Unification of Germany

Obstacles to Unification

1. Kingdoms
2. Religion

Obstacles to Unification: Kingdoms

* people in the germanic kingdoms had no sense of nationalism to a larger, unified germany
* there would be a fight over power of a unified germany because of each kingdoms king
* the largest and most powerful kingdom is prussia

Obstacles to Unification: Religion

* there was a north-south geographical split (north germany is protestant and south is catholic)
* the southern germanic catholics had reason to be afraid of the northern germanic protestants
* they were afraid to be more oppressed, as they were a minority

Prior Attempts at Unification

1. Congress of Vienna, 1815
2. Zollverein, 1830
3. Frankfurt Assembly, 1848

Prior Attempts at Unification: Congress of Vienna

* 1815
* after napoleon was taken out of power, germanic liberals asked prince metternich of austria to add a unified germany to the map
* he said no because he was afraid of the strength of a unified germany

Prior Attempts at Unification: Zollverein

* 1830
* more of an economic unification of the germanic kingdoms
* they changed all the currency to be the same to encourage trade among the kingdoms
* they also reduced tarrifs

Prior Attempts at Unification: Frankfurt Assembly

* 1848
* germanic liberals offered the throne of a united germany to Frederick William IV
* he said no because the power came from the people and not God
* and he said not because he wanted to be an absolute monarch while their constitution had a limited monarch

Otto Von Bismarck

* prussian junker (yunker)
* had been a diplomat to France & Russia
* King William I makes him chancellor of Prussia and gives him a lot of power
* had a policy of “blood and iron”
* was a realpolitik

Policy of Blood and Iron

* blood symbolizes war and iron is industrialization of the germanic kingdoms

Realpolitik

* realistic politics
* machiavellian ideology
* the ends justify the means (do whatever it takes to reach your goal)

Bismarck’s Goal

to make King William I the king of a united germany so he could have more power under him as chancellor.

Wars of German Unification

1. Schleswig & Holstein, 1864
2. Austro-Prussian War, 1866
3. Franco-Prussian War, 1871

Wars of German Unification: Schleswig + Holstein

* 1864
* both territories had been owned by denmark
* austria helps germany in the war and they split the territories
* schleswig →prussia + holstein →austria
* bismarck had no intentions of allowing austria to keep the territory. he was just doing what he had to do for his plan in the moment

Wars of German Unification: Austro-Prussian War

* 1866
* bismarck claims that there is tension in the territories, so he invades
* takes holstein and the Northern German Confederation
* is careful to not invade mainland austria

Wars of German Unification: Franco-Prussian War

* 1871
* wants the southern germanic kingdoms to come to him so that he was not perceived as an aggressor
* secretly challenges france to war, and france invades the southern kingdoms
* the southern kingdoms turn to the north (prussia) for help and become a part of the unified germany
* gains Lorraine and Alsace (had lots of iron & coal)

William I becomes King of Unified Germany

* the 2nd reich (rule)
* saying that he is bringing germany back to “greatness”
* two-house legislature
* emperor and chancellor still have ultimate control and continue to dominate

How Does Bismarck build Nationalism?

* Brothers Grimm - wrote children’s stories to spread characteristics to children that would build a stronger germany and more nationalism
* create unified history and culture through an imagined past
* help generate a passion for united germany

Bismarck makes Germany an Industrial Powerhouse

* had substantial iron and coal resources
* the working class was strong in germany
* they followed the process of other countries
* had a rapidly growing population

The Iron Chancellor

* bismarck’s nickname that came from his focus on industrializing germany
* the characteristics of iron (strong, reliable, etc.)
* he sought to crush all opposition to his plans for unified germany
* he doesn’t want to kill people, just make them miserable until they change their ways

Enemy #1: The Catholic Church

* 1/3 of the German Population
* he wanted their loyalty to be to their country first, not the Pope or their religion
* he launches the kulturkampf (battle for civilization)
* laws passed to give the state rights over catholic education, appointment of priests, and compulsory civil marriage
* his plan backfires and he makes peace with the catholic church

Enemy #2: The Socialists

* political party, not economic socialism
* he believed that the socialists were fighting for things that were contradicting his goals for germany
* bismarck tries to dissolve their meetings
* his plan backfires and germany becomes the first ever welfare state

Kaiser William II

In 1888, William the I’s grandson takes over the throne and wants to make a mark on germany.

* he takes away bismarck’s power as chancellor
* believes in divine right
* spends a lot of money on the navy causing tension
* asks bismarck to resign