The term Kommerzienrat is an honorary commercial title that was awarded primarily in Germany and Austria from the 19th to the early 20th century. It was given to successful and respected businesspeople in recognition of their economic contributions, entrepreneurship, or service to commerce and industry. It was bestowed upon businesspeople by the state or a monarch, and could not be earned through market dominance, for example. The title was often associated with social prestige, civic respectability and local or regional influence.
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