Bismark - B1 - The Second Reich Flashcards
In what year did Bismarck unite Germany?
1871
Who were the National Liberals?
Party of the protestant middle class. Their main aim was to build a strong German state. Supported Bismarck until 1878. Did well in the Rhineland.
Who were the Centre party?
The Catholic party and the party for smaller national groups frustrated with unification.
Who were the SAPD?
Socialist Party
Who were the DKP/German Conservative Party?
Mainly junkers who disliked unification. Supported Bismarck after 1878.
Who were the free conservatives?
Landowners and industrialists. Supported Bismarck throughout.
Who were The Progressives?
Liberal party who wnated a liberal, constitutional state.
What was the role of the Kaiser?
Controlled foreign affairs and the army. Could disove the Reichstag. Coukd interpret the constitution.
What was the role of the Reichstag?
Elected by male suffrage. Could agree/reject laws proposed. Controlled budget. Elected every 5 years.
What was the German electorate?
Men over 25. They had a written constitution but no statement of individual rights.
What was the Bundesrat?
58 members nominated by the Laender. 17 were from Prussia, smaller states had 1 each. Could veto the reichstag with 14 votes.
How many royal rulers were given powers under the Kaiser? What else happened to them?
22
Could not pass down heriditary titles
What legal power did the Kaiser have?
He could proclaim imperial laws that superceded state laws.
What was the Prussian 3 class franchise?
All prussian votes were weighted 3x more than ordinary votes due to tax laws.
When was the German mark created?
1871
When was the German flag created?
1891
What states was the Army comprised of? What happened during times of war?
Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Wuttemberg. During war times they owed their allegience to the Kaiser, instead of their individual states.
What systems were united?
Legal and civil service
Why did Bismarck introduce the Reichstag?
He believed that allowing German’s to vote would minimise liberal influences.
What was a consequence of Reichstag members not being paid?
The less privilaged classes who would disagree with Bismarck couldn’t afford to run.
What could the Reichstag not do?
Initiate legislation
Who was not accountable to the reichstag?
The Kaiser, Chancellor or Military Chief - The Kaiser could disolve them at any time.
When did Bismarck consider changing the constitution to limit Reichstag power?
1880s
What was a benefit of being in the Reichstag?
Members had parliamentary immunity
How long was conscription? What did this allow for?
2-3 years. Prussian values to be instilled.
When did Bismarck and the NL agree that the budget would remain fixed until 1872? When was this extended to and why?
1867
Extended to 1874 because of Franco-Prussian war
When did Bismarck grant a law that automatically financed the army via federal expenditure if they were over a certain number? How high was this number?
1874
400,000
How much of state expenditure was spent on the Army?
80%
How did Bismarck pass the 400,000 soldiers fixed expenditure law?
Threatned the national liberals with new elections - they then agreed to fix budgets every 7 years.
What percentage of the vote did National Groups win in the 1874 election?
10%
When was the SAPD formed? How much of the German population voted SAPD during the 1870s?
1875
Approx. 7%
In 1871, how much of the vote did the NL get? Who came second?
30.1%
Centre party with 18.6%
What were successes of the National Liberals with Bismarck?
Introduced the legal system, standardised weights and measures and created the Reichsmark.
Why did Bismarck work with the National Liberals?
Because they promoted free trade and unification.
What economic events caused a demand for tarriffs?
1873 economic crash
When did Bismarck’s pro tarrif message cause a rise in conservative vote? How much did NL vote fall to?
1878
23.1%
When did the National liberals split? Into what factions? Why?
August 1880
National Liberals and Liberal Union
Because of increased tarriffs in 1879.
How did the Liberal Union affect Bismarck?
In the 1881 election, the LU and the Progressives won a collective 21.1%. This allowed them to merge and form the German Free Minded Party in 1884.
What was a negative consequence of the NL split?
Meant that it was impossible for them to gain a majority.
What were two papal declarations that contributed to the Kulturkampf?
- 1864: Syllabus of Errors
- 1870: Dogma of Papal Infallibility
What role had Catholics played in the old German constitution (1815)?
Had the Majority, however with the exclusion of Austria in 1866, they became the Minority.
What did Bismarck label Catholics as?
The ‘Reisfeinde’ - enemy of the empire
What did the Z party support which Bismarck opposed?
Polish language teaching
When were the Prussian May Laws and what did they do?
1873 - established state control of the appointment of priests
When was the Jesuit order banned?
Dec 1872
What was the ‘Bread Basket Law’?
Withdrew financial support of the church by the state.
By 1879, how many priests had been jailed or exiled?
1800 jailed and exiled
How much worth of Church property had the state siezed?
16 Million RM
How much did the Z party vote increase by in the 1874 election?
It doubled
During the Kulturkampf, how much did Centre Party vote increase to?
From 18.6% in 1871 to 27.9% in 1874
What year did the Z party becone the biggest party in the Reichstag?
1878
What percent more likely were protestant males to get into University than Catholics?
50%
By what year did Bismarck no longer find the Kulturkampf helpful? Why?
By 1879
Bismarck began to see the Z party as allies after the NL split failure.
When did Pius IX die and who replaced him? What was the consequence of this?
1878
Leo XIII
Leo was more progressive.
What was the Junker perception of Catholics?
Viewed religion as an important defence against liberalism.
What national day was an attempt to celebrate unification? What was the southern reaction to this?
Sedantag (Celebrated the Battle of Sedantag in 1870).
Faced opposition from the south.
What national identity did the Government try to foster?
Reichsdeutsch Identity (being a good German).
When did Bismarck expell Poles and Jews from Germany? How many?
1885
30,000
When was the decree passed that emphasised the Kaiser’s role in schools? What was this called?
1889 - Royal Decree on Reformed School Instruction as a Means to Combat Social Democracy
When did Bismarck blame 2 assaination attempts on the Kaiser on the Socialists?
1878
Why did Bismarck have to disolve the reichstag to limit socialism? What was the outcome of this?
They would not pass his anti socialist laws.
Reduced SAPD votes (493,000 to 312,000)
What Law prohibited socialist meetings and exiled socialist politicians?
The Law for Combatting the Criminal Aims of Social Democracy
Between 1878 and 1890, how many socialists were imprisoned?
1500
When were the SAPD banned? When did they come back as the SPD with how many members and seats?
1878
1890
1 million votes and 35 seats
What caused the War in Sight crisis?
By 1875 France had recovered from its german defeat in 1871. Bismarck was concerned at their new royalist government and catholic support.
Which French law were the German military concerned about? What did it do?
French Army Organisational Law (1873)
Increased French Infantry Battalions from 3-4.
Which German Military Leader suggested a preventative war against France?
Von Moltke
When did which Newspaper publish an article which claimed there was a Franco-Austrian conspiracy against Germany?
5th April 1875
Koelnische Zeitung
When did the Berliner post publish an article that asked ‘Is war in Sight?’?
9th April1875
Which monarch visited the Kaiser following the War in Sight Crisis and forced Bismarck to calm down?
Tsar Alexander II (supported by Queen Vic)
What agreement had been signed in 1873 but was weakened by the War in Sight Crisis?
The Three Emperors League (Germany, Austria and Russia)
