Unification in Germany Flashcards
What was Germany prior to 1871 and what were the biggest of these?
Made of up of 39 independent states and Prussia and Austria were the largest.
What was Germany prior to 1806?
-What did Napoleon do to it?
It was the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ and made up of 300 different states. It was conquered by Napoleon in 1815 and 39 more states had ben established
How did Prussia consolidate her strength before 1871?
How did Austria consolidate her strength before 1871?
- Prussia consolidated her strength under the formation of the German customs union (Zollverein).
- Austria opted not to be apart of the trading network but continued to be a dominant political and cultural force within the confederation.
What did the German liberals do to the nationalist sentiment in 1848 the Frankfurt Parliament?
What did the Frankfurt Parliament agree on?
What happened in 1849?
- German Liberals expressed national sentiment in 1874 during revolutions in France. The new Frankfurt Parliament even reached an agreement on the future shape of Germany.
- Frankfurt Parliament would be a united Federal state with a Kaiser and parliament elected by universal manhood suffrage.
- In 1849, this was stopped by conservative rulers who were unwilling to cede power and a Prussian monarch who refused the crown of a united, small Germany.
What do some people say about Bismarck’s power?
What do they say instead?
- It was exaggerated and he only took advantage of certain situations.
- It is said that Prussia’s economic growth, the international situation and the Prussian army of and German nationalism gave Bismarck the credit.
What did Bismarck do to King Ludwig of Bavaria to get him to cooperate?
What did it show?
What money did he use?
Over 6 million gold marks. Payments began in 1873 of 300,000 marks and lasted until 1885.
Showed Bismarck’s bribery rather than political skill.
Bismarck used the money confiscated from the King of Hanover.
What was Bismarck able to do with diplomatic skill?
- Wanted to get French land of Alsace-Lorraine for tactical reasons against France and got it.
- He was very diplomatic and made the confederation constitution like that of the North German confederation.
When, where and why was Kaiser Wilhelm I’s coronation?
18th January 1871 in Versailles- just to annoy the French. This added to the humiliation of French surrender just 10 days later.
What was a problem of Wilhelm I becoming Kaiser?
What did Grand Duke Baden do at the coronation to save Wilhelm?
- Wilhelm wanted to be known as the ‘Kaiser of Germany’ but with part of the deal with the King of Bavaria his title was ‘German Kaiser’.
- Grand Duke Baden shouted at the coronation: “Long live his Imperial and Royal majesty, Kaiser Wilhelm.”
What was a tension between Prussia and Austria?
What was this in reality
There was a rivalry between them. Prussia saw Austria’s exclusion from the customs union and in 1866 crushed Austria’s military as she refused to give up her independence policy interest in Holstein. (In reality, Prussia wanted Austria removed from the Federation).
What was part of the May 1871 Treaty of Frankfurt?
- German troops were to remain in France until a fine of 5 billion Francs had been paid in gold.
- Alsace and half of Eastern Lorraine were annexed to Germany.
What three reasons made Alsace Lorraine valuable to Germany?
- They were rich in iron ore.
- Was a good strategic place. The fortress of Metz and Strasbourg were said to be equivalent to 120,000 men.
- Germany portrayed France, during the war, as the guilty party. This meant France need punishing and a way of doing that would be to annex Alsace and Lorraine.
When was Wilhelm made Kaiser?
18th January 1871
When was Otto von Bismarck made chancellor?
21st March 1871
How many states in German Empire?
25, 26 European Aras
