of deputies for a period of 12 years
      • unpaid schöffen (in Prussia could be called advisers ( stadtrat ), rattman ( ratmann ), ratsherr ( ratsherr ), in other states - senators ( senator ), magistrate councilors ( magistratsrat )), elected by the city assembly of deputies for a term of 6 years with the rotation of half of the members every 3 years ^{[8] [9] [10]} ;
  • Urban areas ( ortsbezirk ): headed by the district headman ( bezirksvorsteher ), appointed by city deputies and approved by the magistrate (so Königsberg was divided into 36 districts, each of which was headed by the district headman ^[11] );

• Third level
  • Neighborhoods ( landkreis ):
    • the representative body is the crestag ( kreistag ) (in other states - the distriktsrat council ( Bavaria ), the amtsversammlung assembly (Württemberg), the district assembly ( Bezirksversammlung )) were elected by electoral assemblies consisting of landowners and electors, who in turn were elected community meetings and city meetings of deputies for a period of 6 years with rotation of half of the members every 3 years;
    • the executive body and local government body is the district committee ( kreisausschuss ), which consisted of a paid landrat appointed by the king on the proposal of a crestag for a term of 12 years, and unpaid members elected by the crestag for a period of 6 years with a rotation of a third of the members every 2 years ^{[12] [ 13] [14] [15] [16] [17]} ;
  • Cities of provincial subordination ( stadtkreis ) - local government bodies are similar to self-government bodies of the city of the subordination region;

• Fourth level
  • Counties ( regierungsbezirk ): the local government body is the county committee ( bezirksausschuss ), consisting of the regering president appointed by the king, and members elected by the provincial committee.

• Fifth level
  • Provinces ( provinz ):
    • the local government body is the provinzialrat ( provinzialrat ), consisting of the president, and members elected by the provincial parliament for a term of 6 years with rotation of half of the members every 3 years;
    • the representative body is the provincial Landtag ( provinziallandtag ), elected by the Crests for a term of 6 years with a rotation of a third of the members every 2 years;
    • the executive body is a provincial committee, consisting of a paid Landeshauptmann, elected by the provincial Landtag for a term of 12 years and unpaid members of the provincial committees, elected by the Provincial Landtag for a term of 6 years with half rotation every 3 years ^{[18] [19] [20] [ 21] [22]} .

In 1919, local governments were democratized - universal, equal and direct suffrage and a proportional electoral system were introduced in elections to local representative bodies. The urban areas of Berlin received local self-government through the assembly of deputies ( bezirksversammlung ) and district administrations ( bezirksamt ), each of which consisted of a mayor ( bezirksversergermeister ) and members ^[23] .

Local government in the Third Reich (1933–1945)

In 1935, the municipal codes of Prussia and other lands were abolished; instead, the German municipal code was introduced, according to which the city meetings of deputies were abolished, provincial landtags, Kreystag provincial councils, district, district and volost committees were also abolished, the following system of local government bodies was established authorities ^[24] :.

• First level
  • Community: led by an unpaid elder elected by a community gathering and approved by a landrat
• Second level
  • Volost: headed by a paid rural municipality appointed by the landrat
  • City: headed by a paid burgomaster appointed by the regungs president, with the first assistant burgomaster, paid assistants (advisers) and a community advisory board ( gemeinderat ) (in most cities called the magistrat ), consisting of ratsgerra appointed burgomaster
  • Communities of district subordination: headed by paid elders appointed by the Landrats, under which the advisory council of the community acted (in most communities it was called community representation), consisting of ratsgerrs appointed by the headman
• Third level
  • Neighborhood: led by Landrat, appointed as President
  • City of land subordination: headed by a paid mayor, appointed governor, governor, mayor of cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants appointed by the Minister of the Interior, with a paid burgomaster and assistants (advisers) and a community advisory council appointed by the mayor
• Fourth level
  • District: led by the Chancellor
• Fifth level
  • Province, land, Reichsgau: headed by Ober President or Viceroy, appointed by the Chancellor

Local government in the early GDR (1949-1952)

In 1946, democratic district codes and democratic municipal codes were published in 5 East German lands, slightly modifying the magistrate-committee system - community boards became known as - community councils, magistrates - city councils, district committees - district councils, community representation boards were created , the Board kreystagov, offices of chairpersons of community representatives and chairmen kreystagov, as this system is replaced burgomistersko-landratskuyu system of Thuringia and to Sheha Anhalt . A positive vote of no confidence and the principle of mandatory coalition formation of local executive bodies were also introduced at the community, city and district level. The following system of local government was established:

• First level:
  • Communities ( landgemeinde ):
    • representative body - community representation ( gemeindevertratung ) (in small communities - community gathering ( gemeindeversammlung ), consisting of all voters of the community), consisting of community representatives ( gemeindevertreter ), elected by the people on party lists for a period of 4 years, elected:
      • community decision-making committees
      • to conduct its meetings, the board of the community representative office ( vorstand der gemeindevertretung ) (the head of the community gathering was the head of the community), consisting of the chairman of the community office ( vorsitzenden der gemeindevertretung ), deputy chairmen of the community office, secretary of the community office and members of the board of the community office;
    • executive body - community council ( gemeinderat ), consisting of:
      • unpaid community advisers ( gemeinderat ) elected by the community for 4 years
      • paid community counselors, elders and deputy elders appointed by the community for a period of 4 years ^[25] ;
  • Cities ( stadtgemeinde ):
    • representative body - city assembly of deputies ( stadtverordnetenversammlung ), consisting of city deputies ( stadtverordnetneter ), elected by the people on party lists for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • committees of city deputies to prepare their decisions
      • to conduct its meetings, the board of the city council of deputies ( vorstand der stadtverordnetenversammnlung ), consisting of the chairman of the city council of deputies ( vorsitzender der stadtverordnetenversammlung ), deputy wardens of city ​​deputies, the secretary of city deputies and members of the board of city deputies;
    • the executive body is the city council ( stadtrat ), consisting of:
      • unpaid advisers ( stadtrat ), elected by the city meeting of deputies for a period of 4 years
      • paid city councilors, burgomaster ( bürgermeister ) and deputy burgomaster ( stellvertreter des bürgermeisters ), elected by the city assembly of deputies for a period of 4 years;

• Second level:
  • Neighborhoods ( landkreis ):
    • the representative body is the crestag ( kreistag ), consisting of members of the crestag ( mitglied des kreistages ), elected by the people on party lists for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • to prepare their decisions, crestague committees;
      • to conduct its meetings, the Crestag board ( vorstand des kreistages ), consisting of the Chairman of the Crestag ( vorsitzender des kreistages ), the Deputy Chair of the Crestag, the Secretary of the Crestag , and the members of the Crestag board;
    • the executive body is the district council ( kreisrat ), consisting of:
      • unpaid district councilors ( kreisrat ), elected by the Crestag for a period of 4 years
      • paid district councilors, landrat ( landrat ) and deputy landrats ( stellvertreter des landrats ), appointed by the crestag for a period of 4 years ^{[26] [27] [28]} ;
  • Cities of land subordination ( stadtkreis ) - local self-government bodies are similar to self-government bodies of the city of the subordination region;
  • Berlin urban areas ( verwaltungsbezirk ):
    • representative body - a meeting of deputies of an urban area ( bezirksverordnetenversammlung ), consisting of district deputies ( bezirksverordnetneter ), elected by the people on party lists for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • committees of district deputies to prepare their decisions
      • To conduct its meetings, the board of district deputies, consisting of the head of the district deputies ( bezirksverordnetenvorsteher ), deputy heads of the district deputies, the secretary of the district deputies and the assessors of the board of district deputies
    • executive body - district government ( bezirksamt ), consisting of:
      • unpaid advisers to the district ( bezirksstadtrat );
      • paid district councilors, first district councilor ( erste bezirksstadtrat ) and district burgomaster ( bezirksbürgermeister ) ^[29] .

Local government in early Germany: Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen, Berlin

The municipal and district codes adopted in Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein, the constitutions of Berlin and Bremerhaven somewhat modernized the old magistrate system in cities and rebuilt the system of local government in districts and rural communities in accordance with it:

• the posts of the chairman of the community and the chairman of the crestag have been introduced;
• boards of community missions and crestagas boards established;
• created committees (including main committees) of community missions, city assemblies of deputies and crestagi
• city ​​committees were finally abolished, district committees became exclusively local government bodies,
• Landrats, mayors, mayors and mayors exclusively with the titles of chairmen of collegial executive bodies of local self-government and began to be elected by representative bodies of local self-government without the approval of higher authorities;
• the posts of the first adviser to the community or city and the positions of deputy burgomaster were divided (in the cities of land subordination the posts of burgomaster);
• community jury positions were renamed community advisers; members of district committees positions were district councilors;
• local government bodies (presidium policemen, etc.) were removed from their subordination, so the police were divided into paid land police, subordinated to land governments through presidium police and unpaid community police subordinated to magistrates, the practice of combining burgomaster and elders with posts was stopped chairmen of amtsgerichts and landgerichts, councilors of cities and jurors with Schöffen positions in these courts.

The magistrate-committee system itself supplanted the burgomaster-landratsky system from Hesse, Bremen and the northern part of Rhineland. Thus, the following system of local government was established:

• First level
  • Communities:
    • representative body - community representation ( Gemeindevertretung ) (in small communities - community gathering ( Gemeindeversammlung )), consisting of community representatives ( Gemeindevertreter ), elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, electing their composition:
      • for the preparation of decisions, committees (main committee, financial committee, etc.), each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretary and members;
      • To conduct its meetings, the board of the community representative office ( Vorstand der Gemeindevertretung ), consisting of the chairman of the community representative office ( Vorsitzender der Gemeindevertretung ), the deputy chairmen of the community representative office, the secretary of the community representative office and the members of the board of the community representative office
    • executive body - community board ( Gemeindevorstand ), consisting of:
      • unpaid community advisers ( Gemeinderat ), elected by the community representative from among its members (Schleswig-Holstein) or from outsiders (Hesse) for a period of 4 years;
      • paid community councilors, first community councilor ( Erste Gemeinderat ), deputy wardens and wardens ( Gemeindevorsteher ) (also in charge of community finances), appointed by the community for 12 years
  • Cities:
    • representative body - city assembly of deputies ( Stadtverordnetenversammlung ), consisting of city deputies ( Stadtverordnetneter ), elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • to prepare their decisions, committees (main committee, financial committee, etc.), each of which consisted of a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and members;
      • to conduct its meetings, the board of city deputies ( Stadtverordnetenvorsteher ), consisting of the head of the city deputies ( Stadtverordnetenenorstor ), deputy heads of city deputies, the secretary of city deputies and the assessors of the board of city deputies
    • the executive body is the Magistrat , consisting of:
      • unpaid advisers ( Stadtrat ), elected by the city assembly of deputies from their own composition (Schleswig-Holstein) or from outsiders (Hesse) for a period of 4 years;
      • paid advisers (chamberlain, school adviser and construction adviser), first adviser ( Erste Stadtrat ) (in the cities of land subordination - the burgomaster), deputy mayors and the burgomaster ( Bürgermeister ) (in the cities of the land subordination - the mayor ( Oberbürgermeister )), appointed meeting of deputies for a period of 12 years

• Second level
  • Areas:
    • representative body - Kreistag, consisting of deputies of the Kreistag ( Kreistagsabgeordneter ), elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • to prepare decisions, committees (main committee, finance committee, etc.), each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretary and members;
      • To conduct its meetings, the Kreistagsvorstand, consisting of the Chairman of the Kreistags ( Kreistagsvorsitzender ) and the Vice-Chairmen of the Crestag, the Secretary of the Crestag and the members of the Board of the Crestag
    • the executive body is the district committee ( Kreisausschuss ), consisting of:
      • unpaid district councilors ( Kreisrat ), elected by the Crestag from among themselves (Schleswig-Holstein) or from outsiders (Hesse) for a period of 4 years;
      • paid district councilors, first district councilor ( Erste Kreisrat ), deputy landrats and landrats ( Landrat ) (also in charge of district finances), appointed by the Crestag for a term of 12 years
  • Cities of land subordination - local government bodies are similar to self-government bodies of the city of the subordination
  • Berlin urban areas:
    • representative body - the district assembly of deputies ( Bezirksverordnetenversammlung ), consisting of district deputies ( Bezirksverordnetneter ), elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, elected from among themselves:
      • for the preparation of decisions, committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretary and members;
      • to conduct its meetings, the board of district deputies ( Bezirksverordnetenvorsteher ), consisting of the head of district deputies ( Bezirksverordnetenvorsteher ), deputy heads of district deputies, secretary of district deputies and assessors of the board of district deputies
    • the executive body is the district government ( Bezirksamt ), consisting of:
      • unpaid district councilors ( Bezirksstadtrat ), elected by the district assembly of deputies for a period of 4 years;
      • paid district councilors, district first councilor ( Erste Bezirksstadtrat ) and district mayor ( Bezirksbürgermeister ) (also in charge of the district’s finances), appointed by the district assembly of deputies for a term of 12 years ^{[30] [31] [32] [31] [33] [34]} .

Local Government in Early Germany: Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia

Adopted in 1956 by the Lower Saxon Municipal Code and the Lower Saxon District Code and the Municipal Code of North Rhine-Westphalia adopted in the same period, combining magistrates and boards of city deputies with the main committee of city deputies, similar to community boards and boards of community missions with the main committee of communal government, board and the main committees of the Kreistag with the district committees, in the cities of land subordination, the position of chamberlain was combined with the position of first adviser Orodes were actually saved the offices of chairpersons of community offices, city councils of deputies and kreystagov. Thus, the following system of local government was built:

• First level
  • Communities:
    • representative body - the council ( rat ) (in many communities called community representation), consisting of ratsherr (in many communities called community representatives), elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • To prepare their decisions, committees (financial committee, etc.), each of which consisted of a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and members, except for the administrative committee, chaired by the director of the community, which also included the burgomaster and deputy burgomaster (in many communities were called Deputy Chairpersons of the Community Representation), and who was the advisory body to the Director
      • to conduct his meetings as burgomaster (in many communities he was called the chairman of the community mission),
    • executive body - a paid community director (in many communities called the headman), elected by the council from among its members (Lower Saxony) or from outside (North Rhine-Westphalia) under which deputy community directors acted (in many communities they were called deputy burgomaster), the first Community Advisor and Community Advisers;
  • Cities:
    • the representative body is the council (in many cities it was called the city assembly of deputies), consisting of the ratsgerras (in many cities it was called the city deputies), elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • to prepare their decisions, committees (financial committee, etc.), each of which consisted of a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and members, except for the administrative committee, chaired by the director or chief director of the city, which also included the mayor and his deputies ( cities of land subordination - burgomaster, in many cities of land and district subordination were called deputy heads of city deputies), and which at the same time was an advisory body to the director.
      • to conduct his meetings as burgomaster (in the cities of land subordination of the mayor, in many cities of regional and land subordination the headman of city deputies was called).
    • the executive body is the paid director of the city ( stadtdirektor ) (in many cities it was called the burgomaster, in the cities of land subordination the chief director of the city, in many cities of the land subordination it was the mayor), elected by the council, in which deputy directors of the city acted (in many cities they were called deputy mayors, in cities of land subordination - directors of the city, in many cities of land subordination they were called mayors), the first adviser of the city (also in charge of the city’s finances) and Ethnics of the city.

• Second level
  • Areas:
    • the representative body is the crestag, consisting of members of the crestag, elected by the people according to the proportional system for a period of 4 years, elected from among its members:
      • to prepare their decisions, committees (financial committee, etc.), each of which consisted of a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and members;
      • for conducting meetings of the Landrat (in many areas he was called the chairman of the Creistag);
    • the executive body is the first director of the district (called Landrat in many areas), who was elected by the Crest from his own staff ( Lower Saxony ) or from outside ( North Rhine-Westphalia ), under which the district director acted (in many areas he was called district assistant) ^{[35 ] [36]} and the district committee as an advisory body, which also included the landrat and deputies of the landrat (in many areas they were called deputy chairmen of the Kreystag), which was also the main committee of the Kreistag, which consisted mainly of th director, director and members;

Local government in early Germany: Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern

The municipal codes of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland left the Burger system virtually unchanged (specialized committees of community councils, city councils, and crestagues were introduced), which were distributed in southern Baden and Württemberg. The municipal codes of Baden and Württemberg-Baden joined the magistrates and the boards of city deputies to the main committees of city deputies, the posts of the mayors of city deputies to the posts of burgomaster or mayor-mayor (who also chaired the main committee of the city council. The system of local government in rural communities remained unchanged The district codes of Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern left unchanged the system of regional organs of the full self-government.

Thus, in these lands the following system of local authorities was established:

• Communities:
  • representative body - community council or city council, elected by the people, elected from among its members
    • To prepare decisions, the committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretaries and members, except for the main committee, whose chairman is the burgomaster, he also served as the presidium of the council and was an advisory body to the burgomaster
  • the executive body is the burgomaster, elected by the council, from among its members (Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden and Württemberg-Baden ) or from outside (Saarland), he was the chairman of the council ^[37] , the first assistant acts under the burgomaster (also finances of the city) and a few ordinary helpers

• Areas:
  • the representative body is the Kreistag, elected by the people, elected from among its members:
    • to prepare decisions, committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretary and members, except for the main committee, chaired by the landrat
  • the executive body is a landrat appointed by the government of the land, from among the members of the Creistag (Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden and Württemberg-Baden) or from outside (Saarland), he was also the chairman of the Creistag, with the district committee acting as an advisory body who simultaneously performed the functions of the main committee and the crestagus presidium, consisting of a landrat (under whom the first district assistant and district assistants acted), the first district assistant and members of the district committee

Local Government in Early Germany: Bavaria and Württemberg-Baden

Adopted after the Second World War, the Bavarian Municipal Code, the Bavarian District Code, the municipal and district codes of Baden-Württemberg, which:

• renamed community commissioners and city committees to city councils, community committees to community councils
• set up specialized committees as part of city councils, community councils, and crestages
• introduced direct elections of burgomaster and landrats
• joined the posts of chairman of the collegium of community commissioners, chairman of the main committee of city councils to the post of burgomaster
• united magistrates and boards of community commissioners to the main committees of city councils

Thus, the following system of local government was established in these lands.

• Communities:
  • representative body - community council or city council, elected by the people, elected from among its members:
    • to prepare their decisions, committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretary and members, except for the main committee, chaired by the burgomaster
  • executive body - a paid burgomaster elected by the people and a member of the council

• Areas:
  • the representative body is the Kreistag, elected by the people, elected from among its members:
    • for the preparation of decisions - committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, vice-chairmen, secretary and members
  • executive body - a paid Landrat elected by the people and a member of the Crestag, under which the district committee acted as an advisory body, which simultaneously served as the presidium and main committee of the Crestag, consisting of a landrat, the first district assistant and members

Local government in the GDR (1952-1990)

In 1952-1953, the municipal and regional land codes in the eastern lands were abolished, and at the same time, the district and district codes were introduced, which in 1957 were combined into the Law on Local Government Agencies ^{[38] and} established the following system of local self-government:

• First level:
  • In areas:
    • Communities ( gemeinde ) - a representative body - a community representation ( gemeindevertretung ), elected by the people for a term of 5 years, elected from its composition for the duration of the session the chairman of the community mission, the executive body is the council of the community ( rat der gemeinde ), consisting of the chairman (burgomaster), vice-chairmen, secretary and members (community councilors), elected by the community meeting or community representation (in small communities - the one-man burgomaster) ^[39] ;
    • Cities ( stadt ) - a representative body - the city assembly of deputies ( stadtverordnetenversammlung ), elected by the people for a term of 5 years, elected the chairman of the city meeting of deputies for the duration of the session, the executive body - the city council ( rat der stadt ) (in Berlin - the Magistrate), consisting of the chairman (in the cities of district subordination - the chief mayor, in the cities of the district subordination - the mayor), deputy mayors, secretary and members (in most cities they were called advisers), elected by the city assembly of deputies;
  • In cities of district subordination:
    • Residential areas ( wohngebiete ) - a representative body - a meeting of a residential area ( wohngebietsversammlung ), consisting of all voters of a residential area, an executive body - a committee of a residential area ( wohngebietsausschuss ), elected by a meeting of a residential area;

• Second level:
  • In the counties
    • Regions ( landkreis ) - a representative body - the Kreistag ( kreistag ), elected by the people for a term of 5 years, elected from among its members to conduct meetings during the session of the chairman of the Kreistag, the executive body - the district council ( rat der kreis ), consisting of the chairman, vice-chairmen , a secretary and members elected by the crestag ^[40] ;
    • Cities of district subordination ( stadtkreis ) - local government bodies are similar to self-government bodies of the city of the district of subordination ^[41] ;
  • In Berlin
    • City districts ( stadtbezirk ) - a representative body - a meeting of deputies ( stadtbezirksversammlung ), elected by the people for a term of 5 years, elected from its composition for the session of the meeting of deputies of the district, the executive body - the council of the city district ( rat der stadtbezirk ), consisting of the chairman ( district burgomaster ( bezirksbuergermeister )), vice-chairmen, secretary and members (district councilors), elected by the assembly of the city district ^[42] ;

• Third level:
  • Constituencies ( bezirk ) - a representative body - bezirkstag ( bezirkstag ), elected by the people on party lists for a period of 5 years, elected from its composition for the duration of the session to chair its chairperson, the executive body - the county council ( rat der bezirk ), consisting of Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, Secretary and members elected by the Bezirkstag ^{[43] [44]} .

Local government in the late GDR (1990)

The communal code adopted in 1990 abolished the councils of communities, cities and districts, the boards of communal representations, meetings of city deputies and the Crests, adding them to the main committees of the latter and established the following local government system:

• First level
  • In areas
    • Communities:
      • representative body - community representation, elected by the people on a proportional system, elected from among its members:
        • for conducting meetings - the burgomaster (in most communities he was called the chairman of the community mission)
        • for conducting meetings - committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, deputies, chairman, secretary and members, except for the main committee, the chairman of which was the burgomaster
      • the executive body is the first assistant (in most communities it was called the burgomaster), was elected by the community representation for a period of 4 years, during which the assistant acted;
    • Cities:
      • representative body - the city assembly of deputies, elected by the people on a proportional system, elected from among its members:
        • for conducting meetings of the burgomaster (in most cities he was called the chairman of the city assembly of deputies)
        • for the preparation of decisions, committees, each of which consisted of a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and members, besides the main committee, the burgomaster was the chairman
      • the executive body - the first assistant (in most cities it was called the mayor, in most cities of land subordination - the mayor), was elected by the city assembly of deputies for a period of 4 years, during which the assistant acted;
  • In cities of land subordination
    • Urban areas ( Ortsteil ), led by the headman ( Ortsvorsteher )

• Second level
  • In the counties
    • Areas:
      • a representative body - the Kreistag, was elected by the people according to the proportional system, elected from among its members
        • for conducting landrat meetings (in most areas he was called the chairman of the crestagus)
        • for the preparation of decisions, committees, each of which consists of a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and members
      • the executive body is the first assistant (in most areas it was called the Landrat), under which there was an assistant (in most areas called the first assistant) and the district committee acted as an advisory body, which simultaneously served as the presidium and the main committee of the Crestag, consisting of the first assistant, assistant and members, elected by the crestag for a period of 4 years;
    • Cities of land subordination - local self-government bodies are similar to self-government bodies of the city of the subordination region ^[45]
  • In Berlin
    • Urban area:
      • the representative body - the assembly of the urban area ( Stadtbezirksversammlung ), was elected by the people according to the proportional system;
      • the executive body is the city district government ( stadtbezirksamt ), consisting of the burgomaster of the city district ( Stadtbezirksbürgermeister ) and the city district councilors ( bezirksstadtrat ) ^[46] .

In 1990, in Schleswig-Holstein, magistrates, communal boards, councils of city deputies, boards of community missions were abolished and direct elections of burgomaster and landrats were introduced, and in 1993 their direct elections were also introduced in Hesse (at the same time deputy positions were combined in Hesse the burgomaster and the first adviser to the community or city (in rural communities began to be called the first assistants), the deputies of the landrat and the first adviser to the district as the first district assistant, the burgomaster of the city land subordination and the first adviser of the city), in 1996 in Lower Saxony, in 1994 in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, in the same years in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt, in 1993 in Saxony and Thuringia, the posts of the mayors of city deputies, chairmen of community missions and chairmen of the crestagos were abolished. Currently, a burgomaster-landrat system operates in 12 of 16 lands, in all cases with direct elections of burgomaster and landrats, while in 4 South German and 2 North German lands it does not have a separate post of chairman of the council or crestag, and in 5 North German lands this position exists and only in 3 lands (Hesse, Berlin, Bremen) does the magistrate-committee system operate.

The modern system of local government in Hesse, Bremerhaven and Berlin

• Communities: a representative body - a community representative, elected by the people who elected the chairman of the community representative to conduct its meetings, an executive body - a community representative, consists of a burgomaster elected by the people, and assistants elected by the community representative
• Urban areas: representative body - the council of the place ( ortsbeirat ), elected by the population, the executive body - the head of the place ( ortsvorsteher ), elected by the population and is the chairman of the council of the place
• Cities: the representative body is the city assembly of deputies, elected by the population, who elected the head of city deputies for conducting its meetings, the executive body is the magistrate, consists of a burgomaster elected by the people, and city councilors elected by the city assembly of deputies
• Neighborhoods: the representative body is the Kreistag, elected by the population, who has elected the chairman of the Kreistag for conducting its meetings, the executive body is the district committee, consists of a landrat elected by the people, and district assistants elected by the Kreistag

The modern system of local government in the northern lands

• Communities: representative body - community representation (in Lower Saxony - council ( rat ), in North Rhine-Westaflia and Saxony-Anhalt community council), elected by the population, elected the chairman of the community representation for conducting its meetings, the executive body - the burgomaster elected by the population
• Cities: representative body - city assembly of deputies (in Lower Saxony - council ( rat ), in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt city council, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein city representation ( stadtvertretung ), in Schleswig-Holstein - less commonly, a council meeting ( ratsversammlung )), elected by the population, elected the head of city deputies to conduct its meetings, the executive body is the burgomaster elected by the population
• Urban areas: the representative body - the council of the place (in North Rhine-Westphalia - the representative of the district ( bezirksvertretung )), elected by the population, the executive body - the head of the place (in North Rhine-Westphalia - the mayor of the district ( bezirksbuergermeister )), is elected by the population and is the chairman of the council places or representative offices of the district
• Neighborhoods: a representative body - the Kreistag, elected by the population, elects the chairman of the Kreistag to conduct its meetings, an executive body - the Landrat, elected by the population

The modern system of local government in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland

• Communities and cities: the representative body is the community council or city council, elected by the population, the executive body is the burgomaster, who is also the chairman of the community or city council, elected by the population, with the first assistant appointed by the council
• Urban areas: the representative body - the council of the place (in Saarland - the council of the district ( bezirksrat )), elected by the population, the executive body - the head of the place (in Saarland - the mayor of the district ( bezirksbuergermeister )), elected by the population and is the chairman of the council of the district or council of the place
• Neighborhoods: the representative body - the Kreistag, elected by the population, the executive body - the Landrat, who is also the chairman of the Kreystag, elected by the population, in which the first district assistant appointed by the Kreistag acts

The modern system of local government in the southern lands

• Communities: a representative body - a council of communities or a city council, is elected by the population, the executive body is a burgomaster elected by the population, who is also the chairman of the community or city council
• Urban areas: the representative body is the district committee ( bezirksausschuss ) in Bavaria and the district council ( bezirksbeirat ) in Baden-Württemberg, elected by the population, the executive body is the district headman ( bezirksvorsteher ), elected by the population and is the chairman of the district committee or council
• Neighborhoods: a representative body - the Kreistag, elected by the population, an executive body - the Landrat, elected by the population, which is also the chairman of the Crestag