The modern country of Germany has long had a history of division with unification often seemingly beyond reach. As the Germanic Kingdom, titled the Holy Roman Empire, gradually weakened, the ties of the Germanic tribes dissolved to the point of hostility. The Protestant Reformation nearly obliterated these internal connections altogether with small kingdoms establishing themselves based on religious preference, alliance, and ruling family.
Eventually, one of these kingdoms built itself into a formidable power. Prussia gained the military strength to assert itself on other Germanic states and defend itself from elite European powers while successfully developing a competitive economy that attracted weaker factions in the surrounding lands. Though the rise of Prussia did not proceed without hindrance or opposition, the nationalist movements in the mid-nineteenth century converted the issue of German unification into into greater Germanic social relations. Prussia began a series of consolidating wars to protect its borders, expand trade, and enhance its power with the intent of German unification. Led by Otto von Bismarck, Prussia used manipulation of international politics and German nationalism to unite itself.
The first of Bismarck's three wars involved extracting Schleswig and Holstein, independent duchies, from the Danish crown. Both areas had large German populations that outnumbered the Danes. The results of a short war saw an Prussian-Austrian alliance gain control of the region
The second war pitted a small, mobile Prussian military against the large, outdated Austrian army for control over the northern Germanic states. Winning the war in just seven weeks, Prussia formed the North German Confederation and excluded Austrian influence in this seedling empire. The defeat lost Austria land to Italy in the south, influence in German peoples to the north, and created internal divisions that later forced a more representative government in an Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Despite his victory, Bismarck campaigned for the North German Confederation to exclude Austria.
Although Austria contained a significant German population, its borders included many non-Germanic peoples that today represent many of the Baltic and Eastern European nations. Otto von Bismarck, a master statesman who caused Europe to dance to his fiddle for nearly thirty years, had many motives for negating Austrian influence within a newly formed German alliance.
1.) For centuries, Germans states had been splintered into small holdings that gave allegiance to a larger power for trade and military defense. Prussia had once been a minor player but had political ambitions that necessitated command over ever-growing geographic boundaries. As Prussia's power grew to match Austria's the two nations competed for smaller states' support. By disassociating Austrian influence in Germany, Prussia could proudly declare the new empire's strength to be from her establishments.
2.) The Zollverein, the German Customs Union, gave Prussia a huge economic advantage over Austria. By minimizing or removing tariffs, trade between Prussia and the German states flourished exponentially as industrialization took hold. Austria's initial disinterest in the union undermined its ability to economically support its allied states while giving Prussia consolidated control over a large portion of the Germanic peoples.
3.) Despite defeating Austrian, many of the German duchies still favored Austrian's less militaristic governance. Prussia refused to risk losing a German confederation so recently secured.
4.) To avoid hypocrisy and to retain integrity abroad, Bismarck's Prussia defended its initial political reasons for the war. If Prussia had allowed its recent enemy occupancy within its new empire, negative public perception could have incited a second war with Austria.
5.) After the Concert of Europe in 1815 and the agreement for the balance of power among Britain, France, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, a full union of Austria and Prussia would have incited a full scale European war to protect the power balance. A decade before the Northern German Confederation, Britain and France warred with Russia over its expansionist policies in the Black Sea. Russia, Britain, and France feared that a united Austria-Prussia would be an unstoppable force on the continent. To send a clear signal that Prussia was content with its new station, Bismarck sent a clear signal to the other major powers that a united Germany would not include Austria.
6.) Lastly, Bismarck, Wilhelm, and von Moltke, all saw Prussia and the larger German state as purely German. Austria was a large, encompassing empire with significant minorities that did not fit Prussian ideals. Nationalism and the great German dream of unification began with Napoleon's invasion in the early nineteenth century. The division of power between Austria and Prussia remained the most significant reason for continued division in the 1850-60s. With Prussia's clear dominance over Austria and unification in sight, many Germans enthusiastically supported Prussia as full consolidation of the German state occurred in 1871.
Prussia successfully united Germany through politics, economics, and social ideology, and its exclusion of its greatest competing threat allowed antagonized areas to quickly accept a unified Germany. This new empire became the most powerful military in the world in a few short decades and gave the world a scapegoat for the two deadliest wars in history. After World War II, Russia, Britain, and the United States attempted to remove the Prussian military history from the German people's minds to avoid another world war. They achieved this by dividing Germany again. A new, modern, reunited Germany is now the largest economy in Europe. The effects of Germany's unification have been profound, and the projection of that nation is much easier to grasp when a portion of its past is revealed. No country must conform to its trajectory because Germany has become a respected global leader with a generous government, green economy, and retained the enthusiastic society that has made Germany what it has been in every age.
Eventually, one of these kingdoms built itself into a formidable power. Prussia gained the military strength to assert itself on other Germanic states and defend itself from elite European powers while successfully developing a competitive economy that attracted weaker factions in the surrounding lands. Though the rise of Prussia did not proceed without hindrance or opposition, the nationalist movements in the mid-nineteenth century converted the issue of German unification into into greater Germanic social relations. Prussia began a series of consolidating wars to protect its borders, expand trade, and enhance its power with the intent of German unification. Led by Otto von Bismarck, Prussia used manipulation of international politics and German nationalism to unite itself.
The first of Bismarck's three wars involved extracting Schleswig and Holstein, independent duchies, from the Danish crown. Both areas had large German populations that outnumbered the Danes. The results of a short war saw an Prussian-Austrian alliance gain control of the region
The second war pitted a small, mobile Prussian military against the large, outdated Austrian army for control over the northern Germanic states. Winning the war in just seven weeks, Prussia formed the North German Confederation and excluded Austrian influence in this seedling empire. The defeat lost Austria land to Italy in the south, influence in German peoples to the north, and created internal divisions that later forced a more representative government in an Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Despite his victory, Bismarck campaigned for the North German Confederation to exclude Austria.
1.) For centuries, Germans states had been splintered into small holdings that gave allegiance to a larger power for trade and military defense. Prussia had once been a minor player but had political ambitions that necessitated command over ever-growing geographic boundaries. As Prussia's power grew to match Austria's the two nations competed for smaller states' support. By disassociating Austrian influence in Germany, Prussia could proudly declare the new empire's strength to be from her establishments.
2.) The Zollverein, the German Customs Union, gave Prussia a huge economic advantage over Austria. By minimizing or removing tariffs, trade between Prussia and the German states flourished exponentially as industrialization took hold. Austria's initial disinterest in the union undermined its ability to economically support its allied states while giving Prussia consolidated control over a large portion of the Germanic peoples.
3.) Despite defeating Austrian, many of the German duchies still favored Austrian's less militaristic governance. Prussia refused to risk losing a German confederation so recently secured.
4.) To avoid hypocrisy and to retain integrity abroad, Bismarck's Prussia defended its initial political reasons for the war. If Prussia had allowed its recent enemy occupancy within its new empire, negative public perception could have incited a second war with Austria.
5.) After the Concert of Europe in 1815 and the agreement for the balance of power among Britain, France, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, a full union of Austria and Prussia would have incited a full scale European war to protect the power balance. A decade before the Northern German Confederation, Britain and France warred with Russia over its expansionist policies in the Black Sea. Russia, Britain, and France feared that a united Austria-Prussia would be an unstoppable force on the continent. To send a clear signal that Prussia was content with its new station, Bismarck sent a clear signal to the other major powers that a united Germany would not include Austria.
6.) Lastly, Bismarck, Wilhelm, and von Moltke, all saw Prussia and the larger German state as purely German. Austria was a large, encompassing empire with significant minorities that did not fit Prussian ideals. Nationalism and the great German dream of unification began with Napoleon's invasion in the early nineteenth century. The division of power between Austria and Prussia remained the most significant reason for continued division in the 1850-60s. With Prussia's clear dominance over Austria and unification in sight, many Germans enthusiastically supported Prussia as full consolidation of the German state occurred in 1871.
Prussia successfully united Germany through politics, economics, and social ideology, and its exclusion of its greatest competing threat allowed antagonized areas to quickly accept a unified Germany. This new empire became the most powerful military in the world in a few short decades and gave the world a scapegoat for the two deadliest wars in history. After World War II, Russia, Britain, and the United States attempted to remove the Prussian military history from the German people's minds to avoid another world war. They achieved this by dividing Germany again. A new, modern, reunited Germany is now the largest economy in Europe. The effects of Germany's unification have been profound, and the projection of that nation is much easier to grasp when a portion of its past is revealed. No country must conform to its trajectory because Germany has become a respected global leader with a generous government, green economy, and retained the enthusiastic society that has made Germany what it has been in every age.
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Agatha Tyche
Agatha Tyche
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