Bismarck's resignation Flashcards
When did Kaiser Wilhelm I die?
9th March 1888
Who succeeded Wilhelm I and what happened to him?
-When did Wilhelm become Chancellor?
His son Frederick succeeded him from the 9th March 1888 until his death on the 13th June 1888. He only reigned for 99 days and died of cancer. His son Wilhelm took over as Emperor. Wilhelm II became Kaiser on the 15th June 1888, at the age of 29.
What was Wilhelm II’s relationship like with Bismarck?
Kaiser Wilhelm II clashed with Bismarck as Wilhelm ignored Bismarck or scarred his policy issues and Bismarck made no attempt to build a good relationship with the Kaiser.
What did Bismarck clash with Wilhelm II over?
- Minister-Presidency
- Socialism
- Austria
- People’s Emperor
- Bismarck wanted to control policy making and maintain his position- Minister President of Prussia. The Kaiser believed in personal rule and wanted to reduce the powers of the Minister-president.
- Bismarck wanted to repress socialism and the workers’ agitation. Wilhelm II was more sympathetic and believed that he could win the industrial workers where Bismarck had failed.
- Bismarck wanted to maintain close relations with Russia, whereas the Kaiser favoured Austria.
- The chancellor was uninterested about popular opinion and was happy to fight the “Reichsfeinde” and remain aloof in politics. Wilhelm wanted to be loved by all classes om society and perceived himself as the “People’s Emperor”
- What did Bismarck put before the Reichstag in 1890?
- What did he anticipate and then plan to happen?
- What did Wilhelm II do?
Bismarck put two bills before the new Reichstag in 1890. The first called for an increase to 125,000 men in the army and the second for his severe Anti-Socialist Law. He expected these to be rejected by the Reichstag but had plans to call on the Bundesrat to alter the constitution to that the Reichstag would lose most of its powers and voting rights. Wilhelm rejected this scheme, believing Bismarck had lost his sense with reality.
- What was the argument that eventually brought about Bismarck’s resignation and what did he do?
- When did Bismarck resign?
Bismarck also argued with the Kaiser about whom ministers should approach first- Kaiser or Chancellor- and he angered the new Emperor by accusing him of ‘meddling in modern affairs’. Wilhelm thus forced Bismarck to resign on the 18th March 1890.
