for which the Empire was responsible for, or was entitled to legislate on: Business activity Matters concerning natives of one state who were resident in another Citizenship Surveillance of foreign individuals and businesses The issuing of passports Insurance business (with some exceptions for Bavaria) Colonial activity Emigration Administration of imperial revenue Regulation of weights and measures Coinage and the issuing of paper money Banking Intellectual property Protection of German trade and shipping outside of the country Consular representation abroad Railways (with some exceptions for Bavaria) Road and canal construction for means of national defence Management of inter-state shipping Post and telegraphic services (with some exceptions for Bavaria and Württemberg) Authentication of public documents Civil law, including its administration Criminal law, including its administration The Imperial Army and Navy Supervision of the medical and veterinary professions. Press Trade unions Citizenship A single German citizenship was created, with equal treatment of citizens within each state guaranteed (Article 3). However, until 1913, a person would hold the citizenship of the Empire as a result of holding the citizenship of one of the States. Therefore, initially, the criteria for becoming a citizen (the rules of acquisition of citizenship by descent, birth, marriage, legitimation, for a German through admission, or through naturalization), were laid down by the separate laws of the individual States. Only on 22 July 1913 was a common uniform Nationality Law for the Empire – the Nationality Law of the German Empire and States (Reichs- und Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, shorthand: RuStAG) – adopted. Imperial officials Formally, imperial officials were appointed and dismissed by the Emperor. They were required to take an oath of allegiance. Imperial officials appointed from one of the states were guaranteed the same rights as given them by their native state. (Article 18) Amendments The constitution was amended on 20 December 1873 by the Lex Miquel-Lasker to make the entirety of civil law the responsibility of the Empire. However, it took some two decades before a national civil code was finally promulgated (as the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch). In 1911 the constitution was amended to treat the Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine as a state in some regards, including limited voting power in the Bundesrat. The constitution was heavily amended in the waning days of World War I. The amended document, known as the Oktoberverfassung ("October Constitution") was debated and passed by the Reichstag in late October 1918. The most important changes were: Declarations