“At the end of the eighteenth century the future of central Europe seemed open.” Given the realities of the empire and its constituent states, the actual significance of the term “Germany” remained elusive. According to Germany a new history, “Ludwig von Seckendorff, a civil servant and political philosopher in Saxony, had declared in his Teutscher Furstenstaat that a “German nation” existed in the political sense, but conceded that it was difficult to describe and that many other nations existed within lower levels (p86).” In the past, “German” still referred only to a language. To create the nation, it was born in the minds of the intelligentsia, as a cultural entity without direct ties to politics. The German Confederation was created by an act of the Congress of Vienna as a result of the Napoleonic Wars. The Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck who led the German State of Prussia unified Germany. He made certain alliances and used other tactics to do this, including leading Prussia into a series of wars. Three wars led to military successes and helped persuade German people to do this: the Second war of Schleswig against Denmark, the Austro-Prussian war, and the Franco-Prussian war against France.
The German Empire consisted of 27
constituent territories. Germany industrialized rapidly with a foundation in
coal, iron, chemicals, and railways. The population of 41 million people grew
to 68 million in 1913. The nation grew because of its fragmented identity and the practical requirements of a multitude of small states and governments. Demands increased the size and scope of their administrations and required highly trained officials, who understood as much about markets and trade about law and public finance. Aristocratic birth no longer existed. Ability and qualifications were needed for capable civil servants. Germany was composed of civil servants, clergymen, academics, jurists, teachers, doctors, book-dealers, and other professional men, recruited from the ranks of both the lesser aristocracy and the middle classes. One thing in common is they held their positions not on the basis of their inherited station in life but as a result of their training and ability. The German Empire operated as an industrial,
technological and scientific giant, receiving more Nobel Prizes in science than
Britain, France, Russia, and the United States combined.
As new educated class grew, existence contributed in turn to the development of a standard German language out of the myriad regional dialects and local idioms. According to Germany a new history, "Pan-German literature, drama, and opera creates a unified opinion and taste that extended across the borders of the German territorial states (p89)."
Poet Klobstock patriotic ode verses (p90)
"Nie war, gegan das Ausland
Ein anders land gerecht, wie du!
Sei nicht allzer gerecht. Sie denken nicht edel genug
Zu sehen, wie Shon dein Fehler ist!"
Klobstock addressed the German nation-one that existed only in the heads of its educated class
As new educated class grew, existence contributed in turn to the development of a standard German language out of the myriad regional dialects and local idioms. According to Germany a new history, "Pan-German literature, drama, and opera creates a unified opinion and taste that extended across the borders of the German territorial states (p89)."
Poet Klobstock patriotic ode verses (p90)
"Nie war, gegan das Ausland
Ein anders land gerecht, wie du!
Sei nicht allzer gerecht. Sie denken nicht edel genug
Zu sehen, wie Shon dein Fehler ist!"
Klobstock addressed the German nation-one that existed only in the heads of its educated class
"It is conceivable that various German states could have succeeded in retaining the loyalty of their subjects into the 1840s and even longer, and as a concept "Germany" would have meant little to anyone but geographic's (p117)." During the period known as the Vormarz, the growing social tensions added to the bitterness felt over broken promises to introduce real constitutional reforms. When citizens raised demands to combine economic liberalization with broader participation in politics, the leadership tried to stay in control of the situation by increasing police pressures. Conflicts a broad wedge was driven between the society and the apparatus of the state. "Not only social tensions but also political unrest mounted again in Germany, and in general it is striking how the surges of nationalistic feeling and political discontent in 1813, 1817, 1830, and later years coincides with crisis in the economy and foreign affairs (p118)." Some of the challenges that came
after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck came Emperor Wilhelm II, who engaged in
reckless foreign policies that left the Empire isolated.
Germany is one of the biggest countries in the world. In the beginning, there were many small countries there, and slowly it built into one country. Unifying Germany didn't come over night. It took many many years for Germany to be unified under one roof. As years went on there were many building blocks for Germany to become unified. One issue I found frustrating was just the politics and power in general. It seems like the people in charge were all interested in power and not in the people really. There were a lot of wars during these times just to see who can gain the most power and they just dragged the people along with them. I believe Germany was unified because of the social struggle and people were just getting sick of it. Eventually everything did come together, but I feel if everyone agreed on things and you got rid of some of the wars that happened, they would have become more unified faster.
Germany is one of the biggest countries in the world. In the beginning, there were many small countries there, and slowly it built into one country. Unifying Germany didn't come over night. It took many many years for Germany to be unified under one roof. As years went on there were many building blocks for Germany to become unified. One issue I found frustrating was just the politics and power in general. It seems like the people in charge were all interested in power and not in the people really. There were a lot of wars during these times just to see who can gain the most power and they just dragged the people along with them. I believe Germany was unified because of the social struggle and people were just getting sick of it. Eventually everything did come together, but I feel if everyone agreed on things and you got rid of some of the wars that happened, they would have become more unified faster.
