Hermann von Mallinckrodt

Hermann von Mallinckrodt attended the gymnasium at Aachen and studied law at Berlin and Bonn.

As early as 1852 the Westphalian constituency of Beckum-Ahaus had elected him to the Prussian House of Representatives, and he took part in the founding of the "Catholic Fraction" for the defense of the rights and liberties of the church, which from 1859 was known as the Centre Party.

In 1837 he made a speech condemning the war against Austria (1866) and the annexation of the Kingdom of Hanover and the Electorate of Hesse, and attacked the idea of substituting a single (federal) government for the confederation of states.

"Never", to repeat the words of a colleague, "was so much force and dignity, energy and learning, strength of character and prudence, piety and vigor, united in one person as in Hermann von Mallinckrodt."

Distinguished and dignified in appearance, as tactful as he was winning in society, clear in his thoughts, honorable in his dealings, of spotless life, and moreover a strong and highly cultivated mind, a mature and grave, though good-natured and friendly, character, and an orator who carried his audience with him by his force, lucidity, and fire—with all this he could not but be eminent in every sphere upon which he entered.

Even Herr Falk, the Minister of Worship, with whom he had often enough been in conflict, called him "the most honorable member of the Centre Party, a man who had only lived and fought for his convictions."

His speeches, on the other hand, are distinguished by a full command of the subject, lucidity of form, and strictly logical argument.

During all the years of his parliamentary career hardly a bill of leading importance had been considered without his taking a distinguished part in the debate.