1. The Unification of Germany
Prussia
Displaces
Austria

2. Hohenzollerns v Hapsburgs
Hohenzollerns - Prussian Royal Family
Hapsburgs - Austrian Ruling Family
Both are Germanic dynasties
Both rule over significant numbers of Germans (and others)
1815 Confederation balanced power between the Austrians and Prussians
Both effected by 1848 revolutions

3. Otto Von Bismarck 1815 - 1898 Born in Berlin Studied Law
Brandenburg Junker Family
Studied Law
Benefitted from 1848 Revolutions
Enters Prussian Parliament 1849
Delighted at failure of Revolutions
Political Experience
Prussian Representative to Frankfurt
Ambassador to St Petersburg
Ambassador to France 1862
“A government must not waiver once it has chosen it's course. It must not look to the left or right but go forward.”
The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood.

4. Franz Joseph 1830 - 1916 Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary
Result of 1848 Revolutions
Uncle abdicated
Took part in pacification of Hungary 1849
Arch-Conservative
German ruling over multi-national empire

5. The Erfurt Union 1849 Debate over Prussia’s relationship to Germany
Austrian army tied up restoring order
Prussian Army easily restores order
Debate over Prussia’s relationship to Germany
King Declined invitation to rule over liberal 1848 Germany
The pre 1848 confederation and balance between Prussia and Austria blown away
The solution: The Erfurt Union
Defensive association of German Princes under Prussia’ protection
Conservative constitution that gave Prussia dominating control over neighbours
Forced upon German Princes

6. The Dissolution of the Erfurt Union
Reasons for failure of Erfurt Union
Austrian army rejuvenated by successes
Russia did not want a strong Prussia
German Princes suspicious of Prussia
Prussian Junkers just cared about their own estates and way of life
Not interested in the rest of Germany
Erfurt tested to destruction
Prince of Hesse-Cassel sought protection from his own subjects
Prussian and Austrian forces raced to mobilise first
The Two armies nearly clashed in their haste
However, Prussians had little stomach fighting over ‘Germany’
Russia wanted neither side to win & increase its power
Olmutz Agreement
Erfurt Union officially dissolved
German Confederation revived with Austro/Prussian balance
Humiliation for Prussia

7. 1850 Prussia Constitution
Designed to replace 1848 Liberal Constitution
King retained most power
Electorate divided into thirds
Three Class Franchise
High Taxpayers
Medium Taxpayers
Small Taxpayers
Would remain in place to 1918

8. ‘I am a Junker and mean to benefit by it’ Bismarck
Bismarck had one aim
The Preservation of the Junker class
A Predatory Military class
Loyal to Hohenzollerns
But only when it suited the Junkers
Patient
Prepared to cut deals with enemies
To hold off from humiliating vanquished foes
Originally wanted to work with Austria
Austrian obscurantism in Diet killed off this idea

9. International Events Open Door to Unification
Crimean War
Congress of Paris
Russians humiliated
Concentrate on undoing damage in Black Sea
At all costs
France
Napoleon III
Assumed uncle had lost because of ignoring nationalism
Therefore, he vows to help German and Italian nationalists
Franco-Austrian War 1859
Italy the main battleground
Austria lost Lombardy
Serious blow to Austrian prestige

10. New King, New opportunities
1858 Frederick William IV declared mad
Wilhelm I
Hard-headed practical leader
Not ‘liberal’ but not a romantic nationalist either
Initially appoints liberal leaning ministers
Authoritarian Bismarck was ‘put on ice’ at the court at St. Petersburg 1859
Fanatically pro-army
Clashes with ‘liberal’ parliament over army expenditure

11. ‘Blood and Iron’ 1861 Army Budget crisis Both sides dig heels in.
War Minister Roon wanted to increase conscription intake
Parliament agreed in principle but only if paid for by cut in service from 3 years to 2 years
Both sides dig heels in.
Wilhelm threatens to abdicated
Bismarck invited by Roon and Wilhelm to solve problems
“The great questions of the day will not be settled by speeches and the resolutions of majorities – that was the great mistake from 1848 to 1849 – but by blood and iron”
Bismarck simply ignores parliament
Army reforms carried out
Taxes increased and collected
Claims that there was a hole in the constitution
King and parliament had to agree for legislation
No agreement then the King can decide
Liberal parliament was powerless
Bismarck had created a dual dictatorship
Bismarck & Wilhelm

12. 1863 Polish Revolt Poland split
Russia 50%
Prussia 40%
Austria 10%
Austria supported the Polish nationalists
Russia and Prussia combine to suppress Poles
‘The Alvensleben Agreement’
Most disturbances were in Russian sector
Russia grateful for Prussian support
Prussia free to turn attention to south and west

13. 1863 Frankfurt Meeting
Austria proposed a new Federal Germany uniting all the German states together
Wilhelm intrigued and wished to meet emperor Franz Joseph at Frankfurt
Bismarck appalled
Junker and therefore Prussian power would be greatly reduced in this new super parliament
Threatened to resign if Wilhelm attended
Wilhelm backs down and does not attend
Last chance for peaceful, negotiated unification

14. Schleswig Holstein – Again!
1848
Prussia had invaded only to withdraw after British and Russian threats of war
1863/4
Last male Danish King dies
Duchies could not be passed on to a woman
Therefore Denmark invades and takes by force
Austria and Prussia rush to reconquer duchies
Prussians did not really want any help
Russia happily turns a blind eye
Napoleon III did not wish to stand in nationalist Germany’s way
Britain Impotent
Treaty of Gastein
Schleswig to Prussia
Holstein to Austria

15. Bismarck’s Isolation of Austria
France and Russia were both Neutral
A formal secret alliance with Italy
Venice the chief target of Italians
An implicit understanding with Nationalist Magyars within Austrian Empire
Surprise deal to German radicals
Full Universal Suffrage offered for new German parliament
Confounded supporters and opponents alike
2/3rds of Germany still poor peasants

16. 1866 Austro-Prussian War Three week campaign (7 week war)
Only one battle of Sadova
Efficient Prussian army moved quickly and decisively against inefficient Austrian army
Treaty of Prague
Showed Bismarck’s restraint
He took no continental land from Austria
Just Holstein
But, Austria excluded from German affairs and German confederation dissolved
North German Confederation created of those German states who fought with or were conquered by Prussia in the seven week war

17. Austria struggles for survival
Ausgleich 1867
New Constitution
Magyars given equal status within empire
Hungary virtually independent within empire
Creation of Dual Monarchy
Revenge prohibited
Liberals and Magyars happy with new arrangement and therefore blocked any attempts to undo Prussian dominance in Germany

18. Prussia Turns on France
Russia still turns a blind eye
France had been one of the Crimean War victors
Austria still battling for survival
War provoked by Ems Telegram
Dispute over a Hohenzollern claim to the Spanish throne
Bismarck deliberately changed the wording of a telegram between Wilhelm and the French ambassador
He made it appear that Wilhelm had insulted and rejected the French proposals
The French reacted angrily and declared war
The Prussian Army was superbly lead, highly mobile and easily defeated the French army
Paris commune and then capitulation
Bonaparte deposed
Alsace and Lorraine handed to Prussia

19. A New Germany declared in France!
1871 Versailles
A united Germany was declared in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles
Including the newly conquered territories of Alsace and Lorraine
A Triumph of will
Clever diplomacy
Lightening (and therefore cheap) campaigns
Restraint
Organisation