German Unification

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German Unification
Ryan Benway Kathleen McKernon With slides also
by Catie Heil and Royce Lawrence
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German Nationalism
German nationalism slowly began to show in the
early 1800s. Germany was divided into a number
of small states and desired a unification within
them. There goal was to become completely
independent out of the control of all other
nations as they had been in the past.
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Prior to Unity
Before the process of German unification began,
German speaking people lived in small, separate
states, as well as in the Austrian Hapsburg
Empire, and in Prussia. When Napoleon began his
invasions throughout Europe in 1807, many
territorial changes throughout the German states
were made.
This is the area in through which the German
states were spread in 1800
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Napoleon Impacts Germany
Between 1807 and 1812, Napoleon made major
changes to the territorial states of Germany. As
a French leader at the time, he gained a number
of European lands and put many German -speaking
states under French rule. (In red) Many Germans
welcomed him because they liked his policies. But
soon, extreme German nationalism arose!!!
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Congress of Vienna

• People began to demand a unified German state
  more and more as German Nationalism increased due
  to Napoleons invasion.

• Many German Nationalists brought their demands to
  the Congress of Vienna. An Austrian politician,
  Clemens von Metternich, opposed these demands and
  stated that joining the governments of the many
  separated states would be extremely tricky.

Instead, the group formed a German Confederation,
which was a very weak body headed by Austria.
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Prussia Enters the Picture
Prussia, a great rival to Austria, took over the
German states in the 1830s. Trying to create an
economic union, they took away borders between
the German states. They still remained
politically separate though.

• At the Frankfurt Assembly in 1848, liberals
  offered the throne to a united Germany to the
  Prussian king, but they were refused. Germany
  remained divided but still had a desire for unity.

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Otto von Bismarck is known as the founder of the
German Empire. He was Prussia's prime minister
from 1862 to 1873 and was Germanys first
chancellor from 1871 to 1890. He lead the Germans
to victory in the Austro-Prussian war of 1866
and in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870.
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Otto von Bismarck

• He believed that power was more important than
  principles and that politics should be based upon
  the needs of the state.

For the state, in contrast to the individual,
self-preservation is the supreme law. The state
must survive at any price it cannot go into the
poorhouse, it cannot beg, it cannot commit
suicide in short, it must take wherever it can
find the essentials of life.
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"Blood and Iron"

• After years of peaceful attempts to take the
  dominance of Germany, Bismarck gave up and turned
  to other means.
• He used neither speeches nor resolutions to take
  Germany, but his new slogan of Blood and Iron.
• Bismarck marched Prussian armies into the
  colonies of Schleswig and Holstein in hopes of
  war with Austria.
• This would enable Prussia to take over the German
  states that were under Austrian rule.

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Schleswig and Holstein

• Bismarck thought becoming allied with Austria
  would be a good idea. In 1864, Prussian armies
  under Bismarcks leadership took over the
  provinces of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark
  rule. Bismarck gave the province of Holstein to
  Austria and kept Schleswig under Prussian rule in
  hopes of an alliance.

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The Austro-Prussian war of 1866
The Austro-Prussian war of 1866
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• Shortly following the victory of Prussia,Otto von
  Bismarck eliminated the Austrian led German
  Confederation.
• The ruler then established a new North German
  Confederation which was ruled by Prussia.

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The Ems Telegram

• The Ems telegram was sent in 1870 from the
  Prussian King to Bismarck informing Bismarck
  about his meeting with French Ambassador.
• The eager Bismarck was waiting for his
  opportunity to strike and when the king left it
  up to him to let the press know about the
  meeting, he took advantage of the situation.

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The Ems Telegram Contd

• Bismarck manipulated the situation by making the
  Prussian king look as if he was more hostile
  towards towards the French then he really was.
• This provoked chaos in both France and Prussia
  and eventually led to the Franco-Prussian War.

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Franco-Prussian War

• Otto von Bismarck wanted to achieve unity within
  south Germany states under Prussian rule.
• Bismarck wanted to eliminate French influence on
  the country.
• The war lasted from 1870-1871 and resulted in the
  loss of France to the German States.

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The German Empire
A United Germany

• After the defeat of both Austria and France,
  Germans persuaded William I from Prussia to take
  the title Kaiser, or emperor.
• In January of 1871, Germans celebrated their
  empire known as the Second Reich which had in the
  past been taken over by Napoleon of France.

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"Nothing can be more absurd than the practice
that prevails in our country of men and women not
following the same pursuits with all their
strengths and with one mind, for thus, the state
instead of being whole is reduced to half." -Plato

• A constitution proposed by Bismarck and a two
  house legislature was set up for the Second
  Reich.
• The two houses were made up of the Bundersat
  (upper house) and the Reichstag (lower house).
• The houses were elected by rulers of German
  states and universal male suffrage.

Otto von Bismarck, 1886.
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A Growing Economy

• After the unification of Germany, it rose to be
  the Industrial giant of the Europe.
• Germanys chemical and electrical industries were
  beyond any other industries in the world.
• Germanys coal and iron resources resulted in
  massive growth of the economy.
• A work force and rapidly growing population also
  aided in the development of the economy.

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Kaiser William II
1859-1941

• Kaiser William II was a nationalist and believed
  in a strong military.
• He provided many funds for the German military
  and launched a campaign to expand the German navy
  and obtain an overseas empire like that of France
  and Britain.
• He strongly believed in his divine right to rule
  and opposed any democratic reforms.

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Works Cited
Google Images http//www.google.com/imghp?hlen
accessed 4/8/02 Austria Loss Of Leadership In
Germany http//lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd
/cstdy_at_field(DOCIDat0034 accessed 4/10/02 Map
http//www.landjugend.de/schleswig-holstein/englis
h/map.htm accessed 4/8/02 Franco-Prussian War
http//encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?ti0680200
0 accessed 4/12/02
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Quiz!!!!!!!!

• What were some of the results of Napoleons
  invasions of the German states between 1807 and
  1812?
• What was accomplished at the Congress of Vienna?
• What Prussian man successfully united all
  German speaking states?
• What was the policy of blood and iron?
• What was the result of the Franco-Prussian War?