Prime Minister of Prussia (1862–90) Founder and 1st Chancellor (1871–90) of the German Empire.
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Prime Minister of Prussia (1862–90) Founder and 1st Chancellor (1871–90) of the German Empire Reaction to Revolutions of 1848 After the failed liberal revolutions of 1848, Prussia remained a constitutional monarchy under the rule of the Kaiser. Otto von Bismarck, who was soon to become a chief minister to the Kaiser, recognized that nationalist fervor might be co-opted from the liberals and made a force to strength the conservative Junker class (the aristocrats who dominated the Prussian military.) Pre-Bismarck German States and Principalities Bismarck, left, with Roon (center) and Moltke (right). The three leaders of Prussia in the 1860s Bismarck’s Strategy to Unify Germany After serving as a diplomat, Bismarck became prime minister and foreign minister of Prussia in September 1862. Once in power, Bismarck used trickery and intimidation to face down liberal attempts to control military finance. Then, to appease the middle class, he offered social rights for every German citizen: free education, health care, and old age pensions. Bismarck repressed internal dissent in a series of kulturkampfs, first against Catholics and then against Socialists, setting the pattern for later anti-Semitic scapegoating. Finally, Bismarck embarked on an aggressive plan of military expansion. To do that, he needed to wrest control of finances from the legislature. Military Finance: The Landwher Problem (1862) Bismarck sought to ram laws through the Diet (legislature) which would provide him with the money to expand and modernize the Prussian army. “It is not by means of speeches and majority resolutions that the great issues of the day will be decided—that was the great mistake of 1848 and 1849—but by blood and iron.” (‘Blood and Iron’ Speech) Landwher – ‘defense of the country’. Kaiser Wilhelm, head of the ‘liberal’ government, wanted to increase the size of the army, but the Diet refused to approve funding. Bismarck intervened and suggested that Kaiser Wilhelm simply bypass the parliament. The Kaiser’s sovereignty was established: top down. Bismarck Forces Liberals Into Submission After Bismarck strengthened the army through the Kaiser’s arbitrary decree, he gambled that he could obtain the support of the German people by pursuing an aggressive, expansionist foreign policy. He forced middle class critics of the old order to choose between national unification and parliamentary government by leading Prussia into a succession of wars, culminating in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Victory over the French paved the way for the creation of the Second Reich in 1871. (Pace). The Unification of Germany 1864 The Shlesweig-Holstein Affair: Prussia and Austria seize the Shlesweig-Holstein Provinces from Denmark. It was decided that Schleswig would come under Prussian control, and Holstein under Austrian control. (Of course, the Austrians would need to pass through Prussia to get to Holstein.). 1866 Seven Weeks War: Prussia defeats Austria in the battle of Konigratz, and Austria is annexed to Prussia. 1870 The Ems Telegram: Bismarck alters a diplomatic exchange with the Kaiser to sound like an insult to the French Ambassador and publishes it in the newspapers to provoke a war with France. 1870 The Franco-Prussian War: France declares war and, subsequently, is blamed for starting it. 1871 The Germans take Paris. Treaty of Frankfurt signed ending the war. 1871 Wilhelm I proclaims himself Emperor of Germany starting the Second Reich. Bismarck appointed Chancellor. The Danish War (1864-5) Prussia and Austria both wanted land from Denmark (Schleswig-Holstein) January 16, 1864: Austria and Prussia demanded land from Denmark. Denmark refused, hoping to be backed up by major European powers England and France too hesitant Denmark surrenders and in the Treaty of Gastein, Austria annexes Holstein, and Prussia gets Schleswig. Prussia annexes Lauenburg Bismarck had no intention of sharing land with Austria. The Prusso-Austrian War (1866) Bismarck provokes a war with Austria He allies with Russia and the French so they wouldn’t fight against him. Bismarck makes Austrians look bad by establishing Landtags (diets), accusing Austria of troop movements and of arming themselves. Austria calls for aid from Confederate States (Bavaria et al) Bavaria proposes to mobilize small states’ armies. Prussia dissolves Confederacy, declares existence of a state of war. The Prusso-Austrian War (cont.) 3 week war: Prussians have better strategy and weapons King of Prussia wanted to invade Austria, but Bismarck said no. The purpose of war was not to conquer Austria, but to keep it out of Prussian politics Prussia signs a secret treaty with Bavaria that forces Bavaria to help Prussia if war breaks out with the French. Result: Austria is permanently eliminated from German politics Bismarck gains popularity, only a few Catholic and socialist leaders oppose him. The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1) Napoleon III notes Germany’s growing power and becomes increasingly militant in his threats of war. Bismarck aims to bring the southern provinces of Germany into the Prussian union. After Queen Isabella of Spain loses her crown, Prince Leopold in Germany becomes a candidate for the Spanish throne. The French were outraged and sent their Foreign Minister Benedetti to ask King William to withdraw his son’s candidacy, and he agreed. However, the French were not content; they wanted Leopold to renounce any pretensions to the Spanish throne. King William refused politely and sent a telegram to Bismarck informing him of his decision. Bismarck cleverly edited the ‘Ems Telegram’ to make it look like the French was provoking Germany into war. July 19, 1870: France declares war on Germany. The Franco-Prussian War (cont.) All the German states joined together against France,; only Bavaria hesitated. Russia and England stayed neutral. The German military’s exploitation of rail transport enables them to move soldiers rapidly to key points on the French line, and they break through. Napoleon III surrenders September 2, 1870. A socialist revolution breaks out in Paris on January 28, 1871. Aftermath: France had to pay five million francs. East Lorraine is surrendered to Germany Northern France was occupied until France paid off debt (1873) January 18, 1871: William is crowned Emperor of Germany at Versailles. The Prussian invasion was “so swift that the French army was not even able to mobilize quickly enough to wage an effective war.” German Government The Kaiser: the sovereign power. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Kaiser. Reichstag: German legislature can only confirm the decisions of the Prime Minister. The Real Power was the Prussian Junker military aristocracy, but this class was challenged increasingly by a growing working class socialist movement. Philosophy: Within the German Empire there could be no meaningful conflict between the rights of the citizen and the rights of the state. The aims of the individual and the state were one and the same. There was thus no need for any separation of powers within the state; no checks and balances were needed on the power of the sovereign. Bismarck’s Reichstag Speech (1881) “I have often acted hastily and without reflection, but when l had time to think I have always asked, ‘What is useful, effective, right, for the fatherland.’ I have never been a doctrinaire. Liberal, reactionary, conservative . . . these, I confess, seem to me luxuries. Give me a strong German state, and then ask me whether it should have more or less liberal furnishings, and you'll find that I answer, ‘Yes.’ I have no fixed opinions; make proposals. Many roads lead to Rome. Sometimes one may rule liberally, and sometimes dictatorially; there are no eternal rules. My only aim has been the creation and consolidation of Germany." Kulturkampf vs. Catholics Bismarck spent much of his career promoting a secular brand of German nationalism. To create a new nationalist German identity, Bismarck had to compete with the two other commanding ideologies in the new nation: Catholicism and socialism. In 1884 he argued that Catholicism "has this danger for me. One cannot cooperate with it without selling oneself. One is taken with it completely, and the moment always comes when the question arises: Will you fight now or will you continue to go along with me?" And then he stated the basic problem: one could not trust the Catholics although many of them were "good honest Germans," because "the center of gravity" of much of Catholic life "lies outside the German Reich." Kulturkampf vs. Socialists In the 1870’s the Social Democrat party showed an amazing increase in electoral strength. Bismarck regarded socialism as a subversive movement designed to weaken the state. He described the socialists as ‘robbers and thieves.’ He accused them of trying to ‘turn everything in Germany upside down, above all the army and compulsory service, not caring if the Reich is left without defense.’ Kulturkampf vs. Socialists Bismarck’s political struggle against the socialists failed. By 1912 the Social Democrats had become the largest single political party in the Reichstag,; they supported 110 daily newspapers throughout Germany, and they had created a nationwide system of fraternal organizations, youth groups, and assorted clubs. The Strike, 1886 Conclusion While a parliamentary system had been created, the real power in the Second Reich rested with the Kaiser and with the Junker aristocracy which dominated the army and the higher echelons of the government. Moreover, the fact that unification had been achieved through military force gave an aggressive form of nationalism and militarism great influence within German culture. (Pace) However, by the time of WWI, the Social Democratic Party had grown so large that it had begun to challenge the conservatives’ hold on power. Works Cited The Constitutional Conflict in Prussia Toward the Unification of Germany - Map (1740-1871) Blood and Iron: Bismarck and Realpolitik The Second Reich (overview) Second Reich Timeline The Process of German Unification Great Power Politics Bismarck and German Nationalism "The Prussian Wars of Unification" - lecture from MIT Bismarck's The Second Reich (1888) German Unification (Pace Site) Works Cited http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/g ermany/lectures/10unification.html http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralp h/resource/unifgerm.htm http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/g ermany/lectures/081848.html http://mars.vnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/ge rmany/lectures/09conflict.html http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/g ermany/lectures/12bismarck.html