The Unification of Germany in 1871 into a politically and an administratively integrated nation state, is highly regarded as a direct result from a Prussian statesman named Otto von Bismarck and his political strategies. Bismarck used his skill as an excellent orator, his great ability to read and manipulate others, as well as his capability to plan ahead while being able to adapt to situations simultaneously as they arose, is what helped him come into power and eventually unify the German states, excluding Austria. But was it Bismarck’s direct master plan once coming into power to unify Germany? Or was he the ultimate opportunist by taking advantage of situations thrust upon him?
Otto von Bismarck, born April 1st 1815, was a Prussian statesman
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The newly appointed king of Denmark, King Christian IX, provoked this crisis by attempting to annex the German-speaking duchies Schleswig and Holstein, which provided Bismarck with an opportunity to obtain them for Prussia. Once again, at this time Bismarck’s initial goals were to obtain these regions to expand the Prussian territory, more so then obtaining them to unify the German-speaking regions [Urbach]. Bismarck would denounce King Christian IX decision to completely annex the regions and gave him an ultimatum to return the duchies to their former status, which Denmark ultimately refused. With the refusal, Prussia with the help of Austria invaded Denmark, which sparked the beginning of the violent Second Schleswig War. The war ended quite violently as well, with the king of Denmark being forced to renounce all his rights in the duchies, which led to negotiations between Austria and Prussia. The Convention of Gastein was an agreement between Austria and Prussia, reached on August 20, 1865, which provided that Schleswig would go to the King of Prussia and Holstein would go to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. The Duchy of Lauenburg was also handed over absolutely to the King of Prussia and the King in great appreciation bestowed the title of Count to Bismarck. Bismarck during this first war demonstrated political skill in that he had severed the Duchies from Denmark without allowing foreign nations …show more content…
The Emperor of Austria refused to sell Holstein to Prussia or give Prussia the dominant political influence in Northern Germany. Bismarck took action in order to isolate Austria. Bismarck, being concerned of foreign involvement, met in France with Napoleon who wanted compensation for allowing Prussia to expand and in response, Bismarck threatened to use any means necessary to start a national war against France [Pflance]. Bismarck then negotiated verbal promises that any increase in territory would not be a threat to Paris, and he even suggested that a complete reform of the German Constitution might be undertaken [Headlam]. After these discussions Napoleon agreed that France would remain neutral in a war between Prussia and Austria. Italy would take more diplomatic finesse on Bismarck’s part, as there was suspicion and distrust between them. Bismarck negotiated with Italy that if Prussia went to war with Austria within the next three months, Italy would also at once declare war and Bismarck agreed that Prussia would continue the war till Venetia was surrendered for Italy [Headlam]. Bismarck through that agreement was able to secure Italy’s support and completed the arrangements for a commercial treaty with Italy. Throughout these negotiations Austria was alert to Bismarck’s meeting with France and Italy and began arming themselves for war against Prussia. Bismarck manipulated Austria’s actions of increasing
Research will be drawn from many sources including several historical studies and online articles. The sources used revolve around Bismarck's attitudes and actions toward German unification and general policy. Sources include works by historians A.J.P. Taylor and James Wycliffe Headlam. The policies of Bismarck during the interwar period were researched as well, through several scholastic journals and written works.
For example, in Herman Wagener’s memorandum, or private letter, to Otto Von Bismarck, he gave recommendations on strategies to strengthen the army and essentially gain more dominance and power (doc 3). Herman Wagener, being a conservative politician, advised Bismarck in the private letter that he shift the masses’ opinion while strengthening the power and reliability of the army. Also, Kaiser Wilhelm 1 made a speech to Reichstag proposing that they enforce “... the repression of Social Democratic excesses ...” (doc 5) and also promote workers’ welfare. This German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm 1, made his speech to Reichstag naturally hoping to influence the parliament to support Bismarck by saying that they need to convict the socialists in order to cure defects which will lead to more support from many people and more power. In addition, in 1884 Bismarck spoke in support of the Socialists, in support of their ideas, and apologized for the proposal that the government tried to win more support for the Anti-Socialist law (doc 6). Bismarck made this speech in support of the Socialists in order to gain their support to increase his dominance and power. Finally, Eugen Richter wrote a newspaper article in 1890 explaining Chancellor Otto Von
Nearing the end of his life, Otto von Bismarck said, “One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans,” (History.com Staff 1). As it so happens, Mr. von Bismarck was correct. The first World War was triggered by the unmerited assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke. The day Ferdinand was killed, was his and his wife’s wedding anniversary (History.com Staff 1). The couple was visiting Sarajevo in a open car, a rarity at the time (Ben Cosgrove 1). Unfortunately, this city held threatening nationalists and terrorists. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a young man named Gavrilo Princip. Princip had been trained in terrorism by the Black Hand, a Serbian secret society (The Editors of Encyclopedia
...h Austria’s presence. Thus, in the Nikolsburg Armistice, he agreed “to make no annexations in Austria in return for a large cash indemnity and Franz Joseph’s pledge to remove Austria from the German Confederation and whatever political structure Prussia might design to succeed it.” In doing so, Bismarck removed all legitimacy of Austrian presence in Germany. No longer could Austria involve itself in German politics without violating the treaty. As a result, this exclusion would make certain that a “centralized German state under Prussian domination” would come to exist. This war went perfectly for Bismarck, for he was able to achieve all he desired in the outcome. The armistice itself helps to prove that the war was orchestrated intentionally by Bismarck, for he exacted little from his enemy but his ultimate goal – ensuring Prussian supremacy in Germany.
The biographical approach to German unification in Bruce Waller’s Bismarck leaves the reader without much information on the European political picture as a whole and by no means provides a plethora of information on many of the political power players outside of Bismarck’s Germany. For example, Waller’s approach to Bismarck’s economic foreign policy is clearly lacking an explanation of outside factors, and those factors of the European economic situat...
There were a number of events that occurred before eventually resulting in the reunification of Germany in 1871. The first steps towards the unification of Germany began in 1814 after the downfall of Napoleon’s ‘Rheinbund’ this began the period of restoration, where princes and knights etc. reclaimed their political control over their territory that they had under the old ‘Reich’ before 1789 (Mark Allinson, 2002).
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...
However, with the designation of Wilhelm II as the new Kaiser, Bismarck’s ways and goals weren’t longer taken into account and was dismissed in 1890. The new Kaiser had different objectives; he was ambitious and wanted to improve the notability of Germany by expanding the empire. This expansion involved more colonies from where they would be able to import cheaply raw materials and labour supply. The whole new tendency whose sole purpose was to expand was named Weltpolitik. This Imperialism was one of the many causes of WW...
To begin with, Otto Von Bismarck’s mother, whose name is Wilhelmina Mencken, impacted him the most, when he was in his young ages. She didn’t want her son to become another insipid landowners, or as they were called Junkers, as his father was. “She had high hopes for her gifted son. She pushed him mercilessly to study hard and make something of himself”(19). However, as any other young boy he didn’t like to study, but it’s mother, who decides what is the best for the child. This made Otto hate her, when he was a kid. Nevertheless, his mother was not the only important person in his childhood: “The second great power in Otto’s life was his father, Ferdinant von Bismarck.”(19) The Bismarcks had been Junkers for centuries. They had the reputation of being tough, unimaginative, and absolutely loyal to their king. “Otto later confessed that he wa...
In the year 1929 their was a large depression in the country of Germany. This depression was made up of power struggle and economic distress. The people of Germany no longer trusted the democratic government that they once knew. This allowed Adolf Hitler, the great speaker that he was, to persuade the German people to bring him and his Nazi party into power. Adolf Hitler approached the German people speaking of nationalism which was very much needed after World War I. Not only did he need the...
Since the unification of Germany in the late 19th century, attitudes of nationalism, Prussian militarism and expansionism saturated German society. As one can clearly see in the writings of the influential German historian, Heinrich von Treitschke, war and territorial expansion were seen as being necessary to the preservation and advancement of German society. He states that, “War is for an afflicted people the only remedy… Those who preach the nonsense about everlasting peace do not understand the life of the Aryan race, the Aryans are before all brave.” The mobilization of the people and resources, for the purpose of making war, were believed to be the means of preservation and advancement of German society. These ultra-nationalistic attitudes and beliefs resulted in widespread German enthusiasm with the coming of war in 1914. As expressed in a German newspaper, The Post, “Another forty years of peace would be a national misfortune for Germany.”
After years of trying to unify as one nation and countless failures, the German people now believed that they themselves were among the superior races of the world and it was Germany’s destiny to become the greatest nation the world had ever seen. Under Bismarck’s rule the economy boomed. The German Industrial Complex, powered by its heavy war production, made many men and the nation itself very wealthy. This wealth and prosperity led to an intoxicating feeling among its people, a feeling that they were the next great world
From the 1790s to 1814 French troops successively conquered and occupied the area that later constituted the German Empire. French domination helped to modernize and consolidate Germany and -- toward the end -- sparked the first upsurge of German nationalism. In different ways the French emperor Napoleon I helped German unification. It was important that he encouraged many of the middle-sized German states to absorb huge numbers of small independent territories, mostly bishoprics, church lands, and local principalities.
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.
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.