He was born in Vienna in 1805, where he graduated in law. In 1829 he joined the civil service, although he was opposed to Metternich’s system. In 1849 he was elected to the Parliament in Frankfurt, and was later a minister in Prince Schwarzenberg’s cabinet. He resigned in 1851 and was appointed president of the Most High Tribunal of Courts and Courts of Appeal. In December 1860 he became prime minister and issued the “February Decree”. He led the government until 1865, after which he was most often in the opposition. He died in 1893.
       The Town Council conferred honorary citizenship on von Schmerling at a meeting on 14 February 1862, at the time of the first anniversary of the Reichsverfassung’s (February Decree) issue on 16 February 1861. In the grounds for the award of the title, von Schmerling’s contribution to the issue of the decree was referred to, making reference to the importance the February Decree had for the freedom of the monarchy’s citizens and for the introduction of local government, not least in Cieszyn. The text of the beautifully decorated diploma, which had been signed by all the councillors, was read out at public plenary meeting of the Town Council on 26 February 1862 – the anniversary of the Decree’s issue. Von Schmerling received the diploma on 1 March 1862 from a delegation of the town’s authorities represented by Dr. P. Gabriel, Karl Prochaska and Ferdinand Ziffer.