1. German Unification

2. Steps to Unity
Congress of Vienna created German Confederation in 1815 to buffer French expansion
United by a diet (assembly) which met at Frankfurt, Austria was the chair
Austria dominated Confederation
Prussia wanted to dominate (brought them into conflict with Austria)
Austria and smaller states did not want unification (Austria feared competition, smaller states feared domination by Prussia)

3. German Unification

4. Factors Hindering Unification
German differences: Protestant north, Catholic south
Austria feared German competition
Lesser German states feared losing authority
France afraid of German power

5. Leaders of Unification
Otto von Bismarck
Chief minister of Prussia (real power of Prussia)
Aristocrat: Junker
Despised democracy
Planned to unite Germany by “Blood and Iron,” military power
William I (Wilhelm)
King of Prussia (becomes emperor of Germany in 1871)
Fully supported Bismarck, very weak

6. Steps in Unification Creation of Prussian Military Power
Bismarck ignored lawmakers & constitution; ruled as a dictator; created a great military machine

7. More Steps Elimination of Austrian Influence
Takes Schleswig-Holstein from Denmark (1864)
Seven Weeks War (1866): Bismarck deliberately provoked war with Austria
Most Germans want Austria to win
Italy sides with Germany and is given Venetia
Austria agrees to dissolve German Confederation

8. Even More Steps
Forms Prussian Dominated North German Confederation (1867) (four south German states did not join)
Franco-Prussia War (1870-1): Bismarck provokes a war with France so that south Germans would fight and experience nationalism and join German Confederation
Prussia wanted a Prussian Hohenzollern for the Spanish throne, Napoleon III wrote a letter denying this, Bismarck rewrote the letter and had it published in Germany, angering most Germans. Napoleon III declared war on Germany.
South German states joined Confederation
France ceded land of Alsace-Lorraine
Agreed to pay Germany indemnity, German military presence in France
Seeds of WWI planted

9. German Confederation
As a result of the Franco-Prussian war, the four southern German states joined the German confederation in 1871
William I was proclaimed Kaiser (emperor) of Germany
Coronation of Kaiser Wilhelm at Versailles

10. German Empire
Autocracy-Kaiser controlled major decisions; Chancellor (Prime Minister) Bismarck reported to Kaiser not Legislature
Prussian domination-King of Prussia automatically became emperor of Germany. Prussia could block most legislation

11. Germany Under Bismarck
Centralized Government: power taken from states
Militarism: compulsory military service
Industrialization
Persecution of other nationalities within Germany: compelled to forsake own nationality and conform; Germanization
Bismarck with Disraeli and Franz Josef looking on

12. More Germany Under Bismarck
Anti-Catholic because of their ties to southern states and to Pope
Clergy under German control, civil marriages, secular schools
Anti-Socialist because of their democratic and antimilitaristic views
Used repression and instituted social security
Anti-Semitism
Used Jews as a scapegoat for all Germany’s problems

13. William II Divine Right, wanted to rule personally without Chancellor
dismisses Bismarck in 1890
Policies-allowed Socialism; followed militaristic & imperialist policies of Bismarck which help lead to WWI