Carlsbad Decrees

The Carlsbad Decrees were a set of laws established by the Austrian government in 1819 to suppress revolutionary Ideas and political dissent across the German Confederation. They aimed to maintain conservative order by restricting freedom of the press, censorship of books and newspapers, and disbanding student associations that promoted liberal ideas. These decrees responded to fears of democratic and nationalist movements spreading after the Napoleonic Wars, and they limited political activity, aligning with the government’s desire to uphold traditional authority and stability in the region.