Building a German State

The Congress of Vienna (1815)  Created the German Confederation (Confederation of the Rhine)  This loosely tied together the many German states with a DIET in Frankfurt  Austria dominated the Confederation  This brought Austria into conflict with Prussia

Early on… No Desire to Unite  Neither Austria, nor many of the smaller German states wanted to see a united Germany –Austria feared the economic competition –The rest feared being dominated by Prussia

Most Powerful “German” states  Prussia & Austria –Austria Proper was German-speaking, but much of the Austrian Empire was comprised of many nationalities

Prussia  Well-organized government  Strong Industry & Economy  Political power held by landowning aristocrats called Junkers (Yun’kuhrs)

Zollverein  Created in 1834  German Customs Union  Essentially created a “German Free Trade Zone”  Contributed to German unity by dismantling tariff barriers

Frankfurt Parliament (1848)  Offers the throne of a united Germany to King Frederick William IV of Prussia  He Refuses…  Why?

Kaiser William I  Crowned King of Prussia upon his brother’s death in 1861  Regarded as politically neutral  Allowed his P.M. to essentially run the country for him.

A Man named OTTO  b d.1898  Appointed P.M. of Prussia in 1862 by King William I  Nicknamed the “Iron Chancellor”

Bismarck delivers the Blood and Iron Speech “The Great decisions of our time will not be decided by speeches and majority resolutions… but by blood and iron.”  Parliament does not approve Bismarck’s plan  Bismarck goes ahead with it anyway.

Phase I - Modernization  Bismarck modernizes Prussia’s military

Phase II – War against Denmark 1864  Bismarck arranges an alliance with Austria.  They invade Denmark, win, and split the conquered territory  Prussia takes Schleswig  Austria takes Holstein

Phase III – Austro-Prussian War 1866  Bismarck allies with Italy against Austria  Austro-Prussian War (aka. 7 Weeks War) begins  Result: Prussia annexes both Schleswig & Holstein, as well as several other territories.  Bismarck dealt with Austria graciously… WHY???

Ausgleich  AKA. Austro-Hungarian Compromise of  After losing the war, Austria signs this agreement creating the Dual Monarchy of the Austria-Hungary –For mutual protection

After the Austro- Prussian War

“NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION”  Once Prussia defeated Austria, Prussia dissolved the German Confederation…  Bismarck establishes the NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION  How are the two different?

Bismarck still has a problem…  Bismarck has united many of the northern German states…  But he is not able to convince the southern German states to fully join the movement to unify…  Why would the southern states hesitate?

Phase IV – Franco-Prussian War 1870  Prussia provokes France to war through the Ems Dispatch. –How did Bismarck use this to provoke war with France? –Was this a smart move?

After the War  Bismarck successfully convinces (or bribes) the southern states to join the newly forming state.  In January of 1871, William I (King of Prussia) is crowned the first German Emperor. –Coronation takes place in the Palace of Versailles –Takes the title “KAISER” instead of King – similar to other imperial titles… Kaiser William I

A New Kaiser  Kaiser William II takes the reigns of the new German Empire and rules from  Opposed Bismarck’s careful foreign policy  Preferred an aggressive strategy to claim Germany’s “place in the sun”  Determined to rule himself… as opposed to leaving it to Bismarck. Kaiser William II (aka Wilhelm II)

“Dropping the Pilot”  Bismarck becomes the 1 st Chancellor of Germany  He remains in this post until 1890, when he was forced into retirement (at 75 years old) at William II’s insistence.  Bismarck spent his final years collecting his memoirs, and waiting in vain to be consulted or petitioned for counsel. Otto Von Bismarck

Bismarck’s final warning  "Your Majesty, so long as you have this present officer corps, you can do as you please. But when this is no longer the case, it will be very different for you." -Bismarck, 1897 In 1897, Kaiser Wilhelm II visited Bismarck and received the following warning…

A Final Prediction  "If there is ever another war in Europe, it will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans." some damned foolish thing in the Balkans some damned foolish thing in the Balkans -Bismarck, 1897