Imperial Constitution campaign

The Imperial Constitution campaign (German: Reichsverfassungskampagne) was an initiative driven by radical democratic politicians in Germany in the mid-19th century that developed into the civil warlike fighting in several German states known also as the May Uprisings (Maiaufstände).

These conflicts against the counter-revolutionaries began in May 1849 and varied in length and intensity depending on the region.

The campaign was triggered by the refusal of the imperial crown by King Frederick William IV of Prussia and the dissolution of the national assembly.

The call for a campaign was supported by Georg Friedrich Kolb, Heinrich Herrmann Riemann and others.

With the military defeat of this last rebellion, primarily by Prussian troops, the March Revolution of 1848/1849 in the states of the German Confederation finally ended on 23 July 1849 with the capture of Rastatt Fortress, the last bastion of the Baden revolutionaries, by federal forces under Prussian leadership.

Proclamation of the Central March Union dated 6 May 1849
Illustration of the dissolution of the rump parliament on 18 June 1849 in Stuttgart: Württemberg dragoons drive apart a demonstration by the banned MPs (1893 book illustration)