German Unification
Overview
Statewide Dual Credit Modern World History: Unit 9, Lesson 4
A discussion of the unification of Germany during the 1800s, highlighting the role of Otto von Bismarck. Key events include the defeat of Denmark and Austria, the establishment of the North German Confederation, and the Franco-Prussian War, which resulted in the proclamation of the German Empire.
In many ways, the process of German unification paralleled that of Italian unification. For centuries German-speaking people lived in a variety of separate kingdoms, duchies and empires. In 800, Emperor Charlemagne (747-814) unified them into a loose confederation known as the Holy Roman Empire. By the early 1800s, the Kingdom of Prussia had emerged as a powerful state in opposition to the Austrian Empire. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the different German states were combined into the German Confederation. During the revolutions of 1848, progressive German nationalists, intellectuals, and politicians elected a German National Assembly. However, this movement fell apart after only a few months in power. Many Germans remained divided over whether Germany should be unified with or without the Austrian Empire.
Throughout the 1850s and 1860s, Prussian Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) led efforts to unify Germany under Prussian leadership. In 1862, he initially cooperated with Austria to oppose Denmark's annexation of Schleswig and Holstein. However, this alliance was short-lived, as Bismarck sought to exclude Austria from German affairs. After defeating Denmark, Prussia annexed the two territories.
In 1866, Prussia provoked a war with Austria, defeating its rival in a swift campaign. This victory marked Austria's exclusion from German affairs and paved the way for Prussian dominance. While there was no formal treaty between Prussia and Italy, both states benefited from Austria's defeat. Prussia annexed several German states, including Hanover and Nassau, significantly increasing its territory and power.
In 1867, Bismarck created the North German Confederation, which unified many German states under Prussia’s leadership. Worried about the growth of Prussia, Napoleon III demanded that Prussia return Luxembourg and parts of Saarland and Bavaria. Bismarck not only refused these demands but continued to block French ambitions. In response, France declared war on Germany. With virtually all German states except Austria supporting Prussia, German forces quickly defeated several French armies and occupied Paris. In January 1871, German officials and generals proclaimed Prussian King Wilhelm as Wilhelm I, Emperor of the German Empire (1797-1888)