2. Unification of Germany

3. INFLUENCES ON GERMAN UNIFICATION:
Napoleon I abolishes 300-state H.R.E.; sets up
Confederation of the Rhine of 39 states
Congress of Vienna / Metternich reorganize states
into the German Confederation of 38 states led by
Austria, causing resentment by Prussia
Prussia’s free trade union, the Zollverein, led by
Junker class; excludes
Austria as member

4. conservative Junker is chosen prime minister by
OTTO VON BISMARCK (1861 – 1890)
conservative Junker is chosen prime minister by
Prussian Hohenzollern king, Wilhelm I
practices Realpolitik [realism: Do what is
necessary, not what is right or moral] to increase
Prussian military strength and to reduce or
eliminate Austrian influence

5. 3. uses
and
“blood and iron” tactics, earning him the nickname,
the “Iron Chancellor”
(German prime minister)

6. The Danish War – 1864
1). Prussia / Austria defeat Denmark to prevent
annexation of Schleswig and Holstein; each
administers one of the two

7. 2). Prussia accuses Austria of mistreating Germans in
Schleswig;
a reason for “blood and iron” tactics by
Bismarck to unify the German people
3). Bismarck persuades French emperor, Napoleon III,
to stay out of any possible conflict by promising him
French control of four
southern, Catholic German states;
Bismarck gets this promise for the territory in
writing from Napoleon III

8. 4 southern, Catholic German states

9. The Austro-Prussian War
(or the 7 Weeks’ War) – 1866
1). Austria no match for Prussian military strength
2). Bismarck forms the North German Confederation
without Austrian interference;
the only German states not included are the four
southern, Catholic territories secretly promised by
Bismarck and demanded by
Napoleon III for staying
out of the Seven-Weeks War;
one war left to unify the German people
under one empire and one emperor, Wilhelm I

10. 1). The Spanish throne becomes vacant and it is
c. The Franco-Prussian War – 1870
1). The Spanish throne becomes vacant and it is
likely to be inherited by a
Hohenzollern prince;
Napoleon III becomes anxious and sends a
telegram to Wilhelm I to discuss “problem”
2). Bismarck receives this “Ems” dispatch from
Napoleon III; Bismarck alters telegram wording,
releases it to the press, insulting Napoleon III
who declares war on Prussia to save face

11. The Giant German Ogre according to the French
3). Bismarck shows the four southern, Catholic German
states Napoleon III’s written demand; they join with
the rest of Germany to defeat France for the sake of
nationalism; all German states are now united
The Giant German Ogre according to the French

12. 4). Prussia wins France’s iron & coal-rich territories of
Alsace & Lorraine

13. 5). Kaiser Wilhelm I announces the establishment of the
2nd Reich (Hohenzollern reign) [1st Reich being the
H. R. E.] of the newly formed German Empire in 1871
at the French Palace of
Versailles
naming Berlin, Germany as its capital

14. “between Berlin and Rome”
CHANCELLOR BISMARCK’S GOALS AFTER UNIFICATION:
to prevent future wars for Germany
so he forms the Triple Alliance: Germany,
Austria-Hungary (the Dual Monarchy), and Italy to
isolate France
to encourage nationalism among all Germans, Bismarck
begins an unsuccessful 10-year
kulturkampf (cultural struggle)
against the German
Catholic Church
“between Berlin and Rome”

15. to prevent parliamentary democracy by protecting
the Hohenzollern monarchy; leads to development
of the Social Democratic Party in Germany
BISMARCK IS FORCED TO RESIGN IN 1890:
by new Kaiser, Wilhelm II, a practitioner of
militarism (glorification of war) because Bismarck
only wants peace for Germany
but “Kaiser Bill” builds Germany into a major
industrial / military European giant, leading to
direct conflict with
Britain and with
France leading to
World War I: