Modern Germany: The Unification of 300 States - Research Paper

Introduction

Looking at German in the current shape, people often think of things such as beer, lederhosen, sausages, and even soccer. Perhaps, people see Germany as a standardized country. However, this is not far from the truth. Certainly, modern Germany did not exist at all millenniums ago; it was through the efforts of the German nationalism and Germany's great statesman who made it happen. At the time when the United States declared its independence in 1776, Central Europe was divided into about 300 independent states that comprised of princedoms, free cities, among other sovereign republics. During this time, these German states were joined together by a limp political body known as the Holy Roman Empire. This body dates to the era of Charlemagne in 800s. The corporate censure of the predecessor to modern Germany, the Holy Roman Empire was in a way that it was neither holy, nor Roman, or an empire (Kontje 329). In the 17th century, the most powerful kingdoms Austria and Prussia started expanding and incorporating more German territories under their flags. It was in the early 19th century that Napoleon's takeover of the Germany lands that ended the Holy Roman Empire. After the defeat of Napoleon's, the German states established the poorly-linked German confederation that contained all the territories of the former empire with majority German speakers. This confederation was dominated by Austria and Prussia. The essay shall discuss the amalgamation of the German states since the reign of the Holy Roman Empire to when the German Reich was founded.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

A rivalry developed in the mid-eighteenth century between the Holy Roman Empire and the Austria kingdom, ruled by Habsburgs and Prussian kingdom, governed by Hohenzollerns. During this time, Austria was the dominant state, and due to this, her King was elected by the Holy Roman Empire. The influence of Austria changed due to the strengthening of Prussia through the acquisition of new lands and an increased military (William and Harry 62). Prussia began to challenge Austria's dominance, and it was the first state to recognize the U.S. and signed a Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1785. Later in 1797, Austria realized the United States after accepting Conrad Fredrick Wagner as U.S., Ambassador at Trieste under Habsburg's Authority.

In the early 19th century, Napoleon's armies were joined with the German states and moved through all lands. The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806. After this dissolution, the Congress of Vienna met, and the question on the discussion was what to do with central Europe (1814-15). They established a solution given was the creation of German Confederation, a collection of 39 states which included Austria and Prussia. Members of the Confederation took a pledge to help other members in case of a foreign attack. However, this confederation lacked economic unity, which led to the founding of the Zollverein union in 1834, which made efforts of striking economic unification between the members (Books Llc 88).

The first effort of Germany states unification begun in 1848. This followed the revolution of Paris in February 1848, which gave Germans the urge of unification. Few weeks after the Paris revolution, riots broke out and spread to urban areas. The revolutionaries of the German states advocated for freedom of the press, a national Germany parliament, a national militia, and trial by a panel of judges. Other ideas championed during this revolution included the elimination of the privilege of the aristocracy, creation of a constitution in various German states, fair taxation system, and religious freedom.

On 18th May 1848, a meeting was held at Frankfurt am Main by the German National Assembly that represented the first assembly that was elected freely by the people. Despite the elections done of an imperial vice-regent, the government lacked reliable executive power, which was its main flaw. This Federal Assembly was inactive, and it transferred its powers to the revolutionary German Central Government of the Frankfurt National Assembly. The autumn of 1849 disintegrated the revolution, and the hopes of fully unifying German states were dimmed.

The attempt that followed was taken by Otto Von Bismarck, the prime minister of Prussia and it was the successful one. Bismarck was an advocate of the "smaller" Germany (Germany without Austria) and a master in the real politic game. The unification was achieved by the forces of Prussia that were not entirely a policy of Prussian royal systems and was not fully supported and spread by the prevalent classes of Germans. Bismarck was an enthusiastic German nationalist who wanted the unification of German states, particularly those dominated by Prussia (Brose 366-374). Due to this, once appointed, Chancellor Bismarck focused on strengthening the Prussian army and on acquiring international allies that would have helped Prussia to unify Germany. After the acquisition of the Chancellorship in 1862, he began improving Prussia's strategic position to ensure its dominance over Austria. Later in 1863, during Russia's revolt over its territory, Bismarck and Prussia supported it in its violent overpowering of the revolution. This insinuated Prussia to Russia, who was formerly an associate of Austria, the greatest rival of Prussia.

In 1866, the German unification war that involved Austria and Prussia (Austria-Prussia war) settled the question of smaller Germany (Germany without Austria) and greater Germany (Germany with Austria). This war was fought for several weeks and included Prussia and her associates against Austria and other states. Prussia won this war and took over German states such as Nassau and Hannover, which had sided with Austria. As an act of compassion, Prussia allowed some of the larger allies of Austria to keep their freedom; these states include Baden and Bavaria. In 1867, the North German Confederation was created by Bismarck, which was a union of the northern Germany states which were under the supremacy of Prussia. Several other states from Germany joined this confederation that served as a prototype of the future German Empire. Territories dominated by Prussia comprised of parts of the German Confederation north of river Main, the Duchy of Schleswig, and the eastern regions of Prussia.

The last act of German unification was the Franco-Prussian war that was coordinated by Bismarck in 1870-71, which had an aim of drawing the western German states to join the North German Confederation. After defeating the French side, the German Empire was declared on 18th January 1871 in France, in the Palace at Versailles. Ever since this declaration, the foreign policy of the German Empire was made in Berlin with the Former King of Prussia, Kaiser, approving diplomats of foreign states. This union united North Germany with the southern states of Germany. Former members of the German confederation became a part of the German empire except for Austria, Luxembourg, the Duchy of Limburg, and Liechtenstein (William and Harry 62).

Conclusion

In summary, Germany existed as a state that comprised many sovereign kingdoms and Free states. They were joined by the Holy Roman Empire that was later dissociated in 1806. This was followed by efforts of forming a unified system by the creation of German Confederation that loosed strength due to lack of economic unity. Later in 1848, after the spread of news about Paris' revolutions, riots aimed at unifying Germany took place and in the same year, German Confederation was established and disintegrated in 1849 due to lack of strong executive powers. Otto Von Bismarck collaborated with the Russians and made the Prussian army strong in 1863 and later in 1866, Prussia won the Austria-Prussian war and dominated over Austria, and other states are forming the North German Confederation that managed to unify the German States. The last effort was the Franco-Prussian war in 1871, where Prussia won and declared the German Empire, which is current Germany.

Works Cited

Books Llc. Conflicts In 1871: Unification of Germany, United States Expedition to Korea, Siege of Paris, Battle of Blanco Canyon, Camp Grant Massacre. Memphis, Tennessee. General books Llc, 2010: 88. Print.

Brose, Eric D. German History: 1789-1871; from the Holy Roman Empire to the Bismarckian Reich. Providence: Berghahn Books, 2011: 366-374. Print.

Kontje, Todd C. Imperial Fictions: German Literature Before and Beyond the Nation-State. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2018: 329. Print.

William C. and Harry H. The wars of German Unification 1864-1871. Abingdon, UK. Routledge, 2014: 62. Print.