How Bismarck United Germany
Otto von Bismarck, a brilliant, creative diplomat, served as Foreign Minister of Prussia from 1862 to 1890. He would later serve as the first chancellor of the German nation that he helped to create. The German states were swelling with nationalism during the mid-nineteenth century, best exemplified by the Revolution of 1848 (Otto von Bismarck). Perhaps the German states would have eventually unified on their own, but Otto von Bismarck certainly smoothed and hastened the process. His insightful unification tactics, ranging from negotiating with friendly countries to fabricating claims for expansionist wars, resulted in a desirable outcome: Kleindeutschland, or a German Empire that intentionally excluded Austria.
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As a foreword is typically necessary for complex stories, this convoluted process requires an introduction, as well. Bismarck did not create the desire to unify in the German people; that nationalist feeling had been expressed for numerous years before he was ever born. The Carlsbad Decrees, agreed to by the German states, suppressed nationalist organization and feelings in the German states (Carlsbad Decrees). While the Carlsbad Decrees were an attempt to prevent liberal and nationalist agitation, the Zollverein was a step in the opposite direction. It was a customs union that allowed for free trade throughout the German states. Nearly all the German states gradually came to join the Zollverein. The Zollverein was the first action in a long chain of events that spurred unification efforts (Zollverein). Nationalist tendencies continued to become stronger, and the tensions erupted …show more content…
He successfully managed the wave of nationalism and used it to his advantage in justifying wars. Bismarck began his career with his “Blood and Iron” speech that implored Germans to prioritize a strong military. Bismarck made the best of a constitutional crisis in Denmark by acquiring Schleswig and Holstein. With expert planning, Bismarck set up Austria for a Brothers’ War in order to acquire more German states. Lastly, Bismarck cleverly devised the Ems Telegram that made France clamor for war. Bismarck’s role in unification was unparalleled, and Germany may never have united if not for the efforts of this Prussian diplomat. Annotated Bibliography
"Carlsbad Decrees." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 July 1998. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. This website defines the Carlsbad Decrees and gives background.
Graham, James. "Was Bismarck the Key Factor in the Unification of Germany?" On This Day. On This Day, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. This website provides commentary on how Otto von Bismarck helped to unify Germany.
"Hegemony." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. This website defines hegemony.
"Otto Von Bismarck." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. This website serves as a biography of Bismarck's
Bismarck believed that Germany should be united under Prussian leadership and that Austria should have nothing to do with Germany. Bismarck was chosen as chancellor by the Prussian king as he had a proven record as a monarchist and had little time for liberal and excessive parliamentary ideas. Bismarck helped his long term plan to unite Germany and to be the ruler by getting in a strong position with the king. The king owned Bismarck a 'favour´ as Bismarck had solved the king´s constitutional crisis. Bismarck played a crucial part in the unification of Germany as he helped to set up the Northern German Confederation after defeating Austria in the second of three wars.
By 1890, Germans felt their allegiance to a normal state at least as strongly as the citizens of France and other European countries. Germany had not only built up all of the required symbols of national identity such as a common currency, flag and anthem, it relied heavily on well integrated national machinery, including the post office, judiciary, and Reichstag. Even the Prussian Hohenzollerns who ruled over the empire had become symbols of national unity, for Wilhelm II was seen as a German emperor, not a Prussian, and although the man himself was disliked by many, the institution had become a symbol for national unity. Furthermore, a new generation of Germans had grown up with common cul...
: American Heritage Publishing Co. Inc. © 1973 Alexander, Stephen. " An Investigation into the role of Bismarck" ©1997
The formation of the Zollvein Union was one of the very first real steps that individualize Prussia from the other German states. Prussia increased their economic leadership, especially as she had successfully excluded Austria from the Zolleverin, but although Austria still retained political leadership in Germany. This relationship greatly separated Austria and Prussia.
In the late 1800s, Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck used different strategical plans in order to gain as much power possible, the majority of the plans consisted of him taking advantage of the different political parties. Bismarck used many traditional political strategies in order to gain the power he craved for, such as creating harsh laws and prohibiting certain beliefs or ideas. Unfortunately, these strategies did not satisfy the people, so Bismarck later started to increase the welfare of the working class, apologized to the Socialists, and did much more to obtain more political strength which eventually created a new conservatism. In an effort to increase political power for the Kaiser, Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck uses liberal and traditional
The controversies surrounding his life still go on between historians today. He is portrayed as a destroyer of liberty and also as a compromiser of liberalism. Some see Bismarck as trying to preserve the old order of Europe. Bismarck worked against liberal plans for unification of Germany but stood proudly in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles as the German Empire he helped to create was proclaimed. Bismarck as man and as statesman has been a point of interests for many history scholars’ interpretations. Bismarck’s empire lasted only 20 years after him. Bismarck believed that armed force was necessary in relations among governments – Blood and Iron his methods. Through three successful wars Bismarck united Germany. With the creation of the 2nd German Reich Germany become the strongest nation on the continent. After the union of the German states Bismarck became an outspoken activist for peace on the continent. Bismarck never succumbed to the temptation of conquest. Bismarck led the German people to empire but is criticized by not training the nation in self-governing. Bismarck never talked about racial supremacy or unlimited conquest. He believed in a balance of power resting upon the existence of strong nation states.
However, there were two differentiating parties, which were Kleindeutschland and Grossdeutschland. The Nationalverein, the individuals that bolstered Kleindeutschland, requested to avoid Austria from Germany, while the other states in the old confederation would be incorporated. The new Germany would then be led by the Prussians, a predominant economy in the Confederation. Followers of Grossdeutschland, wanted to incorporate all German speaking individuals, including Austria, and also wanted parts of the empire that could speak the German language, however, this was unmistakably optimistic. The division made sure that the Nationalist development would not be sufficiently enough to accomplish unification. Even though this was the case, to say that nationalism had no impact towards the German unification would be wrong. In the year 1815 nationalism appeared to be more appealing to prominent quantities of Germans than previous times, which expanded the possibility of unification. These expansions were due to the growing support of the German press, where they published leading poems such as “Deutschland uber Alles”. Consequently, this gave Germans a common identity which increased the nationalistic feeling. Another plausibility was the risk of French attacks towards the Rhineland in 1840. Although nothing occurred, this made an enormous increment in patriot assessment to oppose the old
He brought in the Carlsbad Decree, banning the teaching of nationalism and liberalism. Lecturers were expelled for teaching nationalism and students were not allowed to talk about liberal and nationalist ideas. On the other hand, the second most powerful Germanic state, Prussia was open to the idea of liberalism and nationalism. Prussia welcomed the idea of one German nation. Other states grew closer to Prussia and an economic union called Zollverein was created that did included Austria in it. This economic union allowed Prussia to improve its economic situation and its military. An attempt to unify Germany was made in 1848, which ended up in a partial failure. The 1848 attempt made it clear that the German’s wanted Germany without Austria. The attempt was partially a failure because Prussian king did not take the title of German Emperor since the commoners were giving it and it made the Prussian King feel
German Unification It would be impossible to tell the story of German Unification without giving Bismarck's role due prominence. Between 1862 and 1871 the map of Germany was altered radically, and Bismarck played a key role in the events, which led to the foundation of the new Reich, but his success was due to a combination of factors, not simply his own skill and genius as a politician. Bismarck was a Junker landowner who first made his mark in Prussian politics as a reactionary defender of the status quo, when he was elected to the united diet in 1847. During 1848-9 he gained his reputation as a defender of the old order.
Germany was already on its way to unification in the early 1800s. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 had set up the German Confederation, with both Prussia and Austria-Hungary lacking the power to impose their rule over the area (Greusel 71). Austria-Hungary was generally seen as the more dominant of the German states. The capital of the German Confederation was Frankfurt, in the Austrian state of Hesse-Kassel (Headlam 87). Two solutions were considered to this duality: "Großdeutsche" and "Kleindeutsche." The Großdeutsche approach suggested a unification of all Ger...
Germany, for a better part of its history, had been home to around 40 free cities and city-states controlling the area between France and Russia. Attempts at unifying these separate but connected states have been made quite often and often with the same results: failure. Those in control of these cities and states knew that a unified German empire would have no need of all these princes and kings, and so many obstacles blocked the path to unification. Another issue facing unification was the split “ownership” of Germany between Prussia and Austria, two nations that had helped join the cities and states into a loose confederation.
The Congress of Vienna in 1814-15 created the so-called German Confederation under Austrian and Prussian hegemony, but this unit disappointed the dreams of nationalists. The rivalry of Austria and Prussia paralyzed it in a way comparable to the effects of Soviet-American dualism on the United Nations during the Cold War. Almost everywhere, the old rulers repressed the nationalist movement after 1815. The German princes realized that nationalism required reform.... ...
Bismarck's Foreign Policy „Versuche zu Dreien zu sein, solange die Welt durch das un sunny“ Gleichweighed the five Großmächten bestimmt! “ This was the general formula of Bismarck’s foreign policies meaning “When there are. five great powers be one of three. “ The five great powers at that time. were France, England, Russia, Austria-Hungary and the new United States.
The Unification of Germany In 1871 the thirty-eight states of what was once the Holy Roman Empire. re-united to become what was known in the early twentieth century as simply, The German Empire, united under the rule of the German Emperor, or Kaiser. There are many factors which led to the unification of the German states: liberalism, nationalism, Otto Von Bismarck, fear of ‘another Napoleon’, the Prussian King William I, and the three wars Prussia fought. One of the key factors which led to the unification was nationalism.
Prior to unification in 1871 the territory that would become Germany was comprised of thirty-nine independent states and city states joined together in a loose German Confederation. The most powerful among these states was Prussia, both geographically the largest state and that with the largest population. The influential politicians and policies that came out of Prussia were instrumental in the gradual formation of a united Germany. Beginning with the rise of Napoleon, the nineteenth century was a time of incredible change which dramatically altered the political balance of Europe. In order to understand the factors that culminated in official German unification on January 18 1871, it is necessary to examine the preceding decades. No single factor can be credited for the unification of the German states. Rather, the combined forces of social change, economic strength within a unified customs union, the moral justifications provided by nationalism, Bismarck’s careful manipulation of internal politics and the advantages gained through military action resulted in the unification of Germany.