The Unification of Germany

1862 - 1871
Key men in power
1861 King William 1 of Prussia
1859 von Roon, Prussian Minister of War
von Moltke, Chief of Prussian General Staff
1862 Bismarck Minister-President and Foreign Minister.

Factors unifying Germany

o Economic Zollverein, railways, industry
o Political events, Bismarck, others errors
o Military armies, leaders

Which was most important in unification of Germany?
Did Bismarck plan it all or did he take advantage of opportunities as
they arose?
Economic
Compare growth with Austria

Population
(million)
Key Outputs in 1870
1840 1870 Coal Steel
Prussia
14.9 19.4
Germany (Zollverein)
32.6 40.8 23.3 0.13
Austria/Hungary
30 34.8 6.3 0.02
Economic 2
Austria Prussia France
Military
1850 434,000 131,000 439,000
1866 275,000 214,000 458,000
1870 252,000 319,000 452,000
Railways (km)
1850 1,579 5,856 2,915
1870 9,589 18,876 15,544
Note: 1866 Prussias ally, Italy had an army of 233,000
Political 1
Constitutional Crisis
Plan to expand and modernise Prussian army.
Budget for this refused by liberal dominated
Landtag.
Army training 2-3 years (full time)
Landwehr (part time soldiers) abolished
Extra 49 regiments
Cost 9 mill thalers (1.5 mill)
New weapons
Standing army to be 230,000 450,000
Constitutional Crisis ctd.
Bismarck failed to persuade Landtag to pass
budget. His thoughts are expressed below
Germany looks not to Prussias liberalism but
to her power. Not by parliamentary speeches
and majority verdicts will the great questions
of the day be determined that was the great
mistake of 1848 and 1849 but by iron and
blood.
Bismarck meant
Iron and blood = Prussian military strength
ie, war will unite Germany

Historian, Richards
Affairs were arranged not by right but by
might
The crisis was sorted by Bismarck ignoring
Landtag. He approved the plan himself
Sub - conclusion
Solving the constitutional crisis is an example of
Bismarcks opportunism and realpolitik in the
steps to unification.
Opportunism: taking advantage of opportunities
that present themselves
Realpolitik: doing what is practical vs what is
ideal
(Bismarcks aim: Prussia to lead the German
nation)

The Schleswig-Holstein Crisis &
War with Denmark 1864
Political 2
Treaty of London 1852:
Christian of Glucksburg next in line to Danish
throne. Would get Duchies of S and H as well.
German duke of Augustenberg also had claim to
Duchies but agrees to give up his family claim.
Schleswig-Holstein Crisis & war with
Denmark 1864
Political 2
1863 Danish King Christian IX proposes
Reform of Danish constitution to make Schleswig
Danish
Bind Holstein closer to Denmark too.
CRISIS! German nationalists protest. Bund sends
troops as protection for Germans in S and H.
- Bismarck asks Austria to help the Germans defeat
Denmark.
Danish defeat 1864
Results/Consequences
Convention of Gastein 1865
Example of realpolitik
Prussia to rule Schleswig
Austria to rule Holstein
Bund has no jurisdiction in either
Bismarck really wanted to annex both Duchies to
have control of naval base at Kiel, Holstein
Bismarck seen as a protector and unifier of Germans.
Previous Prussian army budget seen as worthwhile.
Liberal nationalists now approve of Bismarck.

War with Austria 1866
Political 3
Example of Bismarck planning for war with Austria?
October 1865, Biarritz. Bismarck and Napoleon III
meet.
No minutes of meeting
Bismarck seems to have negotiated a promise from
Napoleon: France will be neutral in any war Prussia
vs Austria.
In return for neutrality, Nap was promised territorial
compensation, wherever French was spoken, ie
Belgium.
Nap also had alliance with Austria, so he couldnt
lose!
Isolating Austria
Austria had been an obstacle to Italian unification:
Venetia, land around Venice was ruled by Austria,
Italy wants it to fully unite Italian people.
Bismarck persuades Italians to ally with Prussia. The
alliance terms were: (p120. Kerr + McGonigle)
Who else might help Austria in a war?
GB? No. Didnt help before in 1864. So why now?
Russia? No. The Tsar liked Bismarck because he
helped in the war between Russia and Poland. Also
Austria failed to help Russia in the Crimean War
1854-63.
How does war break out?
Austrian/Prussian talks over S/H break down.
Austria refers problem of Duchies to the Bund.
This is a breach of the Treaty of Gastein.
Bismarck sends troops into Holstein.
Austrian troops withdraw peacefully
Bismarck proposes
Austria should be excluded from the Confederation
National Parliament to be elected by universal
suffrage (he knows Austria will oppose this)
All troops in Northern Germany to be under Prussian
command


How does war break out? 2
Austria asks Bund to reject Prussian ideas and to
mobilise for war.
Prussia withdraws from Bund and invites all other
German states as allies vs Austria.
BUT the southern German states mobilise against
Prussia!
Bismarck issues ultimatum to 3 states: Hesse
Cassel, Saxony, Hanover. They reject ultimatum.
Prussian troops invade HC, S and H
German civil war!
Austro-Prussian War, 1866
The Seven Weeks War
3 Fronts for Prussians to contend with
1) North Hesse-Cassel, Saxony: no resistance but
Saxonys army goes to Bohemia to help Austria. Hanover
defeated by June.
2) South Italy holds up 200,000 Austrian troops. Heavy
casualties. Helps Prussia.
3) Austria (+ Saxony). 3 July 1866 Prussian victory at
Konniggratz (Sadowa). Armies balanced in number but
Prussians better weapons too much for Austrians
Bismarck hailed as hero in Prussia. Promoted to Major
General. Wears uniform more often.
Significance of victory justifies army budget and reforms.
Bismarck gets support of Liberals
Why did Prussia win?
The Austrian army, though large, was out of date in
terms of mobilisation and equipment.
Prussia mobilised large forces very rapidly (railways)
The Prussian army was also modern and superior in
terms of equipment. William Is reforms had paid off.
Austria had to split its forces in two and fight on the
Italian front.
Prussia had excellent railway and telegram networks.
Von Roon and Von Moltke (the leaders of the
Prussian army) were very able.
After the war
Bismarck is lenient with Austria:
We have to avoid wounding Austria too
severely, we have to avoid leaving behind in
her unnecessary bitterness or feeling or desire
for revenge. We ought to keep the possibility
of becoming friends again.
Bismarck has what he wanted. Austria out of
German affairs.
Example of opportunity, planning, others
mistakes (notably Austria)
Treaty of Prague 1866
Italy gets Venetia
Prussia annexes S + H, Hesse C, Frankfurt and
Hanover (4 million)
Austria agrees to take no further part in German
affairs. No land lost. Small indemnity to pay.
Bund is dissolved
North German Confederation formed out of 21
states north of River Main (Prussia leads)

North German Confederation
Dominated by Prussia
All states north of River Main are members
Not a voluntary confederation
The State has rights to
Make war and peace
Decide foreign policy
Member states decide own internal affairs
President of NGC = Prussian King. He chooses heads of
armed forces and Chancellor.
2 houses
Bundesrat Upper house. Chosen State reps dominated by
Prussians
Reichstag Lower house elected by universal suffrage
The Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871
Political 4
The Spanish Candidacy 1869 -70
1868 Isabella of Spain is deposed.
William Is nephew, Leopold of Hohenzollern is Roman Catholic.
Spanish Gvt make offer of throne , 1870
William I not keen as feared Nap III would see it as encirclement of
France by Germans.
Bismarck secretly persuades Spanish Gvt and Leopold to accept.
They do.
French find out before it is officially announced and are very angry.
The interests and honour of France are now in peril
Count Benedetti visits William I in Bad Ems, Germany.
William assures Benedetti Prussia is friends with France. Leopolds
father withdraws candidacy.
Crisis resolved?
The Franco-Prussian War
1870-1871
Southern States joined NGC (secret alliances)
Germans mobilised quickly and effectively, unlike
French. Pr 350,000 at front. Fr 200,000
Early battles Fr defeats and retreat. Becomes
defensive war for Fr. Retreat to Metz, a fortress town.
Besieged by Germans.
Another Fr army met German army at Sedan. 1/9/70.
Devastated. Commanded by Napoleon himself.
Surrendered 2/9/70. 84,000 men, 2,700 officers, 39
generals and 1 emperor.
18
th
January 1871
4/9/70. Napoleons govt overthrown by
revolutionary govt. Proclaimed the 3
rd
French
Republic. Decided to fight on. Germans
beseige Paris. Starving French finally
surrender 28/1/71.

Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles. The
Second German Empire proclaimed. (NGC plus
4 southern German states)
William 1 crowned first German Kaiser
UNIFICATION COMPLETE!
Treaty of Frankfurt
10 May 1871
German troops to occupy E France until 200 million
reparations paid within 4 years.
Alsace and east Lorraine annexed to Germany.
Why so harsh?
Economic - A and L iron ore and farmland
Strategic Bismarck believed France now an
irreconcilable enemy of Germany. Taking land ensures
no future threat of war.
But problem for future French desire for revenge.
Von Moltke What we have gained by arms in half a
year, we must protect by arms for half a century.
Conclusion
Click here to read the conclusion written in
the book below
The Unification of Germany 1815 90,
Andrina Stiles and Alan Farmer, Access to
History Series, Second Edition 2001; page 95