LIPPE, lip'pc (sometimes called LIPPE DETMOLD, det'zmilt ) A principality and con stituent State of the German Empire, bounded by the Prussian provinces of Westphalia and Han over and an enclave of the Principality of Wal deck (Slap: Germany, C 2). It occupies, to gether with its three small exclaves in West phalia, an area of 469 square miles.
The region is generally hilly and well wooded. In the southwestern part it is traversed by the Teutoburger Wald, where it reaches an altitude of over 1500 feet. Hydrographically it belongs to the basin of the Weser, and is watered by the Werre and several other tributaries of that river. The Weser also touches it on the north for a short distance. The climate is moderate and healthful. With the exception of salt, there are practically no minerals in the principality. "Mineral springs are found in some parts. The soil is of indifferent fertility, but agriculture is nevertheless the chief occupation. The land is divided principally into medium holdings. which are protected from subdivision by the right of primogeniture. Over one-half of the area is under crops, chiefly rye and oats. Stock-raising is also of importance.
Lippe is one of the best wooded parts of Ger many. The forests (largely deciduous) cover over one-fourth of the total area, and the greater part belongs to the State. The manufacturing industries are undeveloped. Yarn-spinning and linen-weaving are carried on as house industries to a limited extent. The commerce is also of little importance, the principal exports being agricul tural and forest products, yarn, and linen. Na tive artisans, especially bri•kmakers, emigrate periodically in large numbers to other parts of Germany and even to foreign countries. The principality is traversed by two State railway lines. Their total length is 52 miles. Lippe is a constitutional monarchy, the crown being heredi tary in the male line. The Constitution provides
for a Diet of 21 members elected directly for four years, by voters divided into three grades, according to the amount of taxes paid, each grade electing 7 representatives. The executive and judicial parts of the administration are vested in the Cabinet. There is a Supreme Court at Detmold, the capital, from which appeals are made to the Court of Appeals at Celle, Hanover. Lippe is represented by one member in the Dun desrat and one in the Reichstag. The budget for 1900-01 balanced at about $333,000. The public debt amounted, in 1901, to $306.544. Education is well provided for, and the military affairs of the principality are in the hands of Prussia. Population, in 1890, 128,495; in 1900, 139,238, almost exclusively Protestant.
lbsTonv. The Principality of Lippe first appears as an independent country in 1123. Its history was uneventful. In 1807 it joined the Confederation of the Rhine. In 1836 a constitu tion was promulgated, and the country joined the German customs union. As in most of the Ger man States, its ruler, Prince Paul Leopold Alex ander, had to promulgate a new Constitution in 1848, but his son Leopold, who came to the throne in 1851, reestablished in 1853 the old Constitution. In the war of 1866 Lippe took the side of Prussia, and joined the North German Confederation. In 1871 it became a part of the new German Empire. Since then the only dis turbing factor has been the conflict regarding the succession which has raged between the Houses of Lippe-Biesterfeld and Schaumburg-Lippe. Con sult: Schickedanz, Das Fiirstentum Lippe-Dct mold (Hildesheim, 1830) ; Labaud, Der Streit iiber die Tbronfolge inc Fiirstentum Lippe (Ber lin, 1896).