Bismarck's Germany: key events, policies and acts Flashcards
German unification 1871
the Treaty of Frankfurt at the end of the Franco-Prussian war was signed in the Palace of Versailles and declared the German Empire that excluded Austria and includes Alsace Lorraine. a federal state with 26 individual states with Prussia as the largest, Wilhelm I is proclaimed emperor and Bismarck becomes chancellor
how did the Franco-Prussian war lead to German unification
3 affects
- southern German states were persuaded to support the Prussians to avoid the threat faced by France.
- bought military treaties between south German states and Prussia into action
- great sense of German nationalism (Pan-Germanism) from this conflict and others such as the fall of Napoleon at the beginning of the 19th century and those against Denmark and Austria
the Franco-Prussian war
immediate cause: Bismarck and Spain’s de facto leader Juan Prim persuaded the reluctant Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (related to the Prussian royal house) to accept the Spanish throne in June 1870 which greatly alarmed France who were threatened by the combination of Prussia and Spain. Leopold’s candidacy was forcefully withdrawn under French diplomatic pressure. Prussian king Wilhelm I refused to bow to the French ambassador’s demands that he never allow Leopold to run again. Bismarck edited his telegraph and made his words appear insulting towards the French (the Ems telegram). this infuriated the French and lead to a declaration of war on 19th July 1870. without allies France were defeated at Sedan in September and held under siege in Paris until January 1871. ended by the Treaty of Frankfurt in May 1871.
the powers and role of the Kaiser under the 1871 constitution
7 points
- hereditary monarch and always the King of Prussia too
- could call and dissolve the Reichstag
- commanded the army directly
- controlled foreign policy including the right to make treaties and alliances and declare war if attacked
- gave assent to all laws with the chancellor
- devised policies and laws in consultation with his chosen chancellor, ministers and the Bundersrat
- had the final say in any dispute over the constitution
the powers and role of the Government (chancellor and ministers) under the 1871 constitution
3 points
- were appointed and dismissed by the Kaiser and only responsible to him, not the Reichstag
- decided outlines of policy with the Kaiser/Bundesrat - not required to take Reichstag’s views or resolutions into account
- Chancellor and Kaiser gave assent to all laws
the powers and role of the Reichstag (parliament and lower house) under the 1871 constitution
7 points
- members (deputies) elected by males over 25
- deputies had the right to free speech
- elections held every three years by an indirect voting system which varied in different regions
- gave consent to all laws (including the annual budget which assessed the raising and spending of taxes)
- could question, debate, agree to or reject a law proposed by the chancellor
- could not amend a law
- could not demand the dismissal of the chancellor or any other ministers
the powers and role of the Bundesrat (the upper house) under the 1871 constitution
7 points
- made up of 58 representatives from the 26 states by proportion to size (as the largest state Prussia had 17 members)
- presided over by the chancellor
- could initiate legislation
- decisions decided by majority vote except for an proposal to alter the constitution which needed a majority of 14
- had to approve new laws (along with the other bodies)
- could veto all legislation except a budget approved by the Reichstag
- had to give approval to the Kaiser for a declaration of war in cases where Germany was not under attack
the over 100 acts passed in the first Reichstag session did what
9 things
- turned the Prussian state banks intot he Reichsbank
- established a single currency (the mark) throughout the Reich
- abolished tariffs on all internal trade
- harmonised weights measurements
- extended and joined the railways across the whole empire
- harmonised the postal system
- establsihed a uniform law of commerce
- began the process of standardising law based on Prussian law codes
- established a single court system
press law 1874
allowed the government to prosecute editors who published material that they did not approve of - allowed Bsimarck to not become beholden by the liberals by undermining the liberal principle of freedom of the press
disputes over the military budget and the Septennial Law
the army budget that was agreed in 1867 required renewal in 1874 and Bismarck tried to persuade the Reichstag to grant money for the army on a permanent basis so that military matters could be completely taken out of the Reichstag’s control. the Septennial law agreed the Reichstag would vote on the military budget every seven years - a compromise due to the liberals rejection
persecution of the national minorities: the Danes
- mostly based in the Schleswig-Holstein region.
- they had their own customs and language and since many wanted to rejoin Denmark they posed a threat to unity.
- Bismarck began a policy of Germanisation and forced them to speak German, banning Danish. some were deported as a result
persecution of the national minorities: the French
- based in Alsace-Lorraine
- some of these inhabitants still spoke French and identified with the nationality. Alsace repeatedly elected deputies that were dedicated to the seperation of the area from Germany - thus they posed a threat.
- Bismarck encouraged strongly French people to leave the area but took a notably milder approach than with other minorities. Conscientious governors that were conciliatory to the French appointed in University of Strasbourg. leads to the Zabem affair of 1913 (Germans attacked French citizens of Alsace)
