The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Bruck, Karl Ludwig, Baron

BRUCK, brook, Karl Ludwig, Baron, Austrian statesman: b. Elberfeld, 8 Oct. 1798; d. Vienna, 23 April 1860. In 1821 he went to Trieste in order to take part in the war for Grecian independence, and, remaining there several years, founded the Trieste Lloyd (later the Austrian Lloyd), a combination of insurance societies. In 1848 he was a member of the German National Assembly; after the Vienna revolution of October 1848, he became Minister of Commerce and Public Works. In this office he introduced a number of reforms in the industrial policy of the government, established important telegraph lines, built a number of highways and railroads and founded the Austro-German Postal Union. In 1849 the Emperor gave him the rank of baron, but in 1851 he was compelled to resign his ministry. In 1855 he became Minister of Finance; he was not able to introduce the reforms he wished and when a period of general financial disaster resulted from the Italian war, Bruck was personally blamed. He accordingly obtained his dismissal from the Emperor and the next day committed suicide. He was officially declared innocent one month after his death.