ISSUE 4 Reasons for
German Unification
OVERVIEW
Overview
 GERMANY NOT UNITED UNTIL 1871.
 HOW??????
 Familiar factors- Economic, cultural, military weakness if alone etc.
 New factors
 Prussia gaining even more power.
 Austria weakening.
 Bismarck. --- how? 3 wars. War 1 Vs Denmark- show Prussia as
Germany’s protector. War 2- Vs Austria get rid of her War 3 Vs France
unite north and southern states using common enemy (French)
 Historiography- was Bismarck the main reason? Did he plan it in advance
or was he an opportunist?
Key Characters
Key men in power
1861 King William 1 of Prussia
1859 von Roon, Prussian Minister of War
von Moltke, Chief of Prussian General
Staff
• 1862 Bismarck Minister-President and
Foreign Minister.
•
•
•
•
Issue 4
An evaluation of the reasons for Unification up to
1871:
What this includes:
• Cultural Factors.
• Prussian economic strength
• Prussian military strength
• The role of Bismarck
• The attitude of the states
• Actions of Napoleon III
• Decline of Austria
Homework/sup- read intro on p. 107
Bismarck
 Type of character he was
 His army reforms
 His diplomacy/brilliance
 Hitler “forge of the Reich”
 Wanted to increase Prussia rather
than unite the country
 Manipulated factors
 Planning the wars
 Pflanze/Williamson
Wars of Unification
 These led to unification under Germany
 They got rid of Austria as a leader
 Showed smaller countries how powerful
Prussia was
 Made new Germany strongest in Europe
 United the people against outside forces
How important was
_____________ in the
unification of Germany?
Growth of Nationalism
 Language
 Culture- poems, books, plays
 Religious loyalty (Protestant in the
North/Catholic in the South)
 Romantic movement
 DID NOT unify Germany on its own
Mistakes of Others
 Danish fell into the trap for the
war
 Napoleon believed he would get land
 Austria over Schleswig/Holstein
 Ems Telegram
Economic
 Economic
unity(Zollverein)
 States were relying on
each other and in
particular – Prussia
 Time of prosperity, it
worked
 The “Mighty Lever” –
Stiles
 Expansion of Prussian
economy through the
Rhineland and railways
Decline of Austria
 Lack of Economic power
 Backward army
 Not supporting Austria
 Losing place as head of German
confederation.
cultural
REVISION!
MINDMAP ALL YOU REMEMBER ABOUT
CULTURAL FACTORS.
Remember to include
quotes/facts/positives and negatives
(extra info- McKichan p.26)
Cultural factors
 Burchenshaften
 Romantic movement- Beethoven, Grimm,
 25mill language
 “fatherland” quote.
 “multitude of invisible bonds”
 Still religious divides
 Only educated people.
 Wasn’t enough to unite Germany.
The Continued Growth of
Nationalism
 1.
The Nationalverein 1859-1867
 Was a group of Prussian liberals and nationalists
 Aims
 agitated for a national federation of German states under the leadership of Prussia
 2.
The National Liberals = Prussian political party
established due to the Nationalverein
ADD THIS TO THE NOTES YOU ALREADY HAVE
Paragraph
Cultural factors were of limited importance in
the unification of Germany.
They did help Germany unite as……..
(&examples)
However they were less important because……
Prussian economic strength
HOMEWORK/SUPP- READ BOOK P.109
Prussian Growth
 Prussia grew in power for a variety of
reasons between 1815 and 1860, which
meant that the Prussian state would
eventually be the leading power in
unifying the German nation under
Prussian domination. It is important to
remember that Prussia developed as
Austria declined and the combination of
the two processes was what led to the
creation of a German nation state or
Kleindeutschland which excluded Austria.
Growing Prussian
Economic Strength
Growing Prussian economic strength
was a major reason behind German
unification. It could be argued that the
Prussian economy was the ‘engine’ – i.e.
the strength and driving force behind
unification.
The economic dominance of Prussia led
to military dominance, which in time
would lead to political dominance.
The growth of Prussian Industry
 By the 1850s Prussia was leading the economic
development of the German states. By then, the
German states produced 14 million tonnes of
coal, compared to Austria’s 2 million tonnes.
Over twice as much pig iron was produced in the
German states than in Austria and the German
states had over 5,800 km of railways, compared
to 1,500 km in Austria.
 This was to have major implications for German
unification in the 1860s. The Prussians were able
to mobilise their troops very quickly at the start
of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866. In 1870,
when the Franco Prussian War broke out, the
Prussians were able to mobilise quickly and
invade France, as they had four railway lines to
the front, compared with France’s one.
The Rhineland
 The Rhineland became part of Prussia in 1815,
after the defeat of Napoleon.
 The discovery of raw materials (mostly coal and
iron) in the Rhineland and the Saarland was
exploited by Prussia.
 The problem of how to transport raw materials
from the Rhineland to the factories of Berlin and
the rest of Prussia led directly to the formation of
the Zollverein.
 The acquisition of the Rhineland by Prussia (after 1815
Confederation agreement) was important to Prussia because:
 Rhineland has
 main mineral deposits of coal, iron ore, lead, oil
 Is major transport/trade link to North Sea
The Zollverein
 There is some debate about whether the Zollverein was a political
union or purely an economic one, but there is no doubt that it
strengthened the links between Prussia and the rest of the
German states.
 The Zollverein contributed to the growth of Prussian railways,
which transported people, as well as raw materials from state to
state, tightening the bonds between the German states and,
arguably, making unification more likely.
 The Zollverein expanded in the 1850s to include all but four
(including Austria) of the German states by 1854.
 1850s to 60s Zollverein continued to be important to
Prussia because:
 1. the economic dominance of Prussia led to military dominance,
which in time would lead to political dominance.
 2. the Zollverein encouraged an anti-Austrian tradition among the
Prussians so they would try to make sure any German nation
would be led by Prussia without Austria.
Reasons for Prussian Growth- SUMMARY
 Population growth-more citizens to work in factories, become soldiers, etc.
 Industrial growth- Prussian factories produced vast quantities of munitions and
other manufactured goods to sell both at home and abroad. Prussia became a
leading power in the development of certain chemical products eg dyestuffs and
weapons. Massive quantities of coal, iron and steel were produced.
 Economic growth – productive factories and farmland meant a healthy economy to
finance further expansion of trade, industry and the army. The Zollverein, in
particular, was Prussian –led and Prussian trade expanded hugely as trade barriers
between states collapsed.
 Territorial growth – the Treaty of Vienna (1815) enlarged Prussian territory,
giving greater areas of farm land, coalfields, etc.
 Prussia led the way in developing a huge and efficient railway network, allowing
fast access for goods, raw materials and soldiers across the state, to its own
borders and beyond.
 Prussia made excellent use of the telegraph after its invention, vastly improving
national and international communication.
 Prussia invested hugely in developing its military strength.
Growing Prussian Economic Strength
Population
(million)
Prussia
Germany
(Zollverein)
Austria
1840
1870
14.9
19.4
Key Outputs in 1870
Railways
by 1860
Coal
Pig Iron
Steel
0.5 mill
tons
0.13 mill
tons
11,084
km
0.3 mill
tons
0.02 mill
tons
4543 km
32.6
40.8
23.3
mill
tons
30
34.8
6.3 mill
tons
Good Quotes:
 By the 1850s, the Prussian economy had outstripped that of Austria.
‘This would have far reaching POLITICAL, MILITARY and ECONOMIC
consequences for both powers’ – McGonigle.
 Bismarck believed that it would be ‘iron and blood’ which united the
German states.
 J. M. Keynes argues that unification was due more to ‘coal and iron’. JM
Keynes (economist in 1920s) with hindsight believed the economy had
more influence on unification than Bismarck
 ARGUMENT- WITHOUT ECONOMIC SUPERIORITY PRUSSIA COULD NOT
HAVE AFFORDED ITS ARMY, SO BISMARK/WARS OF UNIFICAITON ETC
WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED!
 Kerr&McGonigle “an age where industrial strength was becoming
increasingly important in politics”
SQA
 Prussian economic strength
 • Growth in Prussian economic power – development of railways,
transport links, roads, for example; importance of the Rhineland and
the Saarland to Prussian economic development. Able to finance and
equip Prussian army. Also able to mobilise Prussian army at speed.
 • The Zollverein – the Prussian-dominated free-trade area; the
significance to German political unification – the ‘mighty lever of
German unification
paragraph
 The economic strength of Prussia was very important in
the unification of Germany.
 It was important because…. EXPLAIN AND GIVE
EVIDENCE
 without this Germany would not be able to supplant
Austria or to command a large army which was
important in the wars of unification. However Unification
also relied on the decline of Austria as without this
Prussia would still face a major obstacle to unification.
Attitude of the other
States
Other countries
 Didn’t want Germany to unite. BUT
 France- fell out with Austria
 Britain- too busy with her own Empire ie India,
 Russia- fell out with Austria over Crimean War
Attitude of other states- sqa
 The attitude of other states
 • Foreign concerns over the idea of a united Germany. None of the
Great Powers wanted to see the creation of a strong Germany which
might upset the balance of power. Britain, Russia, Austria and France
were all happy to see the German states weak and divided.
 • Attitudes changed after 1850: Britain was increasingly pre-occupied
with her Empire, particularly India (mutiny, 1857).
The Decline of Austria
The Decline of Austria and the Favourable
International Situation after the 1850s
 Decline of Austrian political power due to:
 Schwarzenburg died in 1852. He was widely respected in Europe as an
able statesman, his early death has generally been seen by historians as a
grave setback to Austria, as none of his successors possessed his stature
or skill.
 Austria failed to support Russia in Crimean war so loses a valuable ally
 Decline in Austria’s international power due to:
 1859 Austria defeated in war against Italians who had French help. (Second
Italian war of independence) so relationships with France and Russia were poor.
 Austrian economy was slow to industrialise relative to Prussia, GB, France so
Austria’s international status as a major power declined.
Reasons for Austrian Decline
 Birth rate relatively slower than Prussia’s.
 Economy largely agricultural, and most of
population was involved in rural farming rather
than urban industrial development.
 Austria didn’t join the Zollverein, so trade
between the German states wasn’t so profitable
for her because of restrictive taxes and customs
barriers. Austria didn’t experience an “industrial
revolution” anything like as big as Prussia’s.
Austrian decline, cont.
 Growth of nationalism weakened the
A-H empire as subject peoples within
it eg the Hungarians and Poles
became restless and rebellious.
 Austria’s army depended on soldiers
from its empire, many of whom were
ill-equipped, discontented conscripts.
 Austria’s relationships with other
countries esp. Russia and France
were poor, so she could not rely on
having allies in any future conflict.
Decline of Austria
Economic Weakness:
In 1852 Austria suggested a new Customs Union to
rival the Zollverein but Austria had few resources and
had not yet experienced an industrial revolution. Its
main river the Danube flowed to the Black sea, away
from the industrial power houses of Western Europe.
Because of these problems the plans collapsed.
International Isolation:
Austria lost Russia as an ally when it refused to
support Russia in the Crimean war.
Military Weakness:
Austria went to war with France and the Italian
states in 1859. It was described as “weak and
disorganised” and the army “lurching from disaster
to disaster”. The Austrian army was exposed as out
of date and weak.
Decline of Austria
Answer these questions IN FULL SENTENCES
Read p. 108(blue) p.32/33(gold)
1.Why was the “Holy Alliance [between Austria
and Russia] shattered for good”.
Read p.108(blue) p.34/35(gold)
2. Why did Manteuffel pass reforms to help
factory workers?
3. Was Manteuffel a nationalist?
4. Where in Prussia were new raw materials
found?
Read p.110(blue) p. 35/36(bottom and top
GOLD)
5. Why did Prussian industrial production and
foreign trade increase?
Signs of Austria’s Decline
 Austria’s exclusion from Zollverein led to economic stagnation
 Lack of rail network
 Lagging behind in production of coal and iron
 Inefficient military in comparison to Prussia’s
 Loss of Russian ally through refusal of support in Crimean War
 Losing the fight against nationalism – Nationalverein set up to
investigate possibility of a united Germany
 Loss of leadership of the Bund after 1866 defeat
 Loss of the Southern states as allies after 1866 defeat
Overall, by 1866, Austria was no match for Prussia and had declined both
economically and politically.
sqa
 The decline of Austria
 • The decline in Austrian power and influence –
economically and militarily – during the 1850s
particularly.
 • Distraction to Austria of commitments in Italy.
Prussian Military Strength
Military
Austria
Prussia
France
1850
434,000
131,000
439,000
1866
275,000
214,000
458,000
1870
252,000
319,000
452,000
1850
1,579
5,856
2,915
1870
9,589
18,876
15,544
Military
Railways (km)
Note: 1866 Prussia’s ally, Italy had an army of 233,000
How the military grew- Otto von
Bismarck
(born 1815 - died1898) was a Prussian
German statesman and aristocrat .
• King Wilhelm 1 appoints him as Minister
President of Prussia because he
promised to help Wilhelm reorganize the
Prussian army whatever the Prussian
Lantag (government) wanted.
 Bismarck resolved the constitutional
crisis by collecting the taxes needed for
the modernisation of the Prussian army
without the Lantag’s approval.
•
 This was illegal and very risky.
 He got away with it.
Plan to expand and modernise Prussian army.
Budget for this refused by liberal dominated
Landtag.

Army training 2-3 years full time for all men.

3-4 years training in reserves

Landwehr (part-time soldiers) to be abolished

49 more regiments

9million thalers (£1.5mill) per year to pay for
changes

New weapons to be introduced

Army strength increased from 230,000 to 450,000.
What you need to write about in
this factor…
 The reforms THEN
 Explain the success of the army in each of the three
Wars of Unification – give EXAMPLES – defeat of the
Danish in 9 months, defeat of the Austrians in 7
weeks, battle of Konnigratz, quick mobilisation
and invasion of France in 1870, forcing France to
fight a defensive war, Battles of Metz and Sedan,
siege of Paris.
 (we will look at these soon!)
SQA
 Prussian military strength
 • Significance of military reforms– creation of modern
powerful army which Bismarck used.
 • Role of Prussian army in defeating Denmark. – (defeat of
the Danish in 9 months)
 • Role of Prussian army in defeating Austria: contemporaries
expected a long war, but it was over in seven weeks.
Significant military victory at Koniggratz [Sadowa].
 • Role of Prussian army in defeating France: decisive victory
at battle of Sedan, a triumph of leadership and military skill.
 HOMEWORK/SUPP- READ P.111-114 AND TAKE NOTES
(we will study these wars later)
OTTO VON BISMARCK
Homework/supp- read p. 111-114
Bismarck supported the King in the dispute and, by finding and
using a loophole in the constitution, was able to obtain the money
to fund the army improvements. He saved the King from
abdication and in 1862 was appointed Minister-President of
Prussia, becoming the King’s main advisor and the leading figure in
the unification of Germany. Bismarck supported the King because
 The King was divinely appointed and Bismarck completely
accepted his authority as King
 Bismarck believed that monarchy was the best form of
government
 Bismarck did not accept the right of an elected parliament to limit
the power of the monarch or interfere with the army/budget
 Bismarck believed that a strong army was a crucial tool in the
unification process
 Bismarck believed that liberals had held up the unification process
in the past and that unification could not be achieved without
strong political leadership and military force.
The Aftermath
The Landtag were furious with Bismarck, as he
had defeated them over the dispute and had
proved the King’s constitutional power was
greater than theirs.
However, as Prussia grew richer and as the
successful wars against Denmark and Austria
unified most of the German states, the Landtag
liberals, who were also German nationalists
and pro-unification, forgave Bismarck and
became increasingly cooperative with both
Bismarck and William I.
Sub - conclusion
Solving the constitutional crisis is an
example of Bismarck’s opportunism and
realpolitik in the steps to unification.
Opportunism: taking advantage of
opportunities that present themselves
Realpolitik: doing what is practical vs what
is ideal
(Bismarck’s aim: Prussia to lead the German
nation)
Bismarck homework/supp task
 Read about Bismarck in your textbooks (P.38-41 GOLD) or p.111-114
(BLUE) OR McK p47
 Then
 Write a paragraph about Bismarck
 Make notes on:
 Bismarck’s background in politics between 1851 – 1862 – where had
he worked, roles held, conclusions he’d come to. Crisis that required
Bismarck’s input. His aims according to Gorman
Quotes
 “I will rather perish with the King than forsake
your Majesty in the contest with parliamentary
government”
 “Germany looks not to Prussia’s liberalism but to
her power…..Not by parliamentary speeches and
majority votes are the great questions of the
day determined – that was the great mistake of
1848 and 1849 – but by iron and blood.”
Bismarck
 ‘”Bismarck was transformed from a politician into
the smith who forged the Reich’ -Adolf Hitler
sqa
 The role of Bismarck
 • Bismarck’s aim was to increase the power of Prussia by whatever means necessary.
 • Bismarck and his ‘realpolitik’/diplomacy in the ‘3 wars’ against Denmark, Austria and
France.
 • Bismarck took the initiative, as opposed to Austria, in the war against Denmark; his
‘solution’ to the Schleswig-Holstein question.
 • Bismarck’s skilful manipulation of events leading up to the war with Austria in 1866
plus his establishment of friendships with potential allies of Austria beforehand.
 • Bismarck’s wisdom in the Treaty of Prague, 1866.
 • Bismarck’s manipulation of the Ems Telegram to instigate a war with France in 1870.
 • Bismarck’s exploitation of the weaknesses of European statesmen/rulers eg Napoleon
III; mistakes made by Bismarck’s adversaries.
 • Bismarck’s skill in isolating his intended targets (diplomatically).

WE WILL DO
The three wars of German Unification/
Prussianisation
War
Danish War
1864
Austro Prussian
War 1866
FrancoPrussian War
1870/71
Opportunity
for war
Diplomacy to Aggressive
isolate victim party
Danish War 1864
Schleswig-Holstein Crisis &
war with Denmark 1864
1. AS A CLASS READ p.115-116
2. Copy the note below:
 1863 Danish King Christian IX proposes a reform of Danish constitution
to make Schleswig & Holstein Danish
 CRISIS! German nationalists protest. Bund sends troops as protection
for Germans in S and H.
 Bismarck asks Austria to help the Germans defeat Denmark.
Broke London Protocol, exert control

Duchies run by a Duke
Defender of
German speakers
Outcome of the Danish War
Quick victory for Prussia and Austria over
Denmark
The Convention of Gastein 1865 gave:
Holstein to Austria to administer
Schleswig given to Prussia to administer
(Bund has no jurisdiction in either)
This situation set the scene for war between Austria and Prussia
 Bismarck really wanted to annex both Duchies to have control of
naval base at Kiel, Holstein
 Bismarck seen as a protector and unifier of Germans. Previous
Prussian army budget seen as worthwhile. Liberal nationalists
now approve of Bismarck
Danish War 1864
Page 115 – 117(blue)
p.48/49 (gold)
make sure you have notes on this
 Who lived in Schleswig and Holstein
 What did Denmark do that provoked Prussia
 2 reasons for Bismarck’s involvement
 How was Denmark, the victim, isolated by Bismarck
 How would Austria have come out of this situation – think about who
instigated the war
 Outcome of the war
Austro-Prussian War 1866
Having relied on Austria for support in the Danish war,
Bismarck now turned his attention to fighting against her
Bismarck needed an excuse / opportunity for war with Austria
Holstein was given to Austria to administer. It was surrounded by
Prussian territory. Prussia now controlled Austrian access to its duchy.
Mitchell calls this a ‘master stroke’
Austrian-Prussian war
1. As a class read p. 118-123
2. ACTIVITY- create a mind map or write a paragraph
about the events of the Austrian/Prussian war.
 Background to war – what was the opportunity for conflict
 How did Bismarck isolate Austria. What diplomacy was
used – detail needed on France, Britain, and Russia
 His alliance with Italy
 The outcome of the war
 Who was made out to be the aggressive party and
how/why
Why did Prussia win?
 The Austrian army, though large, was out of
date in terms of mobilisation and equipment.
 Prussia mobilised large forces very rapidly
(railways) The Prussian army was also
modern and superior in terms of equipment.
William I’s reforms had paid off.
 Austria had to split its forces in two and fight
on the Italian front.
 Prussia had excellent railway and telegram
networks.
 Von Roon and Von Moltke (the leaders of the
Prussian army) were very able.
After the war
•
Bismarck is lenient with Austria:
•
“We have to avoid wounding Austria too severely, we
have to avoid leaving behind in her unnecessary
bitterness or feeling or desire for revenge. We ought to
keep the possibility of becoming friends again.”
•
Bismarck has what he wanted. Austria out of German
affairs.
•
Example of opportunity, planning, others’ mistakes
(notably Austria)
North German Confederation
•
•
•
•
Dominated by Prussia
All states north of River Main are members
Not a voluntary confederation
The State has rights to
• Make war and peace
• Decide foreign policy
• Member states decide own internal affairs
• President of NGC = Prussian King. He chooses
heads of armed forces and Chancellor.
• 2 houses
• Bundesrat – Upper house. Chosen State reps dominated
by Prussians
• Reichstag – Lower house elected by universal suffrage
Outcome of the Austro-Prussian War
Prussia now led the North German Confederation and had excluded
Austria for good from German affairs.
The only states out with Prussian control were the Southern German
states, who still remained loyal to Austria and fearful of Prussia. How
would Bismarck get them on side?
The Franco Prussian War
1870 - 1871
Creating a Threat
Bismarck needed to create a threat to the Southern states
which would make them come to Prussia for help
Who would pose such a threat?
…….. the French
Background
 Four southern states remained independent and not part of
the North German Confederation - Hesse-Darmstodt,
Bavaria, Wurtemberg and Baden. Bismarck knew that he
could not simply annexe these states.
 He also knew, however, that a potential threat from France
would stir up German nationalism in the southern states
and that these states, deprived of Austria, would then look
to Prussia as a ‘big brother’.
 SECRET ALLIANCES
 Bismarck engineered secret alliances between Prussia and
the four southern states before the Treaty of Prague had
been signed at the end of the Austro-Prussian War.
 These alliances stated that in the event of war the south
German states would fight with Prussia and also place their
armies under direct Prussian control.
Why did the French fight alone?
 Once again, Bismarck made sure that his
enemy was isolated.
 The Austrians were grateful for the lenient
Treaty of Prague.
 The British were hostile to the French because
Bismarck had leaked details of Napoleon’s
interest in Belgium.
 The Italians were happy with their territorial
gains at the end of the Franco Prussian War.
They were also hostile to the French because
of the presence of a French army in Rome,
which was preventing Italian unification.
ISOLATE THE ENEMY
Officially, Russia was an ally of France but
Bismarck used diplomacy to make sure
Russia stayed out of the up-coming war.
Bismarck also made sure Italy stayed
neutral and wouldn't fight for France.
Bismarck gambled that the British would
stay out of the war since it didn't want
France to become any more powerful than
it already was.
Franco Prussian war 1870 - 71
Bismarck found his excuse for war when Spain
offered its vacant crown to a relative of the
Prussian King, William I.
France was outraged since it didn't want
Prussia to become more powerful. The French
insisted King William make his relative refuse
the crown. King William refused to guarantee
this.
Bismarck used the King's refusal as a way to
provoke the French.
EMS TELEGRAPH
 Bismarck published a heavily edited and provocative telegram,
known as The Ems Telegram, of the King's refusal, making it
seem he had insulted the French ambassador. The French
Emperor, responding to fury from the French press and public,
declared war on Prussia.
 In the Franco-Prussian war, France was heavily defeated and its
ruler, Napoleon III, was overthrown by a French rebellion.
Causes of Prussian victory over France.
January 1871
 Better Prussian artillery
 Better mobilisation of army. 6 German railway lines to French border.
France had 2.
 The German armies mobilised in 18 days and the Germans invaded
France, so the French were always fighting a defensive war.
 Once again the Prussian military proved to be decisive. The French
suffered heavy defeats at Metz and Sedan. Napoleon’s government
was overthrown and a republic was declared.
 Better commander: General von Moltke
 Weak defensive tactics adopted by the French.
 The Southern states fought with the North German Confederation,
because of Bismarck’s secret alliances.
 Paris was besieged for several months until the French surrendered in
January 1871.
The Treaty of Frankfurt
 This was far harsher than the peace treaty
with Austria had been.
 France was forced to pay an indemnity of
£200 million within 4 years.
 Territory was annexed, most notably
Alsace and Lorraine.
 The German army triumphantly marched
through Paris.
Franco-Prussian War 1870
 blue p. 123-128
 Gold p. 55-58
Write a paragraph about
 Spanish Candidature situation
 Ems Telegram
 How the Southern states were brought on side
 Outcome of the war
Wars of unification summary
A series of 3 wars were fought before Germany finally unified
For each one we need to know 3 things:
What the opportunity for war was
What diplomacy Bismarck used to isolate his enemy
Who Bismarck portrayed as the aggressive party
In each war, Bismarck proved to be highly significant
Reasons for Prussia’s Success
in the Wars of Unification
 Bismarck’s diplomacy ensured that
Prussia’s enemies had no allies eg
Denmark.
 Bismarck provoked other countries into
declaring war first so that Prussia always
appeared to have been acting in selfdefence eg France.
 Prussia herself had an ally in two of the
wars, so had larger armed forces to use
(vs Denmark, vs Austria).
 Prussia took advantage of weak leadership
to manoeuvre countries into war esp.
France.
War
Danish War
1864
Austro Prussian
War 1866
FrancoPrussian War
1870/71
Opportunity
for war
Diplomacy to Aggressive
isolate victim party
Consequences of war with Denmark 1864
1.
Prussia seen as the protector of German states against the threat of Denmark
2.
Recently reformed Prussian army was tested in an easy war and found to be
efficient
3.
Cornered Austria into accepting Bismarck’s decisions about Holstein &
Schleswig at Convention of Gastein 1865. This agreement would make it easier for
Bismarck to provoke Austria into a war later
Consequences of war with Austria 1866
•
Treaty of Prague – lenient to Austria
•
New North German Confederation created and also the much weaker south
German confederation
•
Liberals so pleased with Bismarck and the process of German unification that
they forgive Bismarck’s actions over army reforms and budget
Consequences of war with France 1870 – 71
•
South German confederation realises there only chance of security was as
part of a strong unified Germany. In the Palace of Versailles, the German princess
proclaim King Willhelm of Prussia as Kaiser (Emperor) of a unified Germany
Mistakes of Others- German
unification
BAD EMS TELEGRAPH
French Errors
Austrian Errors
Austro-Prussian War
Danish War
The Spanish Candidature
Austro-Prussian War (politically)
The Franco-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War (militarily)
 Being fooled in 1866 that she would gain territory
if she stayed neutral in Austrian war
 Being persuaded to put in writing her territorial
demands which could then be released to the press
in the southern states in 1870
 Over-reacting and being enraged by Bismarck
putting Leopold Hohenzollern forward as a
candidate for the Spanish throne in 1870
 Benedetti breaking diplomatic protocol in the town
of Bad Ems in 1870
 Being provoked into declaring war on Prussia over
the publication of the Ems Telegram
France
* BAD EMS TELEGRAPH
Abeken's message
His Majesty the King has written to me:
Count Benedetti intercepted me on the promenade and ended by
demanding of me, in a very importunate manner, that I should authorize
him to telegraph at once that I bound myself in perpetuity never again to
give my consent if the Hohenzollerns renewed their candidature. I
rejected this demand somewhat sternly, as it is neither right nor possible
to undertake engagements of this kind [for ever and ever]. Naturally, I
told him that I had not yet received any news and, since he had been
better informed via Paris and Madrid than I was, he must surely see that
my government was not concerned in the matter.
[The King, on the advice of one of his ministers], decided, in view of the
above-mentioned demands, not to receive Count Benedetti any more,
but to have him informed, by an adjutant, that His Majesty had now
received [from Leopold] confirmation of the news which Benedetti had
already had from Paris and had nothing further to say to the
ambassador.
His Majesty suggests to Your Excellency, that Benedetti's new demand
and its rejection might well be communicated both to our ambassadors
and to the Press.
Bismarck's published version
After the news of the renunciation of the Prince von
Hohenzollern had been communicated to the Imperial
French government by the Royal Spanish government,
the French Ambassador in Ems made a further demand
on His Majesty the King that he should authorize him to
telegraph to Paris that His Majesty the King undertook for
all time never again to give his assent should the
Hohenzollerns once more take up their candidature. His
Majesty the King thereupon refused to receive the
Ambassador again and had the latter informed by the
Adjutant of the day that His Majesty had no further
communication to make to the Ambassador.
 Losing Russia as an ally in 1853 – p108
 Austria became involved in the Danish war,
a war far from her borders and nothing to do
with her BUT because she had to be ‘persuaded’ to ally
Prussia she appeared not to care about her fellow
Germans – Austria couldn’t win here!
 She refused in 1866 to join in peace talks to avert war
therefore looked aggressive
 She allowed herself to be antagonised by Bismarck and
declared war on Prussia
 She mobilised her troops before Prussia along her
therefore looking aggressive
Austria
French Errors
Austrian Errors
Austro-Prussian War
Danish War
The Spanish Candidature
Austro-Prussian War (politically)
The Franco-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War (militarily)
Actions of Napoleon III
Actions of Napoleon III-sqa

ADD THIS TO YOUR NOTES ABOUT MISTAKES OF OTHERS.

The actions of Napoleon III

• Napoleon had ambitions to emulate his famous namesake as a major
statesman. His successes against Austria may have made him careless in
his dealings with Bismarck eg he was seduced by Bismarck’s hint that he
could have possible territorial gains in the Low Countries.

• He overreacted over the Hohenzollern candidature, giving Bismarck the
opportunity to doctor the Ems Telegram and provoke war.

• His military leadership in the Franco-Prussian War was poor. He allowed
himself to be surrounded and captured at Sedan, effectively ending the
war.

historiography
Bismarck the Great Debate:
How important was Bismarck to unification?
Three Opinions:
1
The architect of
unification-he had a
master plan
Architect?
2
A catalyst who sped up
change which would
have happened anyway,
i.e. unification was
happening but slowly,
e.g. growing nationalism
spread of railways,
Zollverein etc
Catalyst?
All of these things?
3
His political skill took
advantage of
circumstances as they
arose and over which he
had no direct control
Opportunist?
OPPORTUNIST- quotes
 “ A statesman is like a man wandering in the forest who knows his general
direction but not the exact point at which he will emerge from the wood.”
Bismarck
 Bismarck’s task of unifying Germany was made easier by circumstances. If he
played his hand with great skill, it was a good one in the first place.” G.L.
Mosse
 “His policies can at best be regarded as flexible” Aronson
 “Bismarck did not fashion German unity alone. He exploited powerful forces
which already existed – economic, liberalism and nationalism.” Williamson
 “His diplomacy was much more subtle, flexible and many-sided than his
utterances sometimes suggest.” William Carr
 “He did not control events, but was influenced by them.” McKichan
 Gorman: ‘war was not his sole aim, but it was one of a variety of possibilities
open to him.’
 Williamson agrees: ‘Bismarck knowingly risked war, even though he probably
hoped to avoid it.’
 For more see page 60. McK
ARCHITECT- quotes
 “Prussia must gather and consolidate her strength for the favourable
moment.” Bismarck
 “It was he [Bismarck] who created the conditions which rendered possible
the creation of Great Germany.” Hitler
 “Only under the stimulation provided by Bismarck….did German nationalism
begin to move the masses.” Pflanze
 The smith who forged the Reich.” Hitler
 “There is absolutely no doubt that he [Bismarck] set his sights on
Austria…..and worked to isolate her from the other European powers.”
Cameron, Robertson and Henderson.
 “I did not doubt that a Franco-German war must take place before the
construction of a united Germany could be realised.” Bismarck
 Mitchell: ‘almost as soon as Bismarck had dealt with Austria, there began
the conflict with Napoleon III which would lead to the F-P war.’
 For more see page 59. McK
Bismarck
Opportunist or Planner?
His contribution to the Unification of
Germany by 1871
The years 1870 and 1871 were dramatic for Bismarck and Europe, with France defeated, Germany united
as an Empire and the balance of power in Europe totally altered. How much was this due to Bismarck?

It is possible to argue that Bismarck did not make Germany: rather Germany made Bismarck.

A variety of factors - German nationalism, Prussian economic growth, the international situation in
the 1860s, the Prussian army - were such that Bismarck was able to gain the credit for bringing
about a unification which may well have developed naturally, whoever had been in power.

However, whatever view is taken about the 'inevitability' of German unification, it is clear that it happened as it did and when it did largely as a result of Bismarck's actions.

His precise aims baffled contemporaries and continue to baffle historians. It is difficult to disentangle
his motives and to decide how far he planned ahead. While it is probably wrong to believe he came to
power in 1862 with a master plan for German unification, it is equally wrong to imagine that he had
no long-term objectives and fumbled his way through events simply by good luck.

He manipulated situations even if he did not always create them. He had clear aims but the exact
means of achieving them were left to short-term decisions based on the situation at the time.

Perhaps his main skill as a diplomat lay in his ability to isolate his enemy. He was not essentially a
warmonger. For Bismarck, wars were a risky means to an end.

However, confident in the strength of the Prussian army, he was prepared in 1866 and in 1870 to
engineer war to achieve his end.

The Unification of Germany 1815 – 90, Andrina Stiles and Alan Farmer, Access to History Series,
Second Edition 2001; page 95
Clearly very important …..BUT
Eyck argues that ‘Bismarck’s task of unifying Germany was
made easier by circumstances. If he played his hand
with great skill, it was a good one in the first place’
AND
Seaman suggests that ‘Bismarck could have done little had
not his victims made themselves his accomplices
(helpers) by their folly (foolishness)
Overall …..
Therefore, Bismarck was able to act on the opportunities
which arose from the mistakes of others and exploit
them
Stiles suggests,
‘Bismarck was the supreme opportunist’ suggesting he was a
master in finding opportunities and using them to help him
McKichan “Otto von Bismarck, who played a greater part than any other
individual in eventually brining Germany together as one state”
summary
Factors

Decline of Austria

Prussian economic strength

Prussian military strength

The role of Bismarck

The attitude of the states

Actions of Napoleon III

Cultural Factors

Put these factors in order of importance.

(use the quotes on the following slide to help,
make sure you can justify your answer)
ARGUMENT
CULTURAL- McKichan re cultural nationalism “However it did not seem very
likely in the years after 1815 that this would succeed in uniting Germany”.
 McKichan – Most historians agree that these ideas were held by relatively
limited numbers of educated town dwellers
NAPOLEON- Thomson suggests ‘The French united the German states in a
 common feeling of resentment against them’ – showed that people
 felt common bond
ECONOMIC- Carr - 'It would be inappropriate to see the Zollverein as the
 forerunner of German political unity'
 Stiles - (as a result of being leader of the Zollverein) 'Prussia came to be
regarded by many as the natural leader of a united Germany'
 Carr - Railways were of great political significance. They helped to break
down provincial barriers …. And underlined the need for national
unification
BISMARCK- McKichan “Otto von Bismarck, who played a greater part than
any other individual in eventually brining Germany together as one state”
SEE QUOTES FROM BISMARCK SECTION
HISTORICAL DEBATE
 Williamson- believes that it was not Bismarck alone who united
Germany but a mix of factors and that Bismarck was just one
part of this mix “Bismarck did not fashion German unity alone.
He exploited powerful forces which already existed”.
 Mosse- Believes the situation of Prussia was key importance to
unification “Busmarcks task of unifying Gemrnay was made
easier by circumstance . If he played his hand with great skill,
it was a good hand in the first place”
 Craig- Bismarck cannot be dismissed as of prime importance.
“Whatever might be said of the movement of economic forces,
there is no burking the fact that the decision concerning the
form of unification would take was made, not in the area of
economic and commercial policy but on the battlefield of
Konigrattz in 1866”.
Essay plan.

See the hand out unification essay plan to plan your essay (on these slides

(UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU MISS OUT BISMARCK OR THE PRUSSIAN MILITARY.)
Intro – Germany unified 1871 etc
Nationalism

Nationalism continuing to grow – Nationalverein/ anniversaries etc. EVALUATE the strengths and weaknesses of this
type of nationalism – effective? Necessary before someone like Bismarck could unite the German states?
Prussian economic strength – ‘coal and iron’
EXAMPLES e.g. taxes that paid for military reforms, railway lines built which led to quick Prussian mobilisation during Wars
of Unification etc

Decline of Austria/favourable international situation.

Schwarzenburg, Crimean War, economic isolation, wars with Italy

Prussian Military –Army Reforms – EVAULUATE the importance of these. DON’T JUST WRITE ABOUT ARMY
REFORMS – Explain the success of the army in each of the three Wars of Unification – give EXAMPLES – defeat of
the Danish in 9 months, defeat of the Austrians in 7 weeks, battle of Konnigratz, quick mobilisation and
invasion of France in 1870, forcing France to fight a defensive war, Battles of Metz and Sedan, siege of
Paris.

Bismarck’s role

SPLIT IT – EITHER into: Wars of Unification. Careful not to story-tell here – give examples of what Bismarck did
and how it contributed to unification.!

OR

Planning/Opportunism

CONCLUSION
Economic Nationalism
•Zollverein 1818, 1828, 1834
•United members economically
•Example of working as one
•Railways
•Iron and coal
The Army Reforms
Importance in
winning the wars
Cultural Nationalism
•Romantic Movement
•Middle class movement in favour
of unity
•Only way people could express
their political views
Mistakes of Others
Decline of Austria
•Ridded Prussia of key opponent to
nationalism
•Declined economically,
diplomatically and politically
•Excluded from affairs after 1866
What unified
Germany?
Austria – Zollverein exclusion, Losing
Russia, 1864, 1866
France – 1866, 1870
Bismarck’s Role
Factors
influencing
Unity
•Role in army reforms
•Supreme Opportunist – exploited opportunities – used
diplomacy to isolate, found aggressor
• Exploited / contributed to mistakes of others
•Speeded up process, did not ‘create’ it