Defining German Nationality: How German Identity Rose from Contradiction

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The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word leader as “One who leads;” yet to characterize Frederick the Great, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Otto von Bismarck as men who led would not do their lives justice. They are notable historic figures because they exceeded the requirements of their respective titles. Both Fredrick and Bismarck shaped the Prussian and German governments in a dogmatic style and maintained their personal and incontrovertible identities. This however, did not mean that their sense of self harmonized with their political agenda. Goethe differs from them in the sense that he was a socio-cultural leader and not a political one. Nonetheless, his achievements in the progression of German literature influenced society between Frederick and Bismarck’s reigns, culturally shaping the nation, and making his work equally as important as the two political leaders. Through their relentless visions and interpretations of what the Germanic lands should emerge to be, revolution and eventual unification spread among the states, establishing Germany as a prevailing world power. Because of their keen intellects, the country of Germany came into existence, but more importantly, they outlined the characteristic that personifies a German. Frederick, Goethe, and Bismarck approached their roles in a static and rigid manner that often opposed their innovative and artistic freedom, formulating a German nationality based on their narcissistic individualities and not on the distinct German states. Frederick’s enlightened views clashed with his militaristic agenda; Goethe’s literary works negated his political views; and Bismarck’s Junker identity disclaimed his imperious ruling style. The strain that all three figures faced in prese...

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...al part of German society does not sit well with Goethe, and he obviously expressed his views against it. Yet these views did not extend to him. Goethe eventually became a government official under the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, and was ennobled in 1782 (HIST.146 2/5/14). Social order and class were issues that eventually led to World War I, and Goethe was right in opposing them. His inability to resist conformity, like Frederick the Great, shows his contrasting personality. Goethe played a crucial and essential role in German unification, and he stayed on that path by criticizing the royal court. His acceptance of nobility showed that he was not immune to the ideas of the state and that German nationality depended on his own opportunistic views. Like Frederick, what Goethe defined as German was his personal ideas and actions, not the views of the people.

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