Rudolf von Auerswald Rudolf Ludwig Cäsar von Auerswald ( 1 September 1795 – 15 January 1866 ) was a German official who served as Prime Minister of Prussia during the Revolution of 1848 . Later , during the ministry of Charles Anthony , Prince of Hohenzollern , he led the government in all but name . Biography . Auerswald was born in Marienwerder ( Kwidzyn ) , West Prussia . He was a member of a Meissen family of nobility , first mentioned in 1263 , from Auerswalde , now part of Lichtenau , Saxony . His father was the official Hans Jakob von Auerswald , while his brothers were the general Hans Adolf Erdmann von Auerswald ( 1792 – 1848 ) and the politician Alfred von Auerswald ( 1797 – 1870 ) . A friend of Prince William , much of Auerswald ' s youth was spent in Königsberg . After the completion of his education he entered the 1 . Leibhusarenregiment of the Prussian Army . In 1812 as part of Napoleon ' s invasion of Russia , Auerswald participated in campaigns in Livonia and Courland under the command of Yorck . He also served from 1813 – 15 during the wars against Napoleon . Auerswald remained in the military until 1821 , when he was discharged as a cavalry captain . Auerswald married his cousin Countess Adela Dohna - Lauck in 1817 . After his discharge from the military he acquired an estate in the Heiligenbeil District of East Prussia , where he became " Landrat " ( district administrator ) in 1824 . Auerswald became " General - Landschaftsrath " of the Province of Prussia in 1835 and " Oberbürgermeister " ( roughly Lord Mayor ) of Königsberg in 1835 . Auerswald was a member of the knighthood of the East Prussian provincial diet , sometimes with the role of parliamentary marshal ( " Landtagsmarschall " ) . During a diet paying homage to King Frederick William IV of Prussia , Auerswald was one of the politicians who reminded the new king of the 1815 promise of his predecessor , Frederick William III , to grant a constitution . Auerswald became " Regierungspräsident " of Regierungsbezirk Trier in 1842 . After the outbreak of the March Revolution in 1848 , Auerswald was named " Oberpräsident " in Königsberg of the Province of Prussia by Prime Minister Ludolf Camphausen . After Camphausen resigned , Auerswald became Prime Minister on 25 June , as well as Foreign Minister . A constitution for the Kingdom of Prussia was proposed during Auerswald ' s term ; its model was the liberal Belgian Constitution of 1831 , which had strongly influenced Rhenish liberalism . However , it was not accepted by the Prussian National Assembly , which created its own constitutional committee instead . Auerswald ' s ministry collapsed on 8 September when the National Assembly called for the government to demand the resignation of conservative members of the military . After his resignation , Auerswald returned to his post as Oberpräsident in Königsberg . After the dissolution of the National Assembly , the imposition of the constitution of the Kingdom of Prussia and the vote for a new parliament of Prussia led Auerswald to return to national politics . He served as president of the First Chamber ( later the Prussian House of Lords ) until 1850 . Auerswald also participated in the Erfurt Parliament . In 1850 he became Oberpräsident of the Rhine Province , but was forced to resign a year later for remarks critical of the conservative government . Auerswald then spent almost two years out of public office , traveling to Paris , Italy , and North Africa . Auerswald became a member of the Second Chamber ( the Prussian House of Representatives ) in 1853 as part of the liberal opposition , owing to his friendship with Crown Prince William . After William ' s assumption of the Prussian regency and the end of the Manteuffel government , William named Charles Anthony , Prince of Hohenzollern , as Prime Minister . Auerswald served as a minister without portfolio , although he led the government in all but name . Hopes for a more liberal era ended , however , in the face of resistance from the civil service , the court of Regent William , and especially from the House of Representatives . The military budgetary crisis of 1860 brought Auerswald in opposition to his own liberal party , but he sought a middle ground between William and parliament . The inability to form a compromise caused a splintering of the liberals in 1861 . The lack of a liberal majority led to the resignation of Auerswald and a number of ministers in March 1862 . The next government was led by Otto von Bismarck . Auerswald resigned from politics completely . Despite his liberal views and the defeat of the Prussian liberals , he was not disgraced , and a court position as lord burgrave of Marienburg ( Malbork ) was created for him instead . Auerswald died in Berlin , Brandenburg .