LASKER, las'k;:sr. EDUARD ( 1829-84). A Prussian statesman of Jewish descent. born at Jarotsehin (Posen). lle was educated at the uni versities of Breslau and Berlin, and in 1851 ob tained a post in the Berlin municipal court. Sub sequently he spent three years in England in the study of public affairs. Upon his return in 1856, he again entered the Government service of Prus sia. in 1665 he was first, elected to the Lower House, where in 186S-73 he represented Magde burg, and in 1875-79 Frankfort-on-the-Alain. lie sat for the first electoral district of Berlin in the Constituent North German Diet. and later, until his death, in the North German and the German Diet for the second electoral district of Saxe Meiningen. He was identified with the `Fort sehrittspartei,' or Progressives, until 1666. when he assisted in founding the National Liberal Party. In the civil consolidation of the German Empire. Lasker played a very conspicuous part, and he largely shared many of the most impor tant legislative and administrative enactments.
Differences ultimately arose between Bismarck and himself, and at last the Chancellor's eco nomic and tax-reform policy led him to withdraw from the National Liberal Party. Ile was soon joined by others, and the 'secessionist' faction thus formed constituted a vigorous opposition. In the hope of benefiting his health, Lasker visit ed the 'United States in 1883. Ili; death in New York, January 5, 1884, was followed by what is known as the `Lasker incident.' Reso of condolence. passed by the House of Rep resentatives of the United States, were forwarded to Minister Sargent at Berlin. to be by him trans mitted through the legitimate channel to the Reichstag,. Thee resolutions were returned un delivered by Bismarck, through the German Min ister at Washington. Lasker's chief publication was Zur Verfassungsgesehichtc Preussens (1874), a collection of essays. Consult the study by Bamberger (Leipzig, 1S84).