The Example of Schleswig: Integration of „Intermediate Spaces“ into the Empire thought the Unification of Civil Law

The Prussian-dominated German Empire strove (in the age of colonial empires) to expand its own European sphere of influence. "Intermediate areas," which, due to their cultural tradi-tions, eluded clear national classification – such as the Duchy of Schleswig – were annexed for this purpose, as were neighboring states (or parts thereof), and the task then arose of inte-grating them into the state. The Empire strove to create a unified national legal area, for exam-ple, based on a uniform, modern codification of civil law. For regions such as Schleswig-Holstein, Alsace-Lorraine, and Posen, the resulting modernization of the law also formed part of the Germanization policy pursued on many levels. This legal unification took place gradual-ly, the entry into force of the Code of Civil Procedure (1879) or the Civil Code (1900) did not bring about an abrupt change in the applicable law. Rather, the civil law that had been in force up to that point had been gradually changed and standardized over the course of decades by numerous particular and pan-Prussian legislations, which will be demonstrated here using the example of the Duchy of Schleswig.