1. World History/Cultures
World History/Cultures Chapter 15 - Reaction & Nationalism Section 2 Unification of Germany

2. Terms
realpolitik- political theory that national success justifies the use of any means.
kaiser- title of the German emperor.
chancellor- title of the chief minister.

3. Background
1815: 39 independent German states north & south from Baltic Sea to the Alps and east & west from Rhine River to Russian Empire.
Austria & Prussia most powerful of German states.
Divided & economically disadvantaged. The Reformation & Thirty Year’s War divided Germany socially & politically.
1871: Germany unites, excluding Austria & Switzerland.

4. Toward Unity
1815: German Confederation a buffer against France created by the Congress of Vienna. Established closer economic ties in German states.
German Confederation tied together by a diet (assembly) at Frankfurt. Austria dominated Confederation.
Austria head of diet conflicted with Prussia. Austria & smaller German states want unification. Why? They were afraid of economic competition & didn’t want to be controlled by Prussia.

5. Toward Unity con’t
Prussia: strong government & economy. Political power held by Junkers who were landowners. Business people demand share of political power.
1834: German states form Zollervein or economic union- wanted to reduce trade barriers. This unification step strengthened Prussia & weakened Austria.
1848: Power shifts to liberals in German states & Assembly tries to unify under a liberal constitution. Feuding occurs & conservatives stay in power. Liberals & radicals fled to U.S.
1850’s: conservatives control nationalist causes.

6. Bismarck
Conservatives depend on Prussia for unification.
1861: William I becomes King of Prussia. Wants strong military. Liberals oppose army & want democratic policies to gain support from German states. Large army not supported by Prussian assembly.
King William I appoints Otto von Bismarck prime minister who supports strong military.

7. Bismarck continued
Bismarck supports realpolitik- right of a nation-state to pursue own advantage by any means, including war and repudiation of treaties.
1862: Bismarck defies finance committee of Prussia’s lower assembly by getting army budget through by collecting taxes without authorization.

8. Bismarck’s Goals
Raise money to expand army.
Use Prussia’s military & economic power to reduce Austrian influence in German states.
Unify Germany excluding Austria & Switzerland under Prussian rule.
To accomplish goals, goes to war three times.

9. War Against Denmark
King of Denmark ruled Schleswig & Holstein territories.
Schleswig- part German & part Danish. Holstein- German.
Germans in Holstein appeal to larger German states when King Christian IX proclaims Schleswig a Danish province in1863.
1864: Bismarck persuades Austria to join Prussia to fight Denmark to prevent them from getting Schleswig.
Austria & Prussia win war & force Denmark out. Prussia had control of Shleswig and Austria had control of Holstein. Strained relationships between Prussia & Austria.
War accomplished 2 of Bismarck’s goals: made Europe aware of Prussia’s military strength & reason to fight Austria.

10. Seven Weeks’ War
Bismarck sides with Russia, France & Italy & eliminates allies for Austria.
Bismarck gained support when Austria sided with the duke of Augustenburg who claimed Schleswig & Holstein.
To stop alliance between Austria & the duke, Prussian troops sent to Holstein.
Austria asked German Confederation to take military action against Prussia for invasion of Holstein. Bismarck declares war against Austria.

11. Seven Weeks’ War con’t
June 15, 1866: Start of Seven Weeks’ War between Austria & Prussian. Prussian victory. War’s purpose- separate Austria from Germany & prevent a united Germany under Austrian control.
Austria not treated harshly as could be ally later.
Treaty ended Seven Weeks’ War: dissolved German Confederation; gave Holstein to Prussia & Venetia to Italy; & new organization for Germany without Austria’s participation.

12. Seven Weeks’ War con’t
1867: New North German Confederation- most German states north of Main River & states controlled own domestic affairs. Prussia controlled foreign policy and national defense. Legislative authority- federal council made of representatives from governments & a diet (assembly) elected by males.
Establishing a strong confederation by Prussia made Bismarck a hero among German nationalists.
Bismarck still had to complete unification of Germany.

13. Franco-Prussian War
Catholic Southern German states not part of new German Confederation. Feared Protestant Prussia’s military & control of Germany.
Kingdoms of Bavaria & Wurttenburg opposed unification under Prussia.
France opposed German unification & wanted some territory to agree to it.
Bismarck lured France into war.

14. Franco-Prussian War con’t
1866: Queen Isabella of Spain dethroned. Spanish government offers their throne to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern, Catholic cousin of William I of Prussia.
Napoleon III protested- feared Spanish-German alliance against France. Leopold declines throne.
July 1870: France demanded promise from William that no one from Hohenzollern take the Spanish throne. He refused & sent telegram from German resort at Ems to Bismarck about his meeting with French ambassador.

15. Franco-Prussian War con’t
Bismarck changed telegram & made it appear William insulted the French & released telegram to the press.
French enraged & declare war on Prussia.
July 19, 1870: Franco-Prussian War starts. Southern Germany allies with Prussia. Prussians defeat French. Bismarck gains support from all German states for unification under Prussia.

16. Empire
Jan 18, 1871: William I becomes Kaiser or emperor of a united Germany.
Bismarck became Chancellor or chief minister.
25 German states become one nation.
Kaiser head of national government- made appointments, commanded military during war & determined foreign policy.
Prussian Junkers shared power with wealth industrialists.
Unification did not make Germany a model democratic state.
Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia, William’s son a liberal who supported reform. Did not like Bismarck’s tactics & policies but did nothing about them.