1. Unification of Germany 1

2.  STALEMATE: ◦ Increased tension – Austria / Prussia  Nationalism – post Napoleon ◦ Loyalty to national identity increases ◦ Industrially German states begin to surpass other Continental states  Economic unity comes first ◦ Zollverein, 1834 (German customs union)  Economic agreements among states  By 1853 ALL States but Austria & Bohemia belong 2

3. 3

4.  Defeated by Napoleon – rises again ◦ Rhineland gained 1815  1848 King Frederick Wilhelm IV declines emperorship of the “Germanies” ◦ Frankfurt Assembly fails to unite  BUT in Prussia – constitution and bicameral legislature formed ◦ Reichstag = Lower house of parliament elected by universal male suffrage beginning 1848 BUT has very little real input ◦ By 1859 middle-class dominates the Reichstag BUT there is no ministerial responsibility  King Wilhelm I, 1861-1888 ◦ Wants army reforms – double and discipline, but…needs money - Opposed by Reichstag in 1862 ◦ Calls Otto von Bismarck as new Chief Minister 1862- 1866  Goal – defy Parliament! 4

5. 5 King William I of Prussia

6.  Bismarck, 1810 – 1898 (minister 1862-6) ◦ Junker of Old Brandenburg - conservative ◦ Motto: “One must always have two irons in the fire.”  Goal of Unity ◦ Initially: unify along northern (Protestant) lines with Prussia at the head  “Great questions…decided by blood & iron.” ◦ Reorganize finances to fund army - $ from other departments – defies Reichstag and raises taxes anyway ◦ Liberals in parliament oppose but DON’T ACT ◦ NEVERTHELESS more liberals elected to parliament 6

7.  “politics of reality” - Practice pragmatic politics (think Machiavelli) ◦ Make any alliance that appears useful at the time ◦ Disregard ethics and scruples ◦ Use any practical means to achieve the end goal ◦ Disregard ideology and belief in “natural” enemies/allies – an ally is an ally  Bismarck wages aggressive foreign policy ◦ Take attention away from problems at home ◦ Germany – not a big player in imperialism, so focus on weakening other Continental powers 7

8.  Schleswig-Holstein (occupied by Germans BUT coveted by Denmark) ◦ Denmark attempts incorporation of peninsula ◦ Austria encouraged to join Prussia in war against Denmark ◦ Denmark defeated:  Austria given authority over Holstein  Prussia given authority over Schleswig  Next Step: get Austria out of German affairs --- How???? ◦ Goad them into war by exacerbating tension on the peninsula => War with Austria 8

9.  Bismarck’s “problem” ◦ Wants to get rid of Austria but doesn’t want to upset other nations  Russia remains neutral b/c PR helped them out with the Poles in 1863  France “promised” territory in Rhineland for neutrality  Italy aides PR for Venetia  7 short weeks: Battle of Sadowa  Prussia had better transport (railroad)  Prussia had better weapons (breech-loading needle gun)  Prussia had better leaders  Consequences ◦ Austria is out of German affairs! ◦ Venetia ceded to Italy 9

10.  North German Confederation est’d. 1867 ◦ Prussia + 21 states ◦ Austria & S. German Catholic states remain independent  King Wilhelm I = President  Bismarck = Chancellor ◦ Bismarck responsible to President only  Centralized government – but not working with President and Chancellor ◦ Bundesrat (Senate – high ranking civil servants appointed by state governments) ◦ Reichstag (House – elected via universal male suffrage) ◦ Local issues handled by local leaders 10 Decide military and foreign policy

11. 11

12.  Franco-Prussian Tension ◦ Conflict begins in Spain  Revolution – Queen Isabella II overthrown  Wilhelm’s cousin invited to be king  Prince Leopold von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen  France protests – upset of balance of power  Fr. Ambassador at Ems – asks Wilhelm to prevent it – he caves to pressure  Fr. demands formal apology, Wilhelm refuses – sends “Ems dispatch” to Bismarck… 12

13.  Bismarck manipulates story ◦ Publishes “abridged” Ems Dispatch ◦ Did Wilhelm insult the French Ambassador and thereby the French???? (see Primary Source)  Why? ◦ War might force small German states to join N. Confederation ◦ Napoleon III  war might make him look better  French worried of threats of united Italy / now Germany uniting 13

14.  France declares war – July 15,1870  Short conflict ◦ 2 September 1870 Battle of Sedan  Entire French army and Napoleon III captured!! ◦ No help from other countries  England – vs. b/c moved on Mexico  Italians – see chance to seize Rome  Russia – see chance to put ships in Black Sea 14

15. 15

16.  Results: ◦ January 18, 1871 Versailles – Hall of Mirrors  Wilhelm I = Kaiser (Emperor) of German Empire!  Southern German states join N. German Confederation ◦ Paris under siege 4 months  Alsace and Lorraine given to Germany  France forced to pay 5 billion francs  Northern France occupied until 1873 when the money was paid off 16

17. 17

18. 18

19. Conservative Measures, prior to 1860 Liberal Measures, after 1860  Controlled the legislature  Censored the press  Discouraged political opposition  Drew support from army, land owners, French Catholic Church, peasants, & entrepreneurs  Free-trade agreement w/ GB  Allowed open debate in legislature  Lessened censorship  Allowed labor unions  Allowed moderates to for a ministry  Agreed to ministerial responsibility 19 WHY did Napoleon III agree to these changes??

20.  Nap III abdicates and dies 1873 in England  Monarchists est. Nat. Assembly under Adolph Thiers – Treaty of Frankfurt signed May 23, 1871  Parisians elect Paris Commune March 1871 – to govern Paris separately from France  May 21 – violence erupts, 20,000 Communards killed by Nat. Guard Contemporary Marxists saw this as true class conflict – was this the case?? 20

21.  How is it that France did not remain a monarchy after the Paris Commune was put down?  What political changes did MacMahon usher in as President and why did he resign? 21

22.  A new Republic  President serves 7 year term  Senate (indirectly elected) & Chamber of Deputies (universal male suffrage)  moderate Republican Leaders: Gambetta and Ferry – (to 1882)  Reform --- labor unions / colonial empire  Mounting anti-Catholicism ◦ Created state-sponsored schools – secular republican – replacing Catholic schools (by 1904 closed all 17,000)  3 Crises 1.Gen. Boulanger (1887-9) failed coup vs. republic – flees before coup takes place 2.Panama Canal (1892) promoters bribe gov’t – scandal! 3.Dreyfus Affair (1894-1906) 22

23.  Dreyfus Affair: Alfred Dreyfus, Jewish capt. in army - accused of spying for Germany  From Alsace – family left when Prussia took the territory  Convicted of treason and sent to Devil’s Island Prison  The French public questioned his conviction  Why? Evidence gathered shows innocent - points to Major Esterhazy --- but army won’t reopen the case  Family asks help of Emile Zola’s - open letter - J’accuse  Dreyfus in prison until 1898  Country split!!! Church / Army vs. Jews / Radicals  called back to France for retrial – 1899 pardoned  1906 exonerated  Results  Republicans / Socialists – block anti-republicans  Promote Anti-clericalism (because were vs. Dreyfus)  Republic survives --- up to 1914 23