The largest power was the Austrian Empire, later Austria-Hungary, ruled by the Habsburgs.
After the Napoleonic Wars, the Holy Roman Empire was disbanded and broken into 39 German States.
These states and Austria formed the German Confederation, an economic union dominated by the Austrians.
Prussia’s Rising Power
The Kingdom of Prussia had been expanding and strengthening since the reign of Frederick I.
Prussia commanded one of the best-organized, supplied, and led armies in Europe, pioneering military ideas like the General Staff system.
Despite this, they were not considered Austria’s equal and would push to increase their power through nationalism.
Prussian Government
Until 1848, Prussia was a strict absolutist monarchy, but the revolution brought a liberal parliament to power.
This parliament constantly clashed with the King, Friedrich Wilhelm, and later Wilhelm I, who wanted to rule directly.
To secure conservative power, the king appointed Otto von Bismarck as chancellor.
Bismarck and Realpolitik
Bismarck’s personal style of politics has since been called “realpolitik” or the politics of reality.
In this style, ideology is ignored, and one does whatever is necessary to accomplish their goals.
His first act was exploiting a loophole in Prussian law when the parliament refused to pass a new budget for the king’s programs.
Blood and Iron
As head of the German government, Bismarck focused singularly on expanding the power and standing of Prussia.
Throughout the 1860s, he focused on unifying the German states under Prussia by any means necessary.
Famously, in his 1862 speech to the German parliament, he stated that the political questions of the day would be answered not with liberalism and words, but with power, with “Blood and Iron.”
Bismarck’s Plans Begin
The early expansion of Prussia under Bismarck came from a mix of nationalism and clever politics.
In 1864, Bismarck formed an alliance with Austria to “liberate” the German regions of Denmark.
This was a strategy to betray Austria after they divided up the regions of Schleswig and Holstein.
The Seven Weeks War
For two years, Bismarck planned to go to war with Austria, tempting Austria to attack first to make Prussia look good.
Using superior training, planning, leadership, and technology, they sprung on Austria like a mousetrap.
Austria lost territory and prestige and was kicked out of the German Confederation, leaving Prussia as the only major power among the German states.
Partial Unification
After the Seven Weeks War, Prussia declared the creation of the North German Confederation.
This was an extension of the previous economic union, giving them even more power over the industrial north.
The non-Prussian states were welcomed into the union with nationalism, comforting them, as they were all northern Germans.
The Franco-Prussian War
Bismarck baited France into attacking in 1867, similar to Austria in 1866.
Napoleon III was merely a competent administrator.
The Prussian army crushed the French army quickly, which made things more complicated.
Germany at Last
In the Franco-Prussian War, France had attacked not just Prussia, but the other German states too.
Bismarck approached these southern Germans with nationalist ideas, that they would be stronger united, protecting them from enemies like Austria and France.
On January 18, 1871, Wilhelm I of Prussia was crowned Kaiser of Germany, uniting the German states into one conservative empire.
The Balance of Power Breaks Down
With the formation of Germany, the Balance of Power created by the Congress of Vienna shattered.
Bismarck, for the rest of his career, tried to keep Germany out of wars, focusing on being a “satisfied state” and building alliances.
This changed with his firing in 1890, as the second German emperor, Wilhelm II, tried to expand even more to prove his power.