The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, a German state since 1646, was a member state of the German Confederation between 1815 and 1866. After the Prussian-Austrian War it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867. In 1869 Prussia granted territory to Bremen to give it control of Bremerhaven at the mouth of the Wesser River and some other small ports along the river.It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.

About 93 percent of the population was Protestants, 6 percent Roman Catholics, and only 2 percent Jews. The government was a republic with a two chamber parliament the Senate and the Bürgerschaft. The senate is composed of sixteen life members, elected by the Bürgerschaft. Two of the Senators were elected by their colleagues as burgomasters, who presided over the republic in succession for a year at a time. The Bürgerschaft consists of 150 representatives, chosen by the citizens for six years, and forms the legislative body. Fourteen members are elected by the most educated (University graduate) citizens of Bremen, forty by the merchants, twenty by the manufacturers and artisans, and forty-eight by the other citizens. Of the remaining representatives, twelve are furnished by Bremerhaven and Vegesack and sixteen by the rural districts. As a member of the Imperial German Empire, the State of Bremen had one vote in the Bundesrat and had one deputy in the Reichstag. Bremen joined the soul, Zollverein quite late in 1888 with the exception of two small free districts in Bremen and Bremerhaven.

The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg was a German state since 1618. It was a member state of the Germanic Confederation between 1815 and 1866. After the Prussian-Austrian War it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867.  Hamburg became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.  In 1914 the population was approximately 1,099,000.

Hamburg had one representative in the Bundesrat and three deputies in the Reichstag. Hamburg was a republic, the parliament having two chambers, the Senate and the Bürgerschaft. The Senate, which exercised the greater part of the executive power, was composed of eighteen life members. The members of the Senate were elected for life by the Bürgerschaft.  There were two mayors.  However, a chief burgomaster who was called "Magnificence," was chosen annually in secret ballot and had a term limit of two years. The House of Burgesses consisted of 160 members who were elected using a unique three tiered system.  80 members were elected by secret ballot of all tax-paying citizens, 40 by the owners of real estate within the city and the remaining 40 were elected directly by the "notables" for a period of six years. The Senate could veto all legislation except taxation, when the two bodies differed the issue was referred to a court of arbitration.

The Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck, a German state since 1226, was a member state of the Germanic Confederation from 1815 to 1866. After the Prussian-Austrian War it became a member state of the North German Confederation in 1867. It became a member state of the German Empire in 1871.

Confusion is sometimes generated because there is a principality of Lübeck which is a province of Oldenburg, and also a separate entity the Free City of Lübeck.

The Free State was a republic, and Parliament consisted of two chambers. The Senate of fourteen life members was elected by a joint session of the Senate and the lower house.  The Senate was presided over by the Oberburgermeister, who during his two years' term of office was called "magnificence" and was also considered the president of the Senate and the head of the republic. The lower house (Bürgerschaft), of 130 members, is elected under a unique two class property system by all citizens with four-year longevity that pay income tax. The Bürgerschaft had the right of initiating legislation, including that relative to foreign treaties. The population of 122,000 in 1914 was nearly all Lutherans.

Lübeck, Bremen, Hamburg Officer cockades 

with owner's permission