Growth Of German Nationalism

Question 1

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

Answer 1

In 1815 Germany was comprised of 39 seperate states which were each ruled by their own prince.
Each state was joined in the German confederation of ‘the bund’, the aim of this was to make Germany stronger and protect the member states.
There was a parliament called ‘the diet’ but it did not achieve much as the states often disagreed.
In the 19th century many people began to realise that they had similarities with other states such as a shared language, borders and history and began to develop the sense that they were not only citizens of their own state but part of one German people or ‘volk’

Question 2

INTRODUCTION

FACTORS

Answer 2

Cultural
Economic
Political

Question 3

CULTURAL FACTORS

KNOWLEDGE - SHARED LANGUAGE

Answer 3

Shared German language which united all Germans as around 25 million spoke German, although dialects were common.

Question 4

CULTURAL FACTORS

ANALYSIS - SHARED LANGUAGE

Answer 4

Important in the growth of national feeling because the shared German language gave them an identity which did unite all German speaking people.

Question 5

CULTURAL FACTORS

KNOWLEDGE- WRITERS/THINKERS

Answer 5

Variety of writers/thinkers supported the idea of a united germany such as Heinrich Hiene and Johan Fitche, who encouraged German consciousness, Johan Fitche openly described Germany as ‘the fatherland’ and said German people must unite for economic reasons.
There was also a distinctive German literature and many writers such as Hegal, Gothe and Schiller promoted the idea of a nation-state whilst German folk tales were compiled by the Brothers Grimm. Their collection of fairy tales called Children’s and Household Tales were published in 1812 and stories such as Hansel And Gretel and Snow White celebrated Germany’s past and looked forward to the day that it would be an independent nation.

Question 6

CULTURAL FACTORS

ANALYSIS - WRITERS/THINKERS

Answer 6

Few Germans could read and simple German folk tales were important in inspiring a feeling of being German.

Question 7

CULTURAL FACTORS

STUDENT SOCIETIES

Answer 7

Student society’s appeared throughout the German states and they were passionate nationalists who supported a united Germany.

Question 8

CULTURAL FACTORS

ANALYSIS - STUDENT SOCIETIES

Answer 8

Workers who were increasingly huddled together in towns and cities were starting to take a bigger interest in politics.
However, the ideas of the societies were of a more romantic nature rather than having any clear direction which limits their influence.

Question 9

CULTURAL FACTORS

EVALUATION

Answer 9

Exaggerated importance of CULTURAL FACTORS in promoting nationalistic feeling because it was a mainly a middle class phenomenon and it did not concern the majority of working Germans therefore this reduces its importance as it did not affect the masses.

Question 10

POLITICAL FACTORS

KNOWLEDGE- NATIONALISTS/LIBERALS

Answer 10

Liberals = Germany should be run as a parliamentary democracy with elected representatives rather than monarchs.

Nationalists were those who passionately believed in a united Germany and promoted the advantages.

Both groups worked hard to spread their knowledge across the German states.

Question 11

POLITICAL FACTORS

ANALYSIS NAT/LIBS

Answer 11

Worked hard to spread their ideas which made the notion of unification more widely discussed throughout the states.

Question 12

POLITICAL FACTORS

FRENCH REVOLUTION - KNOWLEDGE

Answer 12

French Revolution in Paris brought a wave of student activity across the German states.
Liberals and nationalists found inspiration in the ideas of nationalism and liberty and hoped she ideas would spread to German states.
At the Hambach festival the red, black and gold colours were used for the first time to symbolise German nationalism and thus gave the nationalists an identity.

Question 13

POLITICAL FACTORS

FRENCH REVOLUTION- ANALYSIS

Answer 13

Activities of student societies, students and liberals across the German states and the influence of the French Revolution showed that nationalist sentiment was definitely present in Germany and had real support.

Question 14

POLITICAL FACTORS

NAPOLEONIC WARS

Answer 14

Between 1800-1815 the divided German states had been easily conquered by the French leader napoleon Bonaparte who merged the hundreds of German states into 39 larger ones called the confederation of the Rhine.
The states realised being small and politically divided meant Germany was vulnerable to aggressors.
The princes stirred up nationalistic feeling to drive napoleon out of Germany.
This showed the strengths and benefits of uniting.

Question 15

POLITICAL FACTORS
NAPOLEONIC WARS
ANALYSIS

Answer 15

The eventual success of the united german states showed even the most skeptical Germans how much stronger militarily the states were together.
However, Germans were forbidden to spread nationalist and liberal ideas, it would be very difficult for political nationalism to take hold.

Question 16

ECONOMIC FACTORS
URBANISATION/INDUSTRIALISATION
KNOWLEDGE

Answer 16

Lead to a significant growth in population from 25 million to 34 million in 24 years.
There was a huge growth as many people moved to cities as a result of industrialisation as these areas offered more jobs.

Question 17

ECONOMIC FACTORS
URBANISATION
ANALYSIS

Answer 17

This is important as it has been argued that the forces unleashed by industrialisation such as overcrowding and low wages did help to push German states towards unification as people pressed for a fairer tax system.
However it has been overplayed as the census of 1840 revealed that there were only 600,000 works in city factories which limits the importance of this factor as the number who would have been pushing for change was not that substantial.

Question 18

ECONOMIC FACTORS
TAXATION
KNOWLEDGE

Answer 18

Goods were taxed as they passed through states which proved unpopular as it meant items could end up very expensive particularly if they had to pass from numerous states. In 1818 internal taxes were banished in Prussia which created a large feee trade area which benefited many Germans.
In 1834 the Zollverein was established and tow years later 25 of the 29 states had signed up to the new free trade area however Austria was excluded as it was anti nationalist.

Question 19

ECONOMIC FACTORS
TAXATION
ANALYSIS

Answer 19

Even the poorest Germans seen the benefits a united Germany would bring.

Question 20

ECONOMIC FACTORS
RAILWAYS
KNOWLEDGE

Answer 20

Development of railways in 1830’s ended the isolation of German states and allowed the transport of people and goods.
By 1850 over 3000 miles of railway had been built across the states. Increasing the need for coal and steel, improving economic cooperation across the states.

Question 21

ECONOMIC FACTORS
RAILWAYS
ANALYSIS

Answer 21

RAILWAYS did not only spread goods but also broke down barriers between states and spread the ideas of nationalism throughout the German states.

Question 22

ECONOMIC FACTORS

EVALUATION

Answer 22

Upon evaluation, many historians have argued that ECONOMIC FACTORS were more important that CULTURAL FACTORS as many historians believe that the Zollverein was the single most important factor.
Whereas CULTURAL FACTORS did not have as great of an influence as historians have questioned its importance as many did not know about big national issues or german culture which greatly limits its importance as a factor.