German Unification

Impact on Europe

Germany prior to Confederation

Prior to Confederation

• In the early 1800s Prussia was the only German state of any size

• In fact Prussia was roughly equal to the Austrian empire in terms of size, population, and wealth

• Austria was opposed to German confederation as a portion of its population was German

Prior to Confederation

Austria Weakened• Austria lost a key ally in

Russia when they refused to help Russia fight England and France during the Crimean War

• Austria was defeated by the French and northern Italian states in the unification of Italy and therefore lost territory and prestige

Prussia Strengthened• Prussia was ahead of

Austria in the industrial revolution

• Prussia had set up a trade alliance with other German states making trade easier and more profitable

1848 Revolts• Like other places in Europe

Germany experienced several riots demanding changes

• Unlikely elsewhere in Europe, Prussian King Fredrick William IV sympathized with the rioters

• King William promised the people a constitution and an elected assembly

Otto von Bismarck

• First came to prominence when the new King Wilhelm wanted to expand his army

• Bismarck convinced parliament making a famous speech called “Blood and Iron”

Otto von Bismarck

• When Bismarck became Chancellor he had several goals:– unify the north German states under Prussian control– weaken Prussia's main rival, Austria, by removing it from

the Bund– make Berlin the centre of German affairs - not Vienna– strengthen the position of the King of Prussia, William I,

to counter the demands for reform from the Liberals in the Prussian parliament (the Reichstag).

Dealing with Austria

• Bismarck correctly saw Austria as a stumbling block and set out to deal with them– First Bismarck allied with the Austrians and attacked

Denmark in 1864 over two small German nations (Schleswig and Holstein)

– Allied with Russia in large part by refusing to help Poland fight Russia

– Allied with France in return for supporting France against Belgium

– Allied with Italy if Prussia wasn’t the aggressor

Seven Weeks War

• Bismarck ensured that the treaty regarding Schleswig and Holstein was so complicated that there would be arguments

• Eventually Austria became so frustrated that they declared war on Prussia

Seven Weeks War• Several German states sided

with Austria but proved to be ineffective

• France sided with Austria but came late and were ineffective

• Austria was hampered by having to send troops to fight the Italians

• The Prussian needle gun gave Prussia a technological advantage

• Austria was quickly and decisively defeated

Consequences• Austria was forced to pay

compensation to Prussia but didn’t lose land

• Austria agreed to stay out of German affairs

• A Northern German confederation was established

• A Southern German confederation was established as a result of the Northern confederation Video Clip

Weakening the French

• After the Seven Weeks war France viewed Prussia with alarm

• Mean while Prussia looked for ways undermine France’s power and influence

• Bismarck attempted to weaken France by:– Making a deal with Russia, to keep them out of a war– Keeping ties with Italy to ensure they remained neutral

• Bismarck also gambled that Britain would not intervene on behalf of France

Spain Provides an Excuse

• Spain offered its vacant crown to a relative of Prussia’s King

• France feared Prussia gaining more influence and power

• France put pressure on Prussia’s King Wilhelm I to get his relative to refuse the crown

• Bismarck published a heavily edited version of a French telegram called the Ems Telegram

Franco – Prussian War• In the lead up to war the

Southern Confederation of Germany joined the Northern Confederation to fight France

• France had hoped to ally with the Southern Confederation in a war against Prussia and now found itself without any allies against an united Germany

Franco - Prussian War• Prussia was able to much

more quickly mobilize its forces than France

• This combined with Prussia extensive rail system allowed Prussia to quickly and easily concentrate its forces while French troops were still marching to the battle

Franco – Prussian War• France held a

technological edge in rifles• Prussia held the advantage

in mobility and tactics• The war went badly for

France in 6 weeks with France’s leader Napoleon III was captured along with most of the French army

Franco – Prussian War

• The humiliation the French suffered resulted in Napoleon’s opponents over throwing him and declaring the Third French Republic

• The republic refused to surrender to the surprise of the Prussians

• Prussia put Paris under siege and this lasted until France’s surrender in mid January 1871

Consequences

• France was forced to give up most of its traditional German speaking territory, most significantly Alsace and parts or Lorraine

• Germany would also administer Paris and parts of Northern France until such time as France paid Germany the war indemnity (200 million pounds)

• Germany became officially unified with Wilhelm I as emperor (Kaiser)

• Bismarck was named Chancellor and was named prince and given an estate

The End

Now bring on 50 years of war