World History/Cultures
Chapter 15 - Reaction & Nationalism
Section 2 Unification of Germany
What do you know about Germany? Web
it in groups!
 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.
 Add: Militarism: def: building up a
nation’s military forces and
equipment. Germany, France and
Russia all did this before WW1.


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.


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 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.


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.

 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.

 Bismarck
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.

 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.



War Against Denmark
King of Denmark ruled Schleswig & Holstein
territories.
 Schleswig- part German & part Danish. HolsteinGerman.
 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 Schleswig and Austria
gains control of Holstein. This strained
relationships between Prussia & Austria.
 War accomplished 2 of Bismarck’s goals: made
Europe aware of Prussia’s military strength &
reason to fight Austria.

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.


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.


Seven Weeks’ War con’t
1867: New North German Confederationmost German states north of Main River &
controlled their own domestic affairs.
Prussia controlled foreign policy and
national defense. Legislative authorityfederal 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.

 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.


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 SpanishGerman 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.

 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 which had
previously not joined Prussia now
allies with Prussia. Prussians defeat
French. Bismarck gains support from
all German states for unification
under Prussia.


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.

VLA Review: Web IT!!
Unification:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TVp9
SaJi4&playnext=1&list=PL88C3917BDEC7716
B
 Franco- Prussian War:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh2_Vozoaw Make a Timeline of 5 events
 7 weeks War:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgVpFTIcNk
