republic · Germany and Central Europe
Free State of Waldeck
Origins
Prince Friedrich of Waldeck-Pyrmont was deposed in November 1918, and the principality became a free state with Arolsen as capital. Waldeck had been administered by Prussia under an accession treaty since 1868, so its independence was already limited.
Rule and society
The free state was rural and poor, with farming and forestry in the hills around the Eder. Its finances depended on Prussian support. In 1921 the inhabitants of the detached district of Pyrmont voted to join Prussia, and Pyrmont passed to the Province of Hanover in 1922. The remaining state struggled to sustain its own government.
Decline and legacy
After a treaty with Prussia, the Free State of Waldeck was absorbed into Prussia on 1 April 1929 and became part of the Province of Hesse-Nassau. It is now in the state of Hesse.
Lineage
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- Free State of Waldeck was part of Weimar Republic1918 CE – 1929 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Free State of Waldeck. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/free-state-of-waldeck
- MLA
- “Free State of Waldeck.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/free-state-of-waldeck. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Free State of Waldeck.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/free-state-of-waldeck.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Free State of Waldeck’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/free-state-of-waldeck (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻