German Unification

1. B Y N I C K S T O U T , 2 0 1 8
German Unification

2. German Nationalism
German nationalism
slowly began to show in
the early 1800’s. 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.

3. Thoughts
 “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

4. Prior to Unification
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.

5. German Territory - 1800

6. Napoleon
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.

7. Congress of Vienna
 People began to demand a unified German state more
and more as German Nationalism increased due to
Napoleon’s invasion.
 Many German Nationalists brought their demands to the
Congress of Vienna. An Austrian politician, Klemens
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.

8. Enter Prussia
 Prussia, a great rival to Austria, took over the
German states in the 1830’s. 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.

9. Otto von Bismarck
 Otto von Bismarck is
known as the “founder of
the German Empire.” He
was Prussia's prime
minister from 1862 to
1873 and was Germany’s
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.

10. Ideology
 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.”

11. “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.

12. Speech
“The position of Prussia in Germany will not be
determined by its liberalism but by its power ...
Prussia must concentrate its strength and hold it for
the favourable moment, which has already come
and gone several times. Since the treaties of Vienna,
our frontiers have been ill-designed for a healthy
body politic. Not through speeches and majority
decisions will the great questions of the day be
decided - that was the great mistake of 1848 and
1849 - but by iron and blood.”

13. Schleswig and Holstein
 Bismarck thought becoming allied with Austria
would be a good idea. In 1864, Prussian armies
under Bismarck’s 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.

14. Territory

15. Victor
• 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.

16. Ems Telegram
 In early 1870, the German Prince Leopld, of the
Roman Catholic Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, had
been offered the vacant Spanish Throne.
 The government of French Emperor Napoleon III
voiced concern over a possible Spanish alliance with
the Protestant House of Hohenzollern that ruled
the Kingdom of Prussia, protested against it, and
hinted about a war.

17.  Following the protests by France, Leopold had
withdrawn his acceptance in July 1870. This was
already considered a diplomatic defeat for Prussia.
 The French were not yet satisfied with this and
demanded further commitments, especially a
guarantee by the Prussian king that no member of
any branch of his Hohenzollern family would ever be
a candidate for the Spanish throne.

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

19. Franco-Prussian War
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpJKSMoiVds

20. The German Empire
 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.

21. A New Government
 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.

22. The Second Reich

23. Economy of Iron
• After the unification of Germany, it rose to be the
Industrial giant of the Europe.
• Germany’s chemical and electrical industries were
beyond any other industries in the world.
• Germany’s 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.

24. Legacy of Kaiser Wilhelm the Second
• 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.