HIST2086 Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor Bismarck’s resignation and the ‘New Course’ ( ) Lecture November 2010

Kaiser Wilhelm I and Bismarck, Often stormy, emotional, noisy joint meetings Strong mutual comprehension of other Kaiser’s willingness to let Bismarck his own way = Bismarck’s hold on power never in question

Kaiser Friedrich III and Bismarck, 1888 Kaiser strongly influenced by his mother Augusta von Sachsen & his wife Viktoria with liberal ideas (≠ his father + Bismarck) Dismissal of Prussia’s conservative interior minister von Puttkamer + Bismarck’s position no longer secure Bismarck’s concerned about liberal and pro-British tendencies of imperial couple = Kaiser’s rule too short (99 days) to help his liberal friends into long-lasting influential positions

Kaiser Wilhelm II Convinced German nationalist Committed to belief to rule by Divine Right Educated in Prussia’s military spirit Strongly interested in modern technologies & sciences Complex character + full of contradictions: ☺Intelligent, talented, cultured, energetic ☻ Overbearing, arrogant, erratic

Kaiser Wilhelm II and Bismarck, (+) Yearlong friendship between them (+) K.’s admiration for B. in public (-) Age difference: K. 29 y. ≠ B. 73 y. (-) B. underestimated K.’s determination to rule + to reign (-) K.’s wish to dispense with B. ASAP = Continuing conflicts …

Conflicts Foreign policy: K.’s questioning Germany’s links with Russia ≠ B.’s insistence on R.I.T. of 1887 Social policy: K’s confidence of winning over working class by modest extension of welfare system (no child labour + Sunday working) ≠ B.’s favour of further repression → B.’s attempt to make Anti-Socialist law permanent defeated in Reichstag (Jan 1890) → K.’s sole announcement of new social laws = B.’s trapped between self-confident K. + hostile Reichstag: His power crumbled

Bismarck’s resignation Quarrel about ministers’ right to advise monarch (Mar 1890): → B.’s insistence of order of 1852: ‘Minister- President as channel’ → K.’s order to withdraw order → Stormy meeting + K.’s ultimatum to B. to resign = B.’s resignation for ‘health reasons’ = Long-term estrangement between them

Imperial Chancellors, Fürst Otto von Bismarck, Leo von Caprivi, Fürst Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe- Schillingsfürst, Bernhard von Bülow, Theodor von Bethmann Hollweg, Georg Michaelis, 1917 Georg Graf von Hertling, Prince Max von Baden, 1918

Germany’s Economy, Backward until 1830 but rapidly transformed by P + Customs Union (1834) Upsurge in agricultural production due to G- invented chemistry (fertilizers) Strong growth of heavy industry + high technology: Industrial Revolution starts ca. 1840s Surpassed GB ca in production of iron, steel, electrics, chemicals = Rise to top-economic power in EU

Rise of Rightist Movements -Agrarian League (Bund Deutscher Landwirte) → A manipulative strategy from Junkers AND reflection of growing concerns of rural population -Pan-German League (Alldeutscher Verband) → Nationalism: ‘membra disiecta’ + Germans abroad + colonies = Mass agitation with strong influence on society = Conflict + cooperation with government

Domestic Politics, ‘New Course’ under Kaiser Wilhelm II Personal semi-authoritarian regime of Emperor (Kaiser) Lack of parliamentary-constitutional reforms Prevention of democratisation Permanent struggles between government and political parties in parliament (Reichstag) Rise of SPD and Left Liberals: Major victory in 1912 = Feeling of siege” in government + growing perception of being encircled by enemies from in- & outside G.

Foreign Politics, s ‘New Course’ under Kaiser Wilhelm II Imperialist power politics + colonialism in Africa & Asia-Pacific Impulsive diplomatic actions of Wilhelm II General overestimation of G’s power position = Non-renewal of alliance with R → Dual Alliance F + R: ‘Encirclement of G’ with only A + OE as major allies = Rising tensions with GB due to Tirpitz’ naval race

Foreign Politics, 1900s-1914 Weltpolitik (world policy) : To secure new colonial territories + spheres of influence worldwide → Attempt to create formal & informal empires Flottenpolitik (naval policy) : To extensively enlarge German navy → Attempt to create 2nd largest battle fleet to rival GB

The German Colonies, Area in 1,000 square kilometres Population in 1,000: Natives Population in 1,000: Whites In Africa: Togo 881,0310,4 Cameroon5043,3261,8 German South-West Africa German East Africa1,0207,6455 In Asia and Pacific: Palau, Caroline / Marianne / Marshall Islands, Samoa 13,2150,5 German New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago ,9 Kiautschow (Qingdao) 0,561924,4

Collapse of Bismarck’s alliance system Franco-Russian Dual Alliance, 1894 Germany’s naval construction program, 1898 Britain abandons ‘splendid isolation’, 1898 → British-Japanese Alliance, 1902 →‘ Entente Cordiale’ France-Britain, 1904 = Germany ‘encircled by enemies’: Two-Front-War danger extremely high

Results Weltpolitik: A failure → political drawbacks and diplomatic isolation Flottenpolitik: A failure → permanent estrangement with Britain + domestic stalemate after Reichstag elections of 1912 = Strong feeling of overall stalemate in G’s foreign AND domestic policies inside German civilian + military leadership

Conclusion Long path to unified G. nation state made possible only by 3 wars vs. neighbours Liberalism weak due to strong position of conservatism & militarism: Split into National (Right) + Left Liberals Struggle of authoritarian monarchy, with democratic elements, vs. SPD & Left Liberals Overestimation of G’s power after Bismarck’s dismissal → Isolation + tensions in EU Outdated political system ≠ economically & scientifically most-advanced and modern state in world