Unification of Germany Flashcards
What was Austro-Prussian relations like in 1815?
- In 1815 Austria and Prussia engaged in “Peaceful Dualism”
How did Austria and Prussia benifit from the Congress of Vienna?
- 1815
- Both Austria and Prussia benifitted greatly from the congress of Vienna
What was the state of Germany in 1815?
- 1815
- “Too many divisions stood in the way of unity”
- Metternich’s negotiations at the Congress of Vienna ensured a loose confederation of 39 German states under the presidency of the Austrian emperor
Describe the German confederation in 1815
- Loose confederation of 39 German states under the Presidency of the Austrian Emperor
- Only had one body - Budestag which met in Frankfurt
- Budestag compresed of Appointed representatives presided over by another Austraian representative
- Budestag had limited power, unanamous vote
- Could only; Prevent alliances which might threaten confederate security; and Could organise a federal army
What did Metternich try to do in the 1820’s
- In the 1820’s Metternich tried to establish a police state in central Europe
How successful was Metternich in implementing his aims in the 1820’s
- Limited Success
- Repression and press censorship varied from state to state
When and what was the Wartburg Festival?
- Wartburg festival October 1817
- Students celebrated thier German identity and advocated for a unified germany
- Nationalist ideas promoted by intellectiuals such as Hegel
When and what was the Hambach festival?
- Hambach festival 1832
- Advocated for German unification
- Nationalist event, protest against tax, tariff and lack of political freedoms
- First emergence of Nationalist Black, Red, Gold flag
Where and when did the Black, Red and gold flag emerge?
- Hambach Festival
- 1832
What caused increased Nationalist feelings in the Rhineland?
- Rhineland 1840
- France laid claim to territiory west of the Rhine
What caused Nationalist protests in North Germany in the mid 1840’s?
- 1846
- Increase in Nationalist sentiment and nationalist protests when Denmark attempts to incorporate Schleswig Holstien
When and what was the Hoppenhien meeting?
- Hoppenhien meeting of South-West liberals
- Oct 1847
- Long list of demands inc. National Parliament
What was the response of the leaders to the Wurtenburg festival?
- 1819
- Carlsbad Decrees
- Metternich attempts to limit student movement and restict the press.
What was the response of the leaders to the Hambach festival?
- Six Articles
- Passed by both Prussia and Austria
- Gives the Diet more control over universities and the press
What were Tariffs like in 1815?
- In 1815 each German state has its own tariffs
When was the foundation of the Prussian Customs union?
- Prussian Customs union founded 1818
When was the Zollverien formed, what was its membership?
- Zollverien formed in 1834
- 18 States
- 25 Million People
Who were the major opponets of the Tariffs in Prussia and what was the impact of their reduction?
- Big buisiness didn’t like tariffs
- Krupp steel
- Reduced tariffs led to more economic output
Who were the only members not members of the Zollverien in 1844?
- 1844
- On Austria and 5 other states not in the Zollverien
How many miles of Railway in the Zollverien in 1840?
- In 1840 only 600 miles of railway in Zollverien
How many miles of Railway in the Zollverien in 1850?
-In 1850, there was 4,000 miles of railway in the zollverien
What was the situation economically in 1848 in regards to German leaders?
- 1848, Prussia is the economic powerhouse
- Many now viewed Prussia not Austria as the most likely unifier
Where and when were the first instances of revolt in Germany in 1848
- 25th Feb 1848 protests in Mannhiem, demand democratic goverment, freedom of the press and the reestablishment of the German Parliament
Nt. 1 Day after Louis Phillipe flees Paris
What caused the 1848 revolt in Germany?
A number of people wanted a number of different things, they hoped to accouplish this by participating in the revolution
- Intellectuals wanted Liberalistation
- Middleclass businessmen wanted more political power
- Civil Servants wanted to remove the ceiling of their careers due to class
What happened in 1847?
- In 1847 there was economic downturn and an increase in unemployment
- One of the factors for the revolutions
What was the quality of the Harvests in 1846 + 1847
- Poor Harvests in 1846 + 1847 lead to an increase in hunger
Who were the “Flag Bearers” of the 1848 revolutions
- Handloom weavers could be considered the “Flag beares” of the 1848 revolutions
- Prevously high social states
- Livlihood threatened by Mechanisation
What was life like for Peasants in 1848?
- The situation was dire,
- 1848 only 22% of peasants in Saxony were self-supporting
What happened in Vienna in 1848?
- 13 March 1848
- Widespread protests
- Metternich flees
- Army withdrawn due to suspect allience
- Vienna left in control of radical mob
What did Fredrick William IV do to prevent protests?
- 16 March 1848
- Agreed to recall Diet and end censorship
What happened in Berlin in March 1848?
- 18 March 1848
- Joyous crowd gathered at Palace
- Shots accidently fired while crowd was attemping to be dispersed
What was the response to the “Crowd Incident”
- Increased Violence, Mob began to blockade Berlin
- Fredrick William IV, shocked by the violence announced more radical reforms such as a Liberal government
What did Fredrick William do after the “Crowd Incident”?
- 21 March 1848
- Attened the Furneral of the Peasant casualties
- Him and his entrouge wore the revolutionary colours of Red, Gold and black
When was the First meeting of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- May 1848 - First meeting of the Frankfurt Parliament
- Elected by 75% of the Adult male population
What were the first acts of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- 28th June 1848
- Voted for the creation of a provisional central authority
- 29th June
- Liberal Austrian Archduke John elected regent of the realm
What was the main piece of leglistaion produced by the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848?
- Dec 1848
- Fifty Articles of the German Citizen
- Legal Equality; Freedom of worship; greater press freedoms
When was the adoption of the Frankfurt consitution?
- 28 March 1849
When was Fredrick William offered the crown and what was his response?
- Fredriick William IV offered the crown on 3rd April 1849
- Refused it “will not pick the crown up from the gutter”
- Frankfurt parliament was too slow and failed to strike while Austria was incapacitated
When does Fredrick William IV openly reject the consitution?
- April 1849
- Fredrick William IV openly rejects the constitution
What was the ultimate end of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- Dispersed by force
- June 1849
- However most members had left by that point
What lead to the downfall of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- Politically inexpericed and unrepresentative, mainly academic despite the key impact the lower classes had in the revolution
- Moved too slowly, lost momentum (crown 11 months after its formation)
- Could not raise taxes and had no army
- Beset by religous, political and ideological differences
- Divided, especially over Austria. North / South, Protestant / Catholic divide
- Relied on support from other states such as Prussia
- Strength and cunning of counter-revolutionary forces
What was the composition of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- Mainly academics
- 4 workers, 1 peasant
When and what was the Prussian Union plan?
- 1849
- German political union without Austria
When and what was the humilation of Olmutz?
- 1850
- Failure of the Prussian Union Plan
When was the restoration of the German confederation?
- May 1851
When was the reign of Minister President Manteuffel?
- Minister - President Manteuffel
- 1850 –> 1858
- Conservative who governed w/o Parliament
- Introduced economic reforms, gave peasents more freedom and better working conditions in the towns