Ludwig von Vincke

Friedrich Ludwig Wilhelm Philip Freiherr von Vincke (23 December 1774 – 2 December 1844) was a Prussian statesman. Born as a member of an old Westphalian noble family and educated at three universities in a broad variety of subjects, he entered the Prussian service as head of local and regional authorities. The Napoleonic Wars broke off his career, but influenced by ideas of British liberalism he joined the Prussian Reform Movement, of which he was an important member as co-worker of the Barons vom Stein and vom Stein zum Altenstein. After the Congress of Vienna Vincke became Supreme President of the Province of Westphalia, one of the new founded Western Provinces of the reorganized Kingdom of Prussia. Vincke modernized the provincial administration, supported agricultural reforms, industrial development and enlargement of traffic ways, and fostered the coexistence of the diverse Christian confessions in the multiconfessional province. He supported the idea of public self-government on local and regional level, but the restorative tendencies in the governmental policy laid down limits for his efforts. Life and career Early life Ludwig von Vincke was born in Minden (Minden-Ravensberg) on 23 December 1774 as member of the old Westphalian Vincke family, of the Ostenwalde line. He was the second son of Ernst Idel Jobst von Vincke (1738–1813), the dean of the Minden Cathedral chapter, and his wife, Luise Sophie von Buttlar (1739–1806). He grew up with two brothers and three sisters.