Aus dem Arkanum in die Öffentlichkeit. Medien- und Kommunikationspolitik des Berner Geheimen Rats in der «Henzi-Verschwörung» (1749)

In 1749, those parts of the Bernese citizenry that were not represented in the government joined forces with the aim of overthrowing the ruling patriciate. The unrest, which later became known as the “Henzi Conspiracy”, was a brief episode. Nevertheless, it marked a high point in the tensions between increasingly exclusive authorities and increasingly dis- satisfied citizens, which had been ongoing in Bern since the beginning of the eighteenth century. In these conflicts, the Secret Council played a crucial role. Due to its elitist com- position, extensive arcane politics, and far-reaching powers, it was the bête noire of the conspirators but at the same time a central player in combating the unrest. Based on pre- viously unknown sources, this article focuses on the role of secrecy and the Secret Council in the context of the “Henzi Conspiracy”. Most importantly, it sheds light on the changes that the “conspiracy” brought about for arcane politics and the Secret Council, in particu- lar through new forms of communication, media, and publicity that were used in the context of the unrest.