Johann Smidt

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Johann Smidt (* November 5, 1773 in Bremen; † May 7, 1857 in Bremen) was an important Bremen Politician, Theologian, and founder of Bremerhaven.

Smidt studied Theology in Jena, and was one of the founders of the Gesellschaft der freien Männer (Community of free men). He then became Professor of History at the Gymnasium illustre in his hometown. He then became 'Syndikus' (company lawyer) for the Älterleute and in 1800 'Ratsherr' (councilman), a position in which he exerted considerable influence on the the governmental and commercial development of the cities of the Hanseatic League. In particular as he acted as Bremen's diplomatic representative and preserved the independence of the Hanseatic League cities and put through their acceptance into the German Confederation after the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. In the Conferdation's Bundesversammlung, he battled the politics of Klemens Wenzel Lothar von Metternich, and was particularly involved in the negotiations which in 1820 established free shipping on the Weser.

Above all, he gave Bremen's commerce an important impulse through the foundation of Bremerhaven in 1827 and by closing advantageous trade agreements with foreign countries, through widening of consular representation, etc. In 1821 he became Bürgermeister of Bremen and he held this post - apart from the democratic period of 1849-1852 - until his death.

Inglorius is his anti-semitism: As Bürgermeister, Smidt made the "complete expulsion of the children of Israel" an "urgent concern of the state" since 1821. In 1826, he had met his goal with the exception of two 'Schutzjuden' (a form of state hostage) taken over from Hanover [1].

Smidt dedicated himself to close cooperation between the Hanseatic cities. In 'Anerkennung der Hilfe nach dem großen Hamburger Brand' (acknolwedgement after the great Hamburg fire) in 1843, he was named an honorary citizen of Hamburg.