Heinrich Friedrich Karl Stein, baron, a German statesman, born at Nassau, Oct. 26, 1757, died at Frucht, near Nassau, June 29, 1831. He studied at Gottingen, and rose to distinction in the department of mines in Westphalia. In 1804 he was chief of an economico-com-mercial department in the Prussian ministry of the interior, and abolished restrictions on trade and introduced other reforms. Foreseeing the calamities of Prussia, he urged in vain the union of all the German states. This made him uncongenial to Frederick William III., who removed him in January, 1807. But he was soon reinstated, and in July placed at the head of the ministry. He reorganized the whole civil service, abolished feudal usages, adopted a new scheme of militia, and opened the way for the Zollverein and the present unity of Germany. Napoleon, after favoring Stein's accession, became in 1808 embittered against him on account of an intercepted letter in which the Prussian minister expressed a hope for his speedy downfall. Stein was obliged to leave the cabinet in November, and Napoleon outlawed him in December, and confiscated his property.

He sought refuge in Austria, and in May, 1812, with the emperor Alexander in Russia. At the end of 1813, after the capture of Dresden by the allies, he was placed at the head of the council for the administration of the reconquered German territories, and exerted much influence on the memorable events of 1814-'15. In 1819 he formed a society for investigating early German history, and he promoted the publication of the celebrated Monumenta Germanica His-torica. In 1827 he became a member of the Prussian council of state. - Pertz has edited Denkschriften des Freiherrn vom Stein (Berlin, 1828), and published Das Lebcn des Ministers Freiherrn vom Stein (6 vols., 1849-'55; abridged ed., Aus Stein's Leben, 2 vols., 185G). See also Stern, Stein und sein Zeitalter (Leip-sic, 1855); Venedey, Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein (Iserlohn, 1868); and Arndt, Meine Wanderungen und Wandlungen mit dem frieiherrn-freiherm vom Stein (Berlin, 1858; 3d ed., 1870). Monuments were erected to him at Nassau in 1872, and in Berlin in 1875.