German Unification
Chapter 23
Hohenzollern Dynasty
German Unification
 Single
most important political
development in Europe between
1848-1914
 Desired
for liberalsachieved for
illiberal reasons
 Balance of power transformed
– Economically
– Militarily
– Internationally
German Unification
 Transformations
determined
character of new German state
 United by
–Conservative army
–Monarchy
–Prime Minister (Prussia)
 Motive: outflank Prussian liberals
Background…
 1850s—Zollverein
& railroads
 Previous attempts to unify
–Prussia— Frederick William IV—
unify under Prussian leadership?
–Austria—opposedmight lessen
influence
–Liberals defeated 1848/49
What changed?
 Prussia:
domestic political changes &
problems
– Fredrick William IV—insane
 William
I (Wilhelm I)—Prussian
patriot
 #1 goal: strengthen ARMY
– Prussian parliament refused taxes
– Liberals within  block monarchy
– 2-year deadlock
Otto von Bismarck
 Junker
 Burchenschaft
– Interest in unification
 1840s
provincial diet
– Reactionary
 1851-1859—Prussian
minister to
Frankfurt Diet (German Confederation)
– Ambassador to Russia & France
 1862—William
I appointed as Prime
Minister of Prussia
Bismarck

Mellowed into conservative
– Opposed parliamentary government
– Approved constitutionalism w/strong monarchy
Strong industrial base
 Prussian patriot
 Pragmatist—more trust in power & action

– Iron & Blood speech
– 3 wars preserve peace
– “Laws are like sausages. It’s better not to see
them being made.”

Germany does not look to Prussia's liberalism,
but to her power. The South German States
would like to indulge in liberalism, and
therefore no one will assign Prussia's role to
them! Prussia must collect her forces and
hold them in reserve for a favorable moment.
Since the treaties of Vienna, our frontiers
have been ill-designed for a healthy national
state. The great questions of the time will be
decided, not by speeches and resolution of
majorities, but by blood and iron.”
 September 29, 1862
Prime Minister Bismarck
 Moved
against liberal parliament
 wo/ new taxes—Constitution allows
govt to carry on w/ previously
granted taxes
 taxes could be collected & spent
wo/ parliamentary approval
 Machiavellian principles
– Use system to change system
Big Question:
How to attract popular support away from
liberals toward monarchy & army?
 Use Prussian conservative principles to
unite Germany
 Kleindeutsch approach (no AUSTRIA)
 Complex diplomacy~~

Schleswig-Holstein
 Belongs
to Denmark (sort of)
 Germans & Danes
 Holstein  German Confederation
 1863—Denmark attempt annexation
 German Confederation—smaller states
propose WAR
 Bismarck—Prussia & Austria v Denmark
1864
– Easy victory—WHY?
Bismarck
PRESTIGE ↑
 Aug 1865 Austria &
Prussia

– Convention of Gastein
 Austria  Holstein
 Prussia Schleswig

Next step: Maneuver
Austria into war vs.
Prussia
Other nations….
Russia—Prussia gain sympathy by
supporting Russian suppression of Polish
revolt
 France—Nap III promised neutrality to
both Austria & Prussia
 Italy—would get Venetia if it attack Austria
in support of Prussia
 HOW TO PROVOKE WAR???

Pick a fight….
Constant tension—Schleswig-Holstein
 Prussians: be “obnoxious” to Austrians
anywhere & anytime
 Austria appealed to German
Confederation end dispute
 Austria violated terms of 1864 Alliance &
Convention of Gastein

Austro-Prussian War 1866
 7-weeks
war  Austria defeated
at Battle of Königgrätz in Bohemia
 Treaty of Prague 
–August 23, 1866
 Austria
lost Venetia  to Nap III
 to Italy
Ultimate consequences?







Hapsburgs permanently excluded from German
affairs
Prussia—only MAJOR power among German
states
North-German Confederation
Hanover
Supported Austria (losers)
Hesse ()
Annexed by Prussia
Nassau
Frankfurt
Rulers deposed
}
DEUTSCHLAND ÜBER ALLES
 President
– King of Prussia
 Represented by Chancellor Bismarck
 2-house legislature
– Upper—Bundesrat—federal council—
appointed by state’s governments
– Lower—Reichstag—elected universal male
suffrage (conservative)
 Responsible only to monarch
 Can’t originate legislation
Government…
All laws proposed by Chancellor
 Legislature had right to approve military
budgets
 Constitution – gives appearance of
liberalism
 1871– German Empire—military monarchy
 Nationalism more attractive than liberalism
 Army & monarchy– most popular
institutions

Southern States?

Machiavelli 
 Spain—military
II
coup deposed Isabella
– Leopold (Hohenzollern cousin)
 France—react strongly—WHY?
 Series of meetings—Leopold’s dad recalled
son (pulled off Spanish throne)
 France—Can
William I guarantee no
future Spanish thrones for Leopold?
 William I “I’ll take it under advisement.”
Manipulation
Communications back/forth France/Prussia
(Bismarck wanted/needed war with France)
Telegram—creative “editing”
“William I insulted France.”
France declared war July 19, 1870
 Renewed popular support – “no one kicks
our dog”
Southern States join Prussia v. France
Franco-Prussian War 1870

Battle of Sedan
– Germans defeated French army
– Germans captured Napoleon III

January 1871 – German Empire proclaimed
@ Versailles
– Southern Germans joined Northern German
Confederation
– Requested William I as Emperor
 Gained Alsace & Lorraine (French territories)
Germany
 New
powerful state in Central
Europe
–Natural resources
–Talented citizens
–German Empire stronger than Prussia
 CONSERVATIVE
 Backed other CONSERVATIVE powers
Licking their wounds…
2
nations most affected?
France & Austria
–Public demonstration of
weakness
Never underestimate the
power of one truly
determined person….
“I want to play the tune the way it
sounds to me or not at all…my
pride bids me command rather
than obey.”
Otto von Bismarck
Portents of future events??

“A generation that has taken a beating is
always followed by a generation that deals
one.”
 Bismarck on France

“Some [darned] foolish thing in the
Balkans.”
 Bismarck’s prediction on what would provoke the
next war