1. HIST2128 Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic History and national identity of Germany Lecture 2 19 January 2012

2. Middle Ages (6-15 c.) 843: Treaty of Verdun: Charlemagne’s Empire divided into 3 parts →Eastern part = later Holy Roman Empire of German Nation Since Charlemagne: Roman Empire Since 1157: Holy Roman Empire Since 1438: Holy Roman Empire of German Nation Since 1512: Official name

3. Christianization and Colonization of ‘the East’, 12-15th c. German and Dutch settlers (12th-14th c.) in the Elbe and Oder territories: Mark Brandenburg, Pomerania, Silesia = The German ‘Movement to the East’ + The Order of the Teutonic Knights (1226 – 1466) in the Prussian lands on the Vistula = The Teutonic Order State

4. German Movement to the East Call of German monks / settlers by Slav tribal rulers on Elbe/Oder + in Brandenburg by Margrave Albrecht the Bear German language + superior ‘Western’ Christian civilization prevailed but Slavic remnants still in proper names or with Wends + Sorbs people = Peaceful colonization: All-European process in Middle Ages = A kind of self-inspired ‘development aid’ by Slav rulers = Peaceful process of intermingling + amalgamation between Slavs + Germans = No real subjection or extermination of Slav natives

5. The Teutonic Order State (I) 1226 (Golden Bull of Rimini) - 1525 (Transformation into the Duchy of Prussia) Blossom in 14 th c.: Creation of a model colony + state A monastic republic headed by an elected Grand Master (head of government) + his Chapter (his ministers), divided in 20 districts, governed by Comptrollers (controllers) with a convention (rules) of their own An immigrant society with an efficiently working aristocracy (the ‘Estates’) A rich state with important cities: Danzig (Gdansk), Elbing (Elblag), Königsberg (Kaliningrad)

6. The Teutonic Order State (II) Growing conflicts between ‘Estates’ (local aristocracy + patricians) ≠ dominating Order Teutonic Knights regarded as alien rule + as closed-up recruitment system In wars with Poland (15 th c.): ‘Estates’ on enemy side = 1410 Battle of Tannenberg: First major defeat of Order → Gradual decline and degeneration of Teutonic Order State

7. Consequences - 50 Years of close intermarriage relations between Brandenburg + Prussia -1618: Brandenburg + Prussia united in personal union : Elector Johann Sigismund (House of Hohenzollern) → One ruler but territory divided between German Empire (B) + Poland (P) = Important precondition for creation of Prussian Kingdom (1701)

8. 1555: Peace of Augsburg Territorial principle of cuius regio eius religio (Whose realm, his religion) = Compromise between Catholism and Protestantism, applied to Holy Roman Empire of German Nation → Territorial division along religious confessions → Churches as parts of state apparatus → Major religious wars, 16 th C + 1618-48 → Long-term division of Empire into ca. 300 bigger and smaller single states