Bismarck - social Flashcards
What were the main causes of the Kulturkampf?
Bismarck believed that loyalty to the state should come above all else
Prussia and Junker class were staunchly Protestant, Bismarck was a devout Pietist Lutheran
Catholicism was strong in the south
Growth of the Zentrum
When did Pope Pius IX release ‘Syllabus of Errors’ and what was it?
1864, declared that the church was opposed to liberalism, nationalism and ‘recent’ civilisation
When was the Doctrine of Papal Infallibility and what was it?
1870 - in matters of morality and faith the Pope could not be wrong.
When did the Zentrum become the second largest party?
1874
What happened in May 1872, starting the Kulturkampf?
Diplomatic relations with the Vatican had been broke off
Jesuits and strong supporters of Papal authority were forbidden from preaching or entering schools
Expulsion of all Jesuits from Prussia
When were the May Laws/Falk Laws?
May 1873
What were the Falk Laws?
Catholic education was brought under state supervision, including Priests
Only those who had studied in Germany and passed a state exam could become priests
Existing priests were required to retrain and prove their loyalty to the state
Appointment of clergy made by the state
State financial aid to the Catholic Church was ended
Prussian Catholics were deprived of legal and civil rights
How was the Kulturkampf furthered in 1874?
Registrations of births, marriages and deaths in Prussia was removed from the Church and taken over by the state
A Catholic barrel maker tries to assassinate Bismarck
How was the Kulturkampf furthered in 1875?
Prussian government given the power to suspend state subsidies of dioceses where the clergy were resisting new laws
How was the Kulturkampf furthered in 1876?
All the Catholic Bishops of Prussia and all Polish Bishops had been either imprisoned or exiled
Why did the Kulturkampf end?
Bismarck wanted a closer alliance with Catholic Austria
Suspected the Centre Party was giving support for those in France seeking revenge for the seizure of Alsace Lorrain
Wanted to change his economic policy - needed the Zentrum support
Felt that socialism posed a greater threat
Was the Kulturkampf successful?
Catholic Church continued to thrive
Persecuted became martyrs and encouraged greater resistance
Catholic support for the Centre Party grew - by 1874 it had 91 seats
Only made worse the growing problems in minority areas
Where were Danes most prominent in Germany?
Schleswig Holstein
Why were the Danes a threat to Bismarck?
Formed their own party in the Reichstag - they resented being governed by Berlin
How did Bismarck respond to the Danes?
He abandoned the promise he made to Austria in 1866 to hold a direct vote on Schleswig-Holstein’s future
1878 - German the only language permitted in schools in this region
How did the Danes respond to Bismarck’s policies?
Numerous Danes refused citizenship
Deported
Looked to Denmark even more to keep their culture alive
Where was the French population in Germany?
Alsace and Lorraine - territory from France in 1871 following the Franco-Prussian War
Why were the French a threat to Bismarck?
Spoke French - frequently elected deputies committed to separation of the area from Germany
How did Bismarck respond to the French?
German was the language of education and administration
Strongly pro-French citizens were encouraged to leave the area - 400,000 people did between 1870-1914
Bismarck promoted the revival of Strasbourg University - appointed humane and conscientious governors who respected the French
How did the French respond to Bismarck’s policies?
Never stopped electing deputies who wanted to separate from Germany
Zabern Affair of 1913 - shows they were never fully united
When Alsace and Lorraine came under French control again in 1918, the population drove out the German troops in triumph
Where were the Poles most prominent?
East Prussia
Why were the Poles a threat to Bismarck?
Spoke Polish, common bond with other Poles under Russian or Austrian rule
Largest non-German minority in the Reich
An independent Polish state would claim many Prussian territories and make Germans living in these areas a minority.
How did Bismarck try to “Germanise” the poles?
Encouraging the internal colonisation by Germans of the Polish areas
German made the sole language of commerce in 1876 and the only language in schools
Kulturkampf also weakened the cultural tradition of the Poles
1885-6 - Bismarck expelled 34,000 Poles and Jews who he claimed had crossed into Germany from Russia and Austria, despite protestation from the Reichstag
What was the result of Bismarck’s attempts to Germanise the Poles?
Polish culture continued
Still some discrimination
Max Weber - “We have turned the Poles into human beings” - 1896 - shows Germanisation had some effect.
Why was there Anti-Semitism in Germany?
the Jews were a middle class, socially mobile and successful group - drew envy of others. Scapegoats for economic depression in mid 1870s
What did Adolf Stoeker do in 1878?
Founded the Christian Socialist Workers’ Party as an anti-Semitic party
How did Bismarck respond to Stoeker?
Regarded him with disfavour - forced him to withdraw from public affairs in 1889.
How were the Jews treated in society?
They had full legal equality and contributed a great deal to the German economy
However, they were victims of violence and some political parties continued to adopt discriminatory policies.
Were seeming not regarded as properly “German”
