Unification of Germany Flashcards
1
Q
What was Austro-Prussian relations like in 1815?
A
- In 1815 Austria and Prussia engaged in “Peaceful Dualism”
2
Q
How did Austria and Prussia benifit from the Congress of Vienna?
A
- 1815
- Both Austria and Prussia benifitted greatly from the congress of Vienna
3
Q
What was the state of Germany in 1815?
A
- 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
4
Q
Describe the German confederation in 1815
A
- 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
5
Q
What did Metternich try to do in the 1820’s
A
- In the 1820’s Metternich tried to establish a police state in central Europe
6
Q
How successful was Metternich in implementing his aims in the 1820’s
A
- Limited Success
- Repression and press censorship varied from state to state
7
Q
When and what was the Wartburg Festival?
A
- Wartburg festival October 1817
- Students celebrated thier German identity and advocated for a unified germany
- Nationalist ideas promoted by intellectiuals such as Hegel
8
Q
When and what was the Hambach festival?
A
- 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
9
Q
Where and when did the Black, Red and gold flag emerge?
A
- Hambach Festival
- 1832
10
Q
What caused increased Nationalist feelings in the Rhineland?
A
- Rhineland 1840
- France laid claim to territiory west of the Rhine
11
Q
What caused Nationalist protests in North Germany in the mid 1840’s?
A
- 1846
- Increase in Nationalist sentiment and nationalist protests when Denmark attempts to incorporate Schleswig Holstien
12
Q
When and what was the Hoppenhien meeting?
A
- Hoppenhien meeting of South-West liberals
- Oct 1847
- Long list of demands inc. National Parliament
13
Q
What was the response of the leaders to the Wurtenburg festival?
A
- 1819
- Carlsbad Decrees
- Metternich attempts to limit student movement and restict the press.
14
Q
What was the response of the leaders to the Hambach festival?
A
- Six Articles
- Passed by both Prussia and Austria
- Gives the Diet more control over universities and the press
15
Q
What were Tariffs like in 1815?
A
- In 1815 each German state has its own tariffs
16
Q
When was the foundation of the Prussian Customs union?
A
- Prussian Customs union founded 1818
17
Q
When was the Zollverien formed, what was its membership?
A
- Zollverien formed in 1834
- 18 States
- 25 Million People
18
Q
Who were the major opponets of the Tariffs in Prussia and what was the impact of their reduction?
A
- Big buisiness didn’t like tariffs
- Krupp steel
- Reduced tariffs led to more economic output
19
Q
Who were the only members not members of the Zollverien in 1844?
A
- 1844
- On Austria and 5 other states not in the Zollverien
20
Q
How many miles of Railway in the Zollverien in 1840?
A
- In 1840 only 600 miles of railway in Zollverien
21
Q
How many miles of Railway in the Zollverien in 1850?
A
-In 1850, there was 4,000 miles of railway in the zollverien
22
Q
What was the situation economically in 1848 in regards to German leaders?
A
- 1848, Prussia is the economic powerhouse
- Many now viewed Prussia not Austria as the most likely unifier
23
Q
Where and when were the first instances of revolt in Germany in 1848
A
- 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
24
Q
What caused the 1848 revolt in Germany?
A
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
25
What happened in 1847?
- In **1847** there was economic downturn and an increase in unemployment
- One of the factors for the revolutions
26
What was the quality of the Harvests in **1846 + 1847**
- Poor Harvests in **1846 + 1847** lead to an increase in hunger
27
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
28
What was life like for Peasants in 1848?
- The situation was dire,
- **1848** only 22% of peasants in Saxony were self-supporting
29
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
30
What did Fredrick William IV do to prevent protests?
- **16 March 1848**
- Agreed to recall Diet and end censorship
31
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
32
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
33
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
34
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
35
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
36
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
37
When was the adoption of the Frankfurt consitution?
- **28 March 1849**
38
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
39
When does Fredrick William IV openly reject the consitution?
- **April 1849**
- Fredrick William IV openly rejects the constitution
40
What was the ultimate end of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- Dispersed by force
- **June 1849**
- However most members had left by that point
41
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
42
What was the composition of the Frankfurt Parliament?
- Mainly academics
- 4 workers, 1 peasant
43
When and what was the Prussian Union plan?
- **1849**
- German political union without Austria
44
When and what was the humilation of Olmutz?
- **1850**
- Failure of the Prussian Union Plan
45
When was the restoration of the German confederation?
- **May 1851**
46
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
47
What is the supporting evidence for the effectiveness for Manteuffels economic reforms.
- **1850 --> 1858**
- **115** joint stock compainies founded
48
What was the population increase in Prussia thought the middle of the 19th Century?
- **15.1 million** in **1841**
- To **19.5 million** in **1866**
49
What was the extend of the increase of the Prussian railway network?
- **3000km** in **1850** to **11500km** in **1870**
- Twice the size of Autrias rail network
50
What was the difference between Austria and Prussia militarily in the 1850's
- **1850's**
- Prussia stayed out of costly military conflicts
- Austria had a high military expenditure due to participation in the North Italian war and Crimea
51
What had happened by 1859?
- **1859**
- Austria had fallen behind Prussia in all economic areas
52
What happened in 1859 that propted the need for reform?
- **1859** Prussia mobilised to help Austria in Second war of Italian independance
- War was over before they finished mobilising
53
What happened in 1858 in regards to the Prussian royal family?
- **1858**
- Start of regency of Prince William of Prussia (Wilhem)
54
When was the first army reform bill?
- **Von Roon **
- **1860**
- Increased army from 50,000 to 110,000.
- 2 --> 3yr Conscription length
- Improved weapons
55
What was the outcome of the proposed army bill?
- **1860**
- Liberals reject bill, did not pass lower parliament
- Worried the army might be used domestically as in 1848
56
Describe the Prussian consitutional crisis
- **1860-62**
- Liberals repeatedly reject army bill
- King dissolves Parliament
- New elections leads to an increase in liberal support
- King considers abdicating
57
Describe the Prussian consitutional crisis
- **1860-62**
- Liberals repeatedly reject army bill
- King dissolves Parliament
- New elections leads to an increase in liberal support
- King considers abdicating
58
When was Bismark Appointed
## Footnote
-
- **22nd September 1862**
- By recommendation of Roon
59
When was Bismarks famous "Blood and Iron Speech"
- Blood and Iron Speech
- **30th September 1862**
60
What was Bismarks solution to the constitutional crisis?
- **Gap Theory**
- King could overrule Parliament at a disagreement as the nation had to keep moving foward
- Kept collecting taxes w/o permisiion of the lower house
61
What was Bismarks solution to the constitutional crisis?
- **Gap Theory**
- King could overrule Parliament at a disagreement as the nation had to keep moving foward
- Kept collecting taxes w/o permisiion of the lower house
62
When did Bismark engage in an agressive foreign policy
| He did this more than once
- **1862 --> 1866**
| He did this more than once
63
When was the Austro Prussian War
| He did this more than once
- **1866**
64
How did Prussia torpedo the meeting of German Princes
- **1863**
- Meeting of German princes at Frankfurt
- Prussia boycotted
- And Demanded popular election to the diet
- Thwarted Austrian plans
65
When are Prussian Troops in Schleswig Holstien
- April 1848
66
When and what was the London Protocol
- **1852**
- Agreement that Christian IX would succeed the King of Denmark
67
What was the makeup of Schleswig Holstien in 1863?
- **1863**
- Schleswig was mixed German and Danish
- Holstien was almost completly German
68
What happened in regard to Schleswig Holstein?
- **November 1863**
- Denmark annex Schleswig
- Confederation sent troops into Holstein in support of German clamant to Danish throne
69
What were the aims of the two main armies in Holstein?
- **January 1864**
- Prussian and Austrian troops enter the duchies
- Austria supported the Duke of Augustenburg
- Prussia wanted to intergrate the Duchies into Prussia
70
What was the first outcome of the conflict in Schleswig Holstien?
- **April - June 1864**
- London conference
- Failed to reach consensus
- Hostlites broke out again and Denmark defeated
71
What was the ultimate outcome of the conflict in Schleswig Holstien?
- **October 1864**
- Treaty of Vienna
- Austria and Prussia to habe joint control over Schelswig Holstein
72
When was Schleswig Holstien bonderies agreed?
- **August 1865**
- Gastein Convention
- Austria gain control over Holstein
- Prussia gain control over Schleswig
- Potential for conflict due to Holsiten being geographically closer to Prussia
73
What happened in the first half of 1866?
- **First Half of 1866**
- Austria develop a more belligerent attitude to Prussia
74
What does Bismark suggest in 1866?
- **1866**
- Bismark proposes reforms to the North German confederation
- Would have excluded Austria
- And placed all troops under Prussian Control
75
What happened as a result of Bismarks suggestion?
- **18 June 1866**
- Directly as a result of **BISMARKS** suggestion
- **AUSTRIA** declare war on Prussia
76
When does Prussia reciprocate? (1866)
- **19th June 1866**
- 1 Day after Austria
77
What was Austrias counter to the Zollverien
- **1851**
- Austrian Finance Minister Von Bruck
- Unsuccessfully launches a customs union to rival the Zollverein
78
What happens on the 1st Jan 1866
- Prussia succeeds in renewing Zollverien despite Austrian opposition
- **1st January 1866**
79
What were the reasons for war in 1866?
- Rivalry Back to 1815
- Austrian victory at Olmutz
- Diet did not support Austria in Crimea
- 1859 - Prussia made its support contingent on control of armies in the Rhineland in event of French invastion
- Economic Rivalry (Zollverien)
- Domestic issues in Prussia that a victory would solve
- Bismarks personal belief
80
What did Bismark do in 1863?
- **1863**
- Offered Russia military support against polish rebels
- Friendship benificial in 1866 and 1870
81
What did Bismark do in 1865?
- **1865**
- Biarriz, Bismark secured French neutrality
82
What did Bismark do in April 1866?
- **8th April 1866**
- 3 Months in which Italy would join a war against Austria
83
What happned in July 1866 (with the war)
**3rd July 1866**
Crucial victory at Sadova
84
What was the result of the Austro - Prussian War?
- **August 1866**
- Treaty of Prauge. Bismark imposed leanient terms, Austria only lost Holstein and Venitia.
- Prussia gained 4 states; Hanover, Hesse-Cassel, Frankfurt and Nassau
- German confederation replaced by Prussian dominant North German confederation
85
What was the public expectation going into the Austro - Prussian war?
- **1866**
- Many expected Prussia to loose
- Particularly due to Austria having the support of most of the other German states
86
How did Bismarks political maneuvering aid the Prussian war effort in 1866?
- **1866**
- Prussian political mastery
- Bismark was unmatched in politcal ability
- Treaty with Italy meant Austria had to split thier forces
- 100,000 out of 275,000 south.
87
How did Roons army bill aid Prussia?
- **1866**
- Roons reforms and Moltkes skill played a large role
- Moltke organised a body responsible for managing troop movement to the front
88
What effect did Prussias economic position play?
- **1866**
- Prussian economic supremacy aided the fight
89
What was the difference in Natural resource production in the Mid 19th Century?
- **1860**
- Iron and Coal production greatly outstripped that of Austria
90
What was the rail situation like at the end of the timeframe?
- **1870**
- Prussia had 19,000 km of Railway
- 2x the amount of Austria
- Some built for military allowed faster movement of Troops to the Front
91
What armoury advantage did Prussia have in 1866?
- **1866**
- Prussia had better weapons e.g Needle Gun
92
Who was in a better position at the start of 1866?
- **1866**
- Austria was isolated diplomatically
- And in a poor financial position
93
What was the deal between Prussia and the southern German states? (1866 ig)
- Elements of hostility
- Many had close ties with Austria
- Religion played a role, south was catholic like Austria. North was protestant like Prussia
- Some states were more liberal than Prussia. E.g Baden, Wurternburg (bastions of liberalism)
- Baden and Bavaria had universal tax-paying sufferage. Compared to Prussian 3 tier voting
94
Dispite thier differences what did the Southern German states accept about Prussia?
- Even though they viewed Prussia as a threat to autonomy
- They recogniced the importance of Millitary alliances to protect against the French
- They placed their rail and army under Prussian control
95
How does the customs parliament develop in 1867?
- **1867**
- 4 Southern states join customs parliament
96
What were outcomes in the Elections in the south german states in the late 1860's?
- **1868**
- South German parites supporting Unification gain very little support
97
What was the outcome of the elections in Wurtenburg in late 1860's
- **1868**
- Wurtenburg
- German party experienced overwhelming defeat
98
What did the outbreak of war change in the south? (France)
- **1870**
- War changed opposition views.
- Wave of Nationalistic anti-french sentiment
- Political leaders recogniced the dangers of remaining outside a united Germany
99
Why did Franco-Prussian tensions increase in 1865?
- **Oct 1865**
- Napoleon III claimed that Bismark promised territorial gains @ Biarittz
- Bismark denied this
- Against this Napoleon needed a diplomatic success to reinforce France as a great power
100
What raised Franco - Prussian tensions in 1867?
- **1867**
- Dutch agreed to sell Luxemburg to France subject to Prussian approval
- Bismark stoked nationalist feeling and called Luxembourg "A German territory"
101
What raised Franco - Prussian tensions in 1867?
- **1867**
- Dutch agreed to sell Luxemburg to France subject to Prussian approval
- Bismark stoked nationalist feeling and called Luxembourg "A German territory"
102
What was the London conference (1867)
- **May 1867**
- London conference
- Luxembourg would be granted complete independance and neutrality
- Humilating defeat for France
103
Describe the series of events in relation to the spanish throne?
- **1870**
1. Spain asked Prince Leopold to be King of Spain
2. Wilhelm intially declined on his family members behalf
3. Bismark persuaded him to change his mind
4. This leaked promting public outrage in France
5. Napoleon threatened war if canditacy was not permenantly withdrawn
6. Wilhelm agreed but outraged with Napoleon
104
What is the Ems telegram?
- **13th July 1870**
- Wilhelms seceratary sent Bismark a telegrah
- Bismark edited it to make it appeared more uncompromising and leaked it to the press
105
When was war declared and why? (France)
- **19th July 1870**
- In response to the Ems telegram
106
What did Bismark do after the outbreak of war? (France)
- **July 1870**
- Bismark used France as the agressor to ask the southern states to honour thier agreement agreement and join the war effort
107
What was the first major engagement of the Franco - Prussian war?
- **August 1870**
- 180,000 French troops retreat to Metz
- Besieged until October 1871
108
What was the second major engagement of the Franco Prussian war?
- **September 1870**
- Sedan
- NIII let his troops have a day off
- 85,000 captured including Napoleon III
109
What was the change in command in 1871 in the german army?
- **25th January 1871**
- Wilhelm I overruled Moltke and told him to consult with Bismark on all future operations
110
What did Bismark order at the start of 1871?
- **January 1871**
- Bismark ordered Paris to be shelled by Krupp artillery
111
When was the capitulation of paris?
- **28th January 1871**
- Paris surrenders
- Sustains more damage in 1870/71 than any other conflict
112
When and where was Wilhelm I proclaimed Kaiser?
- **18th January 1871**
- Proclaimed Kaiser @ Versailles
113
When is unification complete?
- **January 1871**
- Baden, Wurtenburg, Saxony, Baden, Hamburg and Breman unite with North German confederation to form the German empire
114
When and where are preliminary peace treaties signed (France)?
- **1871**
115
Why did German win the war in 1870/71?
- Numerical supiority - 500,000 / 300,000
- Command - Moltke was an outstanding General whereas Bazaine and Napoleon made tactical blunders (Metz and Sedan)
- Prussian Mobilisation superior. Better organised and quicker
- Railway network, 6 border trackes compared to 2
- Roons army reforms implemented, France blocked by liberals
- While France had better small arms (Chassepot rifle and Mitrailleuse machine gun). Prussian Krupp guns offset this
- Bismark was the superior statesman. International situation favoured Prussia, no other power involved
- Austria didn't back France as Russia would have sided with Prussia
- Britian was suspicious of a possible French invasion of Belgium (which UK guarentted independace)
116
What do Historians debate about Bismarks domestic and foreign Policy?
- Very few agree that Bismark planned unification from the beggining of his Career
- Disagree extend that foreign policy was product of Planning or opportunism
117
What do Historians debate about Bismarks overall sucess?
- Some historians argue that Bismark benifitted from favourable political climate, while others argue that he used his political skill to make his own luck
- Most historains agree that Bismark certaintly exploited economic political and military decline of Austria and the weakness of France's political and military leaders
