Paul Ludwig Adalbert Falk

Background

He was born at Matschkau, Silesia, on the 10th of August 1827.

Career

In 1847 he entered the Prussian state service, and in 1853 became public prosecutor at Lyck. In connection with Otto von Bismarck's policy of the Kulturkampf, he was responsible for the May Laws or Falk Laws against the Roman Catholic Church. In 1879, his position becoming untenable because of the death of Pope Pius IX and the change of German policy with regard to the Vatican, he resigned his office but retained his seat in the Reichstag until 1882. From 1882 he served as president of the Court of Appeals at Hamm, where he died in 1900.

Achievements

• In 1868, he became a privy councillor in the ministry of justice. In 1872 he was made minister of education.

Politics

In 1858, he was elected a deputy, joining the Old Liberal party.