HIST2086 Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor First Steps to German Unification: From Wartburg Festival to Zollverein, and Frankfurt Parliament, Lecture 6 21 September 2010

Burschenschaft Policy of restoration by German Confederation = ‘ Metternich system’ → Biedermeier period: Liberal ideas rejected by nobility, officials, bourgeoisie ↓ Establishment of German Burschenschaft, 1815 = Student associations: Imperial colours of black, red, gold + ‘honour, freedom, fatherland

Wartburg Festival, 1817 Public burning of German Confederation constitution at Wartburg Castle by Burschenschaft Alleged murdering of poet Kotzebue by student → Karlsbad Decrees: Prohibition of Burschenschaft Persecution of ‘demagogues’ Control of press + universities = Suppression of national movement by police-state methods

Economic Agreements 1819 Commercial and Crafts Union (Handels- und Gewerbeverein) by national economist Friedrich List 1828 Customs Union: Prussia + Hesse-Darmstadt ≠ Central German Customs Union of 7 German states = Strong interest of Prussia to overcome disadvantage of scattered territory by trade agreements

Zollverein (Customs Union), 1834 Prussia + most German states but not Austria Net Value of Production in Gulden, 1840s Economic SectorCustoms UnionAustria Agriculture46,327,6 Small business15,2 3,6 Industry 8,1 4,0 Total production70,035,0

Customs Union: Myth + Reality = An immediate step to German unification? But: No ‘national’ intention but predominantly economic reasons Earlier resistance due to structural difficulties, not to Austrian negative influence = A ‘side confederation’ to German Confederation dominated by Prussia (but not by Austria as GC) = Strong integrating influence on CU members who gave up substantial parts of sovereignty = A kind of substitute for lacking national unity

March Revolution 1848 Consequence of French uprising against king + proclamation of French republic → Germany: demonstrations, calls for freedom of assembly + of press, trial by jury Radical stream: ‘Democratic Republic’ Moderate stream: ‘National Assembly’ = Both aimed for national unification

Constituent National Assembly, ‘Frankfurt Parliament’ 223 members of legal profession 106 professors 46 industrialists 4 craftsmen No peasants Pre-form of political parties: Conservative Right Liberal Centre (Right Centre + Left Centre) Democratic Left

The National Problem Decisive split of Frankfurt Parliament into: ‘Great Germans’: 1) Favoured federation incl. all Austria under Habsburg dynasty 2) Favoured unitary-democratic republic incl. only German-Austria ‘Small Germans’: Favoured nation state under Hohenzollern dynasty excl. Austria

Downfall of National Assembly Imperial constitution drafted, March 1849 Rejection of imperial crown by Prussian King Frederick William IV, April 1849 Dissolution of National Assembly by troops, June 1849 = Failure due to dual front against: Democratic-social revolutionary forces Conservative German states