Studied by 7 people
why did romanticism and nationalism appear?
french troops came in with enlightenment ideas and tried to replace laws and judicial processes
what happened september 1814 in viena?
social and political conservatives wanted to restore the rule of the royal families, and reject liberalism and nationalism.
Prince Klemens von Metternich was at the head of this movement
explain the metternich system
it was a negative policy: used repressive methods (spies and stationing troops away from their home towns) to keep order
designed to keep the rule of absolute monarchy
against any type of change
explain the German Confederation
june 1815
a loose association of states with Austria as the leader
boundaries of the old HRE (excluded some german-speakers and included some non-german speakers)
representatives of each state met in Frankfurt for the Diet
Diet was in charge of external policies
Diet was biased in favour of Austria
Prussia in 1815
largest german state, but still mostly rural
ruled by authoritarian Friedrich Wilhelm III and supported by landowning conservatives
won land in 1815 and population doubled to 10 million
could become a threat to austria but they were both conservative
Liberalism for the middle class
promoted by business people, uni students and professionals
removal of guilds
more newspaper, literacy, knowledge of public affairs and societies
middle class had the money but not the power of the upper classes
wanted a constitutional monarchy, not a republic
freedom of speech and fair trials
laissez-faire economics
liberalism for middle class - working class was radical
Liberals believed that, if given freedom, people would work to improve their circumstances, and this would help society as a whole to make progress.
liberalism and nationalism
first half of the 19th century went hand in hand
same race, language, culture or history should be united
burschenschaften - united germany
common people - day to day struggles
loyalty to region, not greater germany
no religious unity
no equal industrialisation
Carlsbad decrees
universities to have an ‘extraordinary commissioner’ to control the programme
press was censored
central inverstigation commission to stop liberal and nationalistic ideas
liberalism in the south
1830 Charles X was replaced by King Luis Philippe and a parliamentary monarchy
four other states we forced to grant constitutions and increase freedom of press
Hambach Festival
may 1832
nationalist called for a united germany
acquitted by an ordinary court but imprisoned by a special court
SIx Articles of June 1832
limited rights of elected assemblies
supremacy of federal law over state law
Ten Articles of July
banned political meetings and festivals
elected assemblies in the 1830s
princes had the right to veto
different values to different votes
indirect voting
restricted voting
economic development 1800-1850
around 70% of people still relied on agriculture
consumer goods grew
railway development led to heavy manufacturing
custom barriers and foreign products didn’t face duties so it slowed economic growth
Prussia abolished internal customs in 1818 - formed a larger market and reduced the prices of goods
Zollverein
January 1834
customs union of 18 states
combined population of 26 million people
income was divided fairly based on the size of the states
common currency and measurement system
Austria didn’t join - Prussia became a leading power economically
grossdeutschland vs kleindeutschland
June 1840
Freidrich Wilhelm IV become king of Prussia
complex and unstable character
relaxed censorship
gave more power to provincial Diets
rejects single parliament for all Prussian territories
1848
year of revolutions
Feb. France → mar. Austria → Spain
social and economic causes:
bad harvests 1846-47
rising food prices → economic downturn → lower wages
recession of textile industry
increased taxes
poor working conditions
outbreak of revolution in Germany
middle class wanted higher social status
wanted political change but keeping the monarchy
Grand Duke Leopold, Baden - allowed free press and trial by jury
demanded a german national parliament
france encouraged liberal demands
various princes had to accept some demands
there was a meeting in Heidelberg march 1848 for a pre-parliament to create a constituent assembly for a german constitution
disagreements during 1848
Prussia wanted to expand its railway system but needed money
Junkers didn’t want to give them money
Prussia called the Diet, but they also denied help
workers faced competition in the factories
the Diet demanded a constitution but the king said no and dissolved it
metternich’s fall in viena caused disturbances in Berlin
except in Prussia, most revolutions were peaceful
weaknesses of the revolutions
division between revolutionary groups: working vs. middle-class
recovery of the Austrian monarchy:
princes offered concessions while they waited for military support from Austria and prussia
Freidrich Wilhelm IV
he was inconsisten in his opinions and decisions
allowed the election of an assembly to draw up a constitution for Germany
changed his mind and dissolved it
dec. 1848 - new political settlemeny
feb. 1850
two chamber parliament
king would retain power, could change the constitution
ministers would respond to the king
system of the landtag favoured conservatives
three tier suffrage based on taxes paid
one third chose 85% of the parliament
Herrenhaus was chosen by the king
Frankfurt parliament (professors parliament)
may 1848 - june 1849
all male, mostly well-off professionals
liberal in politics with some radicals
strong central government
more power over the states than the Diet had
June 1848 - provisional central power under liberal Austrian prince until a constitution was agreed on
dec. parliament approved 50 fundamental rights
equality before the law
freedom of press
freedom from arrest without a warrant
collapse of the Frankfurt parliament
disagreed on territorial bounds
offered the crown to Freidrich Wilhelm IV but he rejected it
Prussia was the only one that could stand up to austria
took time to organise, lacked experience
lacked means of enforcing decisions
the delays allowed princes to recover and oppose the parliament
mar. 1850 Erfurt Union of German states
unity under Prussian leadership
strong central government, elected assembly
excluded austria but still offered it a special position
Three King’s Alliance - Saxony, Hanover and Prussia
Nov. 1850 Humiliation of Olmütz
austria’s chief minister revived the Diet
Hanover, Baden and Saxony abandoned the Union
Hesse-Cassel had a problem between elector and parliament
parliament → prussia
elector → austria
prussia couldn’t stop austria’s troops
austria had russia’s support
prussia left the Union
asutria restored its leadership among the states
may 1851 german confederation framework was restored
Austria post-1849
austria’s militray was busy with internal conflicts
russia lacked austia’s support during the crimean war and relations broke down
economic downturn 1850
lacked direct access to trade
relied on prestige and diplomatic means to dominate
Prussia post-1849
it’s north-central position was advantageous
the most economic advances in the next 10 years
railway increased by 46% (state and private sector)
iron and steel sectors were stimulated
increase of coal output by 400%
gov increased income by interests and the Zollverein so taxes went down
population growth and banking system
1862 franco-prussian treaty allowed it to enter the western economy
ready to compromise traditional authority
resentment towards austria
Zollverein post-1850
fourth largest economy in europe
granted economic domination of germany
austria tries to join but wants high protective tariffs
reaches a deal in 1853 but never actually joined
it didn’t allow political domination as it helped smaller states gain power and independence
Otto von Manteuffel’s reforms 1850-58
conservative, wanted economic and social development without giving in to radicals
blocked traditionalists
supported private enterprises in coal and iron
offered loans, better conditions after willing displacement and better working conditions to discourage liberal ideas
Wilhelm I
jan 1861 he becomes king
not a liberal but accepted the constitution
focused on bettering the army
wanted an increased military budget
franco-austrian showed prussia’s military weakness
plans alarmed liberals so they agreed to fund it only for a year
miltary reforms:
150000 soldiers
40000 young men underwent 2 years of training and spent 2 years in reserve - changed to 3 training yrs + 5 years in the reserve
Landwehr - semi-civilian militia separate from the army - questionable effectivity and loyalty - solution -> merge with army
25% tax increase - but economy was booming
Otto von Bismark
sept. 1862 he becomes Minister-President of Prussia
methodical (disraeli conv)? or opptunistic (junker and conservative)
stormy king-minister relations
passed policies against the kinds wishes
good at manipulating him ‘my way or the highway’
‘blood and iron’ speech; army crisis tax collection without parliamentary support
ruthless politician
unification of Germany
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