Unification of Germany

Background Middle ages 1800s: GE made up of 390 states Ruled by prices, dukes No proper govt Most influential state: AUSTRIA (dominant one) o Biggest territory o Strongest army Early 1800s, Napoleon = emperor of France o Spreading into EU, tried to conquer EU o Takes over state of GE and reorganises them o Changes from 390 states to 39 states Does this for easier control o Unite everyone under French law o Started unification process for GE o Problem? Didnt last long before he got defeated Sent back to France GE states free

GE Confederation (1815)
All little GE states = HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE Vienna Settlement: o Met with Austria to decide what to do about GE o GE confederation (bund) established Grouped most GE states together o Under napoleon, ideology of nationalism and liberalism BUT Prince Metternich, didnt encourage nationalism Karlsbad Decree o Censorship o Ensure people didnt talk about unification o AU most dominant member of Bund o At this time, Prussia had Growing population Many resources Growing industry 1

Zollverein (1834) Unified GE economically o Similar currency o Excluded Austria = was invited to join but rejected. Underestimated this union. o Became focal point of GE nationalism Wanted to form one country o BUT FAILED. Just because they were economically unifying, they didnt have same political views

Revolution (1848)
Problems? o Bad harvest food prices increased o Rising population overcrowding and poor hygiene o High cost of living o Low wages o People felt strain on freedom of speech in govt 1848 year of revolution in EU o FR revolution encourage GE revolution Vorparlament took over Diet of Confederation set up Constituent Assembly o Vorparlament took over Diet of Confederation - set up Constituent Assembly Frankfurt Parliament created constitution o Central govt o One Kaiser o Reichstag parliament that was set up Problem? o Boundaries of GE o Options a) Include GE-speaking AU (Grossdeutschland) b) dont include them (kleindeutschland) o Solution? Decided without AU = kleindeutschland PR had more power now!

REVOLUTION FAILED. Why? Many GE felt no sense of identity Disunity in parliament Lack of support especially from PR king Thus, aristocracy went back to normal

PRs Dominance over AU PR/Zollverein flourishing Industrialising happening High food production AUs weakness: o Agriculture not developed/not industrialising o During the Crimean War(1953), they played both sides and alienated both BR and FR RU Many resources o Raw materials o Trade internally and externally o Expansion of railways

1) Olmultz (1850) Frankfurt Parliament dissolved GE confederation back in power = AU dominant PR did not want to send representatives o Did not want to be under AU control o Wanted to be more modern Hesse-Cassel (area between Prussia) o AU sent troops in as a s threat/ultimatum to accept GE confederation o Troops occupied HC for a while = PR weak/tension/embarrassed Thus, PR accepts ultimatum at a place called Olmutz and AU reasserts its strength

2) Crimean War (1853) AU lost allies BR, FR and RU 3) The Zollverein (1856) Economically unified GE states EXCEPT Austria AU becomes isolated and does not industrialize 4) The 2nd war of Italian Independence (1859) AU lose territories & prestige & $$ HUMILIATING! Italy wanted to unify North-east region of Italy FR army help IT PR offered AU help but rejected after too many conditions 5) Otto Von Bismarck (1862) Chancellor/president of Prussia Comes from a wealthy Junker class Intelligent, well-educated, ruthless, arrogant and multilingual Believed in Realpolitik (do whats best for Prussia) Wanted to strengthen Prussia and believed in Prussias nationalism E.g. of his ruthlessness o Made people pay more tax military spending increase Shows how hes controlling and demanding 6) Austrias Reform Plan (1863) Wished to establish executive body o Reassert AUs dominance Bismarck threatened to resign if Kaiser joined in Kaiser did not and thus, PLAN DIES! MUAHAHAHA! 4

7) Danish War (1864-1865) Danish King had control over 2 independent states o Schleswig o Holstein Wanted to incorporate territory King Denmark dies during decision-making. Two possible successors: o Prince Frederick (GE like!) o Prince Christian (Danish like!) PR felt it should be theirs and Danish people shouldnt have a say Brings tension between AU and PR o AU tries to support PR = avoid war o Also takes away glory from PR PR and AU agreed to split it! o Schleswig PR o Holstein AU

8) Seven Weeks War (1866) Bismarck wanted AU out of Holstein AU defeated in seven weeks: o Had no allies FR had promised to stay neutral o Was attacked on 2 sides (IT helped PR) Kaiser wanted to defeat AU and take over them o BUT Bismarck stops him Saves diplomatic ties with AU Prevented EU resistance PR able to annex more land o North-GE confederation formed *Peace of Prague GE confederation didnt exist anymore North-GE created (AU not part of it) AU lost a lot of territory which PR got instead

9) N-GE Confederation (1867) Starts unifying kingdoms together, not by force Bismarck = chancellor of confederation Reichstag = parliament helping unification King Wilhelm = king of confederation

10) Luxemburg Crisis(1867) PR expanding = threat to FR Napoleon III wanted Rhineland but Bismarck doesnt want to give it up o So he chose Luxemburg instead o FR paid King of Holland a lot of $$ and offered protection King of Holland checked with Bismarck if ok, but he says no! o Thus, had a conference to discuss about territory o Result? Luxemburg neutral and independent PR army out FR cannot buy o Thus, tension between Bismarck and Napoleon III 11) Hohenzollern Crisis (1869-70) Spain had queen who was overthrown Prince Leopold Hohenzollern = possible heir o Bismarck :D o Napoleon III >:( o Prince = didnt care Bismarck bribed Spain to give Leopold the position Problem? o Bismarck was caught before Prince got position o France uproar! Thus, Kaiser Wilhelm stopped and pulled Prince out no war with FR over Spain o Bismarck SO ANGRY. Threatened to resign. 12) Ems Telegram (1870) FR request Wilhelm to make a public apology o Kaiser saw this unnecessary met in Ems to decide what to do o After meeting, Kaiser sent Bismarck telegram to inform about issues discussed Bismarck edited/shortened telegram o Made Kaiser superior to FR o Publishes letter in newspaper before kings return o FR read it and RAWR! Furious! o = WAR!!!!!!!!!! On N-GE confederation o PR made FR seem like the aggressor 13) Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) Bismarck managed to rally up all state o Unified country greatly o PR army led everything o PR captured 100 000 people, including Napoleon III (overthrown by FR people) 6

GE Army o Strong leader General Moltke o Effective equipments o High morale o Advantage with transportation

14) Frankfurt Peace Treaty (1871) Extremely harsh terms beginning of GE and FR tension o GE takes Alsace-Lorraine (bufferzone) o GE army stayed in East FR until large sum of money paid o OVERWHELMING VICTORY = unified GE!

JANUARY 1871 = GERMANY UNIFIED

Kaiser Wilhelm = Kaiser of GE (who was crowned in Versailles humiliation for FR)

Summary: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Olmutz (1850) Crimean War (1853) Zollverein (1856) The 2nd war of Italian Independence (1859) Otto Von Bismarck (1862) Austrias Reform Plan (1863) Danish War (1864-5) Seven Weeks War (1866) N-GE Confederation (1867) Luxemburg Crisis (1867) Hohenzollern Crisis(1869-70) Ems Telegram (1870) Franco-Prussian War (1870-1) Frankfurt Peace Treaty (1871)

Historiography
Orthodox o Bismarck was the driving force behind the unification o Driven by a master plan to accomplish this aim Others o Bismarck seen as opportunist o Step by step, changed his aims and finally support the national dream Revisionist o Strong economy and social forces created unification

The German empire was built more truly on coal and iron than on blood and iron Keynes

The German empire was built more truly on coal and iron than on blood and iron Keynes

The German empire was built more truly on coal and iron than on blood and iron Keynes

The German empire was built more truly on coal and iron than on blood and iron Keynes