Administrative District- and District Authorities (until 1925)

In the course of the Theresian Administrative Reforms in 1748, five administrative district departments for Styria were installed (Graz, Bruck, Judenburg, Cilli, Marburg), which, as middle authorities, were put in charge of comprehensive administrative tasks (supervising seignories, community health, public order, school system, quartering of troops, etc.). The material of this authority has only been preserved since about 1780/1800.

In the course of the reforms of 1848, these authorities were, under the name "Administrative District Government", reduced to the seats in Graz, Marburg and Bruck, which then became unnecessary, due to the introduction of the district administration and were thus, in 1859/60, finally abolished.

In the 1770ies, Styria was split up into so-called Werbbezirke (recruitment districts). Thereby, several governmental agendas (initially, mainly recruiting issues) were passed on to the administration of that seignory which appeared to be the most important one within a district; this authority, with permanently increasing competences, was soon called "District Authority". Apart from a few exceptions (such as Freienstein, Massenberg, Kaisersberg, St.Lambrecht/Neumarkt), material has been preserved very incompletely.

In 1848, administration was split up from jurisdiction and was installed as governmental middle authority next to the district courts and district administrations. Yet, in 1854 the political administration on district scale was reunited with judiciary again and the so-called (mixed) district authorities which, from 1859/60 onward, had to take on the tasks of the abandoned administrative district authorities, emerged. Following the December Laws, jurisdiction was separated from political agendas in 1868, and thus reinstalled were again district authorities that have undergone certain changes within the run of time, but have existed in their present forms up to the present day. The materials to the district authorities- and offices have been preserved very diversely. Major finding aids are the annually compiled protocol books and indices.