Bismarckian politics
William I.,
King of Prussia
Germany after 1815
German unification I
• Bismarck is a power politician
German unification I
• Bismarck is a power politician
• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a
unified „small“ Germany
German unification I
• Bismarck is a power politician
• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a
unified „small“ Germany
• He is a conservative Junker
German unification I
• Bismarck is a power politician
• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a
unified „small“ Germany
• He is a conservative Junker
• „Decisions are made by blood and iron“
German unification I
• Bismarck is a power politician
• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a
unified „small“ Germany
• He is a conservative Junker
• „Decisions are made by blood and iron“
• Revolution from above – unification by the
means of war
German unification I
• War against Denmark in 1864
German unification I
• War against Denmark in 1864
• War against Austria in 1866
The battle of Königgrätz ,
July 1866
The North German Confederation 1867
German unification I
• War against Denmark in 1864
• War against Austria in 1866
• War against France in 1870/71
Bismarck leads Napoleon III. to William I. after the battle of
Sedan, 2. September 1871
William I is proclaimed German emperor in the Hall of
Mirrors in Versailles, 18. January 1871
Hissing of the German flag at Vanves, 19. January 1871
German Empire 1871
Marianne comforting Elsa after the loss of Alsace-Lorraine
German unification II
Custom‘s Union 1834
German unification II
Customs Union 1836
German unification II
Customs Union 1854
German unification II
Customs Union 1871
German unification III
• „If we place German liberalism in the full
European context, then the investment of liberal
hopes in the Bismarckian settlement of 67 – 71
appears not as a liberalism-denying
compromise, but as a powerful, if unfinished,
realization of liberal visions of the future (…)
Germany was remade along the lines German
liberals had broadly envisaged.“
Geoff Eley
Kulturkampf
• All schools placed under state supervision
Kulturkampf
• All schools placed under state supervision
• Jesuit order banned (1872)
Kulturkampf
• All schools placed under state supervision
• Jesuit order banned (1872)
• May Laws (1873)
Kulturkampf
•
•
•
•
All schools placed under state supervision
Jesuit order banned (1872)
May Laws (1873)
Civil marriage introduced (1874/75)
Kulturkampf
•
•
•
•
•
All schools placed under state supervision
Jesuit order banned (1872)
May Laws (1873)
Civil marriage introduced (1874/75)
Suspension of church subsidies,
dissolution of religious orders (1875)
Ferdinand Lassalle
August Bebel
Foundation of the German Social Democratic Party in
Gotha 1875
Anti-socialist bill 1878
• Socialist and communist meetings,
societies and publications forbidden
• Socialist agitators expelled
Anti-socialist bill 1878
• Socialist and communist meetings,
societies and publications forbiden
• Socialist agitators expelled
• Socialist parliamentary party persisted!
Results of the federal elections
in 1878 and in 1890
poor family
in Berlin
around 1900
German welfare state
• Sickness insurance act in 1883
German welfare state
• Sickness insurance act in 1883
• Accident insurance act in 1884
German welfare state
• Sickness insurance act in 1883
• Accident insurance act in 1884
• Sickness and accident insurance for
agricultural workers in 1886
German welfare state
• Sickness insurance act in 1883
• Accident insurance act in 1884
• Sickness and accident insurance for
agricultural workers in 1886
• Old age and invalidity insurance act in
1889
Europe at the age of Bismarck
Bismarckian system
• Three Emperors‘ League in 1873
(Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)
Berlin Congress, 1878
Bismarckian system
• Three Emperors‘ League in 1873
(Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)
• Dual Alliance in 1879 (Germany – AustriaHungary)
Bismarckian system
• Three Emperors‘ League in 1873
(Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)
• Dual Alliance in 1879 (Germany – AustriaHungary)
• Three Emperors‘ Agreement in 1881
(Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)
Bismarckian system
• Three Emperors‘ League in 1773
(Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)
• Dual Alliance in 1879 (Germany – AustriaHungary)
• Three Emperors‘ Agreement in 1881
(Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)
• Triple Alliance in 1882 (Germany – Italy –
Austria-Hungary)
Bismarckian system
• Mediterranean Agreement I and II in 1887
(Britain, Italy, Austria-Hungary)
Bismarckian system
• Mediterranean Agreement I and II in 1887
(Britain, Italy, Austria-Hungary)
• Reassurance Treaty in 1887 (Germany
and Russia)
William II
German emperor
Dropping
the pilot 1890