Clemens von Podewils-Dürniz


Hans Maria Clemens Franz Konstantin Freiherr von Podewils-Dürniz was a Bavarian politician who served as Minister-President of Bavaria 1903–1912.

Early life

His parents were the Bavarian colonel and Chamberlain Konstantin Freiherr von Podewils and his wife Philippine von Juncker and Bigatto. The family originated from the Pomeranian noble family Podewils.
He studied jurisprudence in Munich and worked from 1872 to 1875 in the legal practice in Munich, Weilheim and Landshut. In 1879/80 he worked at the district council of Miesbach and the regional government of Upper Bavaria.

Bavarian diplomatic posts

In 1881 he was Secretary of Legation at the Bavarian Legation in Berlin, and then in 1887 Counsellor and Envoy Extraordinary, later Minister Plenipotentiary of the Italian court. In 1896-1902 he was an extraordinary ambassador and authorised minister at the Austro-Hungarian court in Vienna.

Bavarian government

In 1902 he was appointed Bavarian Minister of the Interior for Church and School Affairs. On 1 March 1903 he took over the office of the chairman in the Council of Ministers, combined with the posts of Minister of State of the Royal House and Foreign Minister. In his term of office, a democratised Landtag election law and a reformed municipal suffrage were passed. He was regarded as the "favorite" of the Prince Regent Luitpold, but was replaced on 9 February 1912 by Georg von Hertling.
In 1918, Podewils represented Bavaria during the peace negotiations of Brest-Litovsk, with Russia.

Later life

In 1920/21 he worked as a plenipotentiary on the settling of the borders in Upper Silesia and West Prussia after the First World War.
He died in Munich on 14 March 1922.