Date
1815
Event
Congress of Vienna created German Confederation, c39 states, kept
weaker than Austria by Austrian chief minister Metternich.
1818
Prussian Customs Union created, abolishing internal tariffs in Prussia Prussia’s
and allowing her to develop her economy.
1819
Carlsbad Decrees – laws used by Metternich to restrict press and
economy
grows
University freedoms, stopping spread of nationalist ideas.
1834
Zollverein created – a customs union of German states (not including
Austria) that eventually allowed Prussia to dominate the German
states economically. Started with 18 states.
1836
Zollverein now includes 25 states (26 million people).
1844
Zollverein now includes c34 states. Austria stays out of the union.
1847
Food prices and unemployment increase due to crop failures.
1848
March 13th – Metternich forced to resign in Austria.
attempts at
March – Riots in Berlin. Initially these radical revolutionaries were
Unification
Failed
supported by King of Prussia, Frederick Wilhelm IV.
May – Frankfurt Parliament (aka National Assembly) begins – 596
liberals elected from the German Confederation meet to plan a
constitution for a unified Germany.
Nov – Frederick Wilhelm IV rejected revolutions (became a
conservative/ reactionary) and regained control of Berlin.
1849
March – Frankfurt Parliament agree on a constitution for Germany
(‘Kleindeutschland’, without Austria), led by the King of Prussia.
April – Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia rejects the offer of a ‘crown from
the gutter’.
June – Frankfurt Parliament ends.
Erfurt Union – Prussia proposed leading a German Union, excluding
Austria.
1850
Nov 29th – Capitulation of Olmutz. A meeting at Olmutz were Prussia
was forced to back down from Erhurt Union plan by pressure from
Austria.
1851
May – The German Confederation is re-established.
1860
New Prussian Minister of War Von Roon introduces military reforms;
Steps to
longer military service, Army twice as big, etc.
Unifying
1861
Wilhelm I becomes King of Prussia.
Germany
1862
Otto von Bismarck made ‘Minister-President’ (Prime
Minister/Chancellor) of Prussia.
1863
King Frederick VII of Denmark dies. Bismarck sees an opportunity
to gain Schleswig and Holstein.
1864
Jan – Austria and Prussia go to war together against Denmark.
April – London Conference fails to establish a peaceful solution.
July – Denmark surrenders.
1865
Aug – Convention of Gastein – Austria gets Holstein (nearer to
Prussia), Prussia gets Schleswig. Bismarck knows that this solution
will eventually lead to conflict with Austria.
1866
Bismarck provokes disagreements between Austria and Prussia over
Holstein.
24th June – Seven Weeks’ War begins between Austria and Prussia.
3rd July – Austria badly defeated by Prussia at Battle of Sadowa.
August – Peace of Prague ends the war.
1867
July – North German Confederation created by Bismarck, made
Prussia the most powerful German state. Southern German states
(e.g. Bavaria) still follow Austria’s lead.
1870
Feb – Hohenzollern Candidate crisis – Bismarck offends the French
by attempting to place Leopold of Hohenzollern (a member of King
Wilhelm’s family) on the throne of Spain.
Jul 13th – The Ems Telegram is published, edited by Bismarck to look
as if King Wilhelm was rude to the French Ambassador whilst
discussing the Spanish throne issue.
July 19th – France declares war – Franco-Prussian War begins.
Sept 1st – French defeated by Prussia at Battle of Sedan, Napoleon III
captured.
Oct – French Army surrenders at Metz.
Nov – Southern German states (apart from Austria) agree to join a
German Empire, influenced by nationalist excitement.
1871
Jan 18th – German Empire declared in Palace of Versailles – Germany
created!
Jan 28th – France signs an Armistice ending the war.
May – Treaty of Frankfurt. France gives up Alsace and Lorraine and
has to pay Germany £200 million.
1872
Kulturkampf begins against Catholic power in Germany; Jesuit
priests expelled from Germany.
Bismarck’s
German
1873
May Laws passed by Falk against Catholic Church; Priests had to
attend a German University, Civil Marriage introduced.
1874
Centre Party (Catholics) won 91 seats in Reichstag.
1878
May – Max Hodel (an anarchist) tries to assassinate Wilhelm I. SPD
(Socialist Party) unfairly blamed.
Oct- Anti-Socialist law passed – Socialist meetings and publications
banned.
1879
Kulturkampf against power of Catholic Church ends; Falk dismissed
and some of the May Laws repealed.
1883
Sickness Insurance Act (example of State Socialism) passed.
1884
Accident Insurance Act (example of State Socialism) passed.
1888
Death of Kaiser Wilhelm I. New Kaiser Wilhelm II disagrees with
Bismarck.
1889
Old Age Pensions (example of State Socialism) introduced.
1890
SPD (Socialist Party) has increased support to 35 seats.
Anti-Socialist laws ended.
Bismarck forced to resign as Chancellor.
Empire