Kaiserreich: 2 government and opposition, 1871-1888 Flashcards
how did Bismarck describe Wilhelm I and how did Bismarck act in response?
‘old-fashioned, courteous and a genuine Prussian officer’
throw tantrums, tears, hysterical outbursts and frequent threats of resignation
how did Bismarck rule?
through force of personality
he never had a large single party backing
he loathed working with the Reichstag however understood the importance in ‘carrying the country’
just as his personality was full of contradictions so did his policies
what were the results of the 1871 election?
sizeable majority of NL and imperial liberals both of whom shared Bismarck’s belief of German unity
Bismarck could also count on support of the Free Conservatives (big landowners and industrialists)
moving towards unification, the Reichstag agreed over 100 new laws - what are some examples?
- 1876 establishment of the Reichsbank - controlled the Mark - stable as backed by gold
- law for commerce and abolition of tariffs on internal trade between Lander
- single system of weights and measures
- national postal and telegraph system
- national penal code in 1872 though single civil law not completed until 1900 and states retained independent control over their police forces
- single court system
- support for extension of the railway network
what was kulturkampf?
‘struggle for culture’ which was Bismarck and the Liberals fight against the power of the Catholic church
what % of the population were Catholic?
37 - particularly strong in the southern German states and the Rhineland
Catholic church was financially independent possessing schools and it had political influence through Zentrum
why did Bismarck fear Zentrum?
second largest Reichstag party with 63 deputies
feared they might oppose his measures to strengthen and unify the state
hoped attacking the Catholics may win support from the Protestants
why were the Liberals anti Catholics?
1864 Syllabus of Errors, the Pope declared the church to be opposed to liberalism, nationalism and ‘recent civilisations’
stood in direct opposition to Liberal views of reformation
what did the Doctrine of Papal Infallibility state?
stated on matters of morality and faith the Pope could do no wrong
what did Bismarck’s kulturkampf entail?
- 1871 Zentrum portrayed as home of the Reichsfiende
- Catholic section of the Prussian Ministry of Religion and Education abolished
- clergy forbidden from any mention of politics whilst preaching
- May 1872 diplomatic relations with the Vatican ended
- Jesuits forbidden from preaching and entering Prussian schools
when were the May Laws introduced and by whom?
May 1873 by Adalbert Falk
laws applied to only Prussia
what did the May Laws consist of?
- Catholic education came under state supervision
- only those who studied in Germany and passed a state exam could become priests
- existing priests required to retrain
- appointment of clergy made by state
- civil marriage ceremony made compulsory
- all Catholic religious orders were dissolved
- state financial aid to the Catholic church ended
- Prussian Catholics deprived of certain legal and civil rights
what other actions were made against the Catholic church?
- 1874 - responsibility for the registration of births, marriages and deaths in Prussia was removed from the church and taken over by the state
- all states given the right to restrict the freedom of movement of the clergy and any banned priest caught preaching could be placed under house arrest or expelled from Germany
- 1875 - Prussian gov given the power to suspend subsidies to dioceses where the clergy were resisting the new laws
how did the Pope react to Bismarck’s changes?
ordered all German bishops to disobey the anti-Catholic laws but Bismarck forbade the publication of the letter
by 1876 all the Catholic bishops of Prussia and all Polish bishops had either been imprisoned or exiled
1400 out of the 4600 priests were left
1873 Pope Pius IX wrote to the Kaiser complaining, adding that anyone who had been baptised should only obey the Pope
Wilhelm showed Bismarck more support as a result
was Bismarck’s attempt at repressing the Catholic Church successful?
- Catholic Church continued to thrive
- persecution created martyrs and encouraged Catholics to rally
- under new Zentrum leader Ludwig Windhorst organised ‘national resistance tours’ attacking the kulturkampf
1874 election Zentrum won 91 seats putting them in a position to threaten Bismarck’s ability to win a majority
Catholic barrel maker tried to assassinate Bismarck in 1874
Protestants began to express unease with Bismark’s policies and Jews were concerned there was increased anti-Semitism
why did Bismarck end the kulturkampf in 1878?
- favoured a closer alliance with Catholic Austria
- agricultural and industrial depressions of the 1870s made Bismarck anxious to abandon the liberal policy of free trade since this would lose the backing of the NLs and he would need Zentrum’s support
- Bismarck’s allies the Protestants had grown increasingly opposed to kulturkampf
- believed socialism posed a greater threat
death of Pope Pius IX in 1878 and election of more liberal Leo XIII provided Bismarck with an excuse to the change the policy
1880 May Laws gradually repealed
what was the result of the ending of kulturkampf?
- relations with the Papacy improved and Bismarck was able to make his alliance with Austria 1879
- Zentrum transformed itself into a purely religious party supporting the empire
- Bismarck freed from dependence on the NLs and was able to make policy changes as desired