How far did Bismarck succeed in reducing divisions in the New Germany in the years 1871-79?

Question 1

What factors need to be discussed?

Answer 1

Army 
Rich 
Workers 
Political diplomacy and co-opertation with the national liberals 
Nationalism

Question 2

What military organisation did Bismarck create?

Answer 2

Bismarck was the creator of a new German Army

Question 3

What did the German army allow Bismarck to do?

Answer 3

power to exert more external and internal support

Question 4

What did conscription allow Bismarck to do?

Answer 4

Make the German army a platform from which to install nationalism into young German Men

Question 5

What suggests that the army did not create unity?

Answer 5

The new german army was actually made up of four separate armies, each swearing their allegiance to their own king.

Question 6

What were the four separate armies of the German army?

Answer 6

Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Württemberg

Question 7

How did the army further the idea of Prussian elitism?

Answer 7

all military elites were Prussians

Question 8

How did Bismarck create unity between the monarchs of each state?

Answer 8

The kings of each state were given significant powers but were all integrated under the central power of the Kaiser.

Question 9

When was Bismarck’s new german constitution?

Answer 9

16th April 1871

Question 10

How often was the Reichstag elected under Bismarck?

Answer 10

Every five years

Question 11

How did the new german constitution create unity within the Workers?

Answer 11

meant that all men over 25 had equal votes for elected reichstag and a national legal system was introduced

Question 12

What did the national legal system mean?

Answer 12

All were subject other same laws across Germany

Question 13

What was the voting qualifications for the Reichstag?

Answer 13

Men over 25 had equal votes for the Reichstag

Question 14

When was Bismarck’s co-operation with the National Liberals?

Answer 14

1871-79

Question 15

What was Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals a product of?

Answer 15

Mutual fear of the Catholic influence over the Z party

Question 16

Assess Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals

Answer 16

Whilst this reduced the economic divisions in the country it was a product of political divisions and a mutual fear of the Catholic party’s influence over the centre party.

Question 17

How did Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals end?

Answer 17

Bismarck’s work ultimately created divisions in a split the National Liberals. The division of the party also then split their voter base.

Question 18

What positive thing for a united Germany does Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals demonstrate?

Answer 18

That Bismarck was willing to be pragmatic in order to achieve a more unified Germany

Question 19

Bismarck’s 1871-79 co-operation with the National Liberals yielded 5 key things, what were they?

Answer 19

1) Standardised legal system
2) banking de regulation
3) Free trade between german states
4) single currency
5) Import duties on some metals removed

Question 20

How did Bismarck’s 1871-79 co-operation with the national liberals give economic benefits and help unity?

Answer 20

This helped unity because it made it easier for inter state economic integration, breaking down economic barriers.

Question 21

When did Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals provide the basis for growth?

Answer 21

The growth seen during the 1890s

Question 22

In another aspect of diplomacy, what did Bismarck allow to exist?

Answer 22

The fact that Bismarck allowed smaller, representative parties to exist such as Nationalist and Socialist parties

Question 23

How did Bismarck’s tolerance of small, representative parties help unity?

Answer 23

Encouraged smaller groups to feel represented in the new German Society

Question 24

What kind of divides remained prevalent between states?

Answer 24

Social divides

Question 25

What was the kaiser able to do that hindered unity distinctly?

Answer 25

proclaim imperial law which superseded state laws

Question 26

How did the Kaiser’s ability to proclaim imperial law that would have the power to supersede state law create division?

Answer 26

it would create division between the states because it would mean that the smaller states were being dictated to by the dominant Prussia

Question 27

What kind of provision did each state still retain?

Answer 27

Its own healthcare provision

Question 28

What kind of identity did Bismarck aggressively try to foster?

Answer 28

Reichsdeutsche

Question 29

What was the Reichsdeutsche identity?

Answer 29

a homogenous nation which shared the same nationalist values

Question 30

What were schools forced to teach?

Answer 30

Nationalism

Question 31

In order to create a Reichsdeutsche, what groups did Bismarck attempt to Germanise?

Answer 31

ethnic Poles, and French in Alsas-Lorraine

Question 32

In order to create a Reichsdeutsche, what groups did Bismarck attempt to remove?

Answer 32

foreign Poles and Jews

Question 33

Whilst the Reichsdeutsche may have helped unity to a degree, the fact that it had to be enforced may suggest what about how successful Bismarck was at reducing divisions?

Answer 33

It was having to mask deep divisions

Question 34

When was anti-socialist measures introduced that prohibited socialist meetings in Germany?

Answer 34

October 1878

Question 35

The fact that Bismarck was having to use force to stop socialists from meeting in October 1878 suggests what?

Answer 35

Deep divisions were being masked by imposed unity that would only address the divisions on a cosmetic level

Question 36

What about the Reichsdeutsche suggests that it was having to mask deep divisions?

Answer 36

It had to be enforced

Question 37

What was the name of the single currency that was introduced across Germany after Bismarck’s co-operation with the National Liberals 1871-1878?

Answer 37

Reichsmark

Question 38

What is the perfect introduction to this?

Answer 38

Bismarck, arguably the architect of german unification, faced many challenges in regard to combating divisions and fostering a sense of national unity. The success of his efforts is more evident in some areas such as economic unity, but schismatic action surrounding the ‘kulturkampf” and elements of the army exposed some more tangible limitations to Bismarck’s success.

Question 39

What is the Reichsdeutsche a symbol of?

Answer 39

proto-national consciousness