booklet 1

Question 1

Annexation

Answer 1

Taking over another country against its will

Question 2

Anti-socialist laws

Answer 2

Introduced in 1878. The laws banned socialist groups, meetings and publications. They were upheld by the police surveillance and powers given to local authorities.

Question 3

Authoritarianism

Answer 3

A broad term meaning government by strong non-democratic leadership.

Question 4

Bourgeoisie

Answer 4

The upper and middle class who own the capital (money) and means of production (factories and mines).

Question 5

Bundersrat

Answer 5

The Federal council 1871-1918. It comprised 58 members nominated by the assemblies of the 25 states of Germany.

Question 6

Constitution

Answer 6

A set of rules by which the country is run.

Question 7

Federalism

Answer 7

A government in which several states divide responsibilities between central and regional authority.

Question 8

Holy Roman Empire

Answer 8

Formed in the 9th century and by 1800 it had become a loose empire of separate states.

Question 9

Kaiserreich

Answer 9

Imperial Germany, or the second empire.

Question 10

Kanzler

Answer 10

The chancellor.

Question 11

Kulturkampf

Answer 11

A struggle for culture or civilization. Bismarck’s anti-Catholic policy of the 1870s.

Question 12

Mittelstand

Answer 12

Can be translated as ‘the middle class’, but in German society it tends to represent the lower middle classes. Traditionally independent and self-reliant, but it increasingly felt squeezed out between the power and influence of big business and industrial labour.

Question 13

Landtag

Answer 13

Within the federal structure, each state had its own assembly.

Question 14

Nationalism

Answer 14

The belief in - and support for - a national identity.

Question 15

Reichstag

Answer 15

The imperial parliament elected by all male voters over 25.

Question 16

Sovereign state

Answer 16

A state that administers its own government and is not dependent upon or subject to another power.

Question 17

Structuralists

Answer 17

Interpret history by analysing the role of social forces and structures. Therefore they tend to place less emphasis on the role of the individual.

Question 18

Sectarian

Answer 18

A form of hatred arising from differences between divisions in a group.

Question 19

Volk

Answer 19

Often translated at people, although it tends to suggest a nation with the same ethnic and cultural identities and with a collective sense of belonging.

Question 20

Wilhelmine

Answer 20

A term for the period of German history 1890-1918. It refers to the rule of Wilhelm 2nd, in contrast to the Bismarckian era, 1871-90.

Question 21

Zollverein

Answer 21

The customs union of German states. It created a free trade area by removing internal customs, but upholding customs on imports from foreign trade partners.