Bismarckian politics

William I., King of Prussia

Germany after 1815

German unification I

• Bismarck is a power politician

German unification I

• Bismarck is a power politician

• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a unified „small“ Germany

German unification I

• Bismarck is a power politician

• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a unified „small“ Germany

• He is a conservative Junker

German unification I

• Bismarck is a power politician

• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a unified „small“ Germany

• He is a conservative Junker

• „Decisions are made by blood and iron“

German unification I

• Bismarck is a power politician

• His aim is Prussian supremacy within a unified „small“ Germany

• He is a conservative Junker

• „Decisions are made by blood and iron“

• Revolution from above – unification by the means of war

German unification I

• War against Denmark in 1864

German unification I

• War against Denmark in 1864

• War against Austria in 1866

The battle of Königgrätz , July 1866

The North German Confederation 1867

German unification I

• War against Denmark in 1864

• War against Austria in 1866

• War against France in 1870/71

Bismarck leads Napoleon III. to William I. after the battle of Sedan, 2. September 1871

William I is proclaimed German emperor in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, 18. January 1871

Hissing of the German flag at Vanves, 19. January 1871

German Empire 1871

Marianne comforting Elsa after the loss of Alsace-Lorraine

German unification IICustom‘s Union 1834

German unification IICustoms Union 1836

German unification IICustoms Union 1854

German unification IICustoms Union 1871

German unification III

• „If we place German liberalism in the full European context, then the investment of liberal hopes in the Bismarckian settlement of 67 – 71 appears not as a liberalism-denying compromise, but as a powerful, if unfinished, realization of liberal visions of the future (…) Germany was remade along the lines German liberals had broadly envisaged.“

Geoff Eley

Kulturkampf

• All schools placed under state supervision

Kulturkampf

• All schools placed under state supervision

• Jesuit order banned (1872)

Kulturkampf

• All schools placed under state supervision

• Jesuit order banned (1872)

• May Laws (1873)

Kulturkampf

• All schools placed under state supervision

• Jesuit order banned (1872)

• May Laws (1873)

• Civil marriage introduced (1874/75)

Kulturkampf

• All schools placed under state supervision

• Jesuit order banned (1872)

• May Laws (1873)

• Civil marriage introduced (1874/75)

• Suspension of church subsidies, dissolution of religious orders (1875)

Ferdinand Lassalle August Bebel

Foundation of the German Social Democratic Party in Gotha 1875

Anti-socialist bill 1878

• Socialist and communist meetings, societies and publications forbidden

• Socialist agitators expelled

Anti-socialist bill 1878

• Socialist and communist meetings, societies and publications forbiden

• Socialist agitators expelled

• Socialist parliamentary party persisted!

Results of the federal elections in 1878 and in 1890

poor family in Berlin

around 1900

German welfare state

• Sickness insurance act in 1883

German welfare state

• Sickness insurance act in 1883

• Accident insurance act in 1884

German welfare state

• Sickness insurance act in 1883

• Accident insurance act in 1884

• Sickness and accident insurance for agricultural workers in 1886

German welfare state

• Sickness insurance act in 1883

• Accident insurance act in 1884

• Sickness and accident insurance for agricultural workers in 1886

• Old age and invalidity insurance act in 1889

Europe at the age of Bismarck

Bismarckian system

• Three Emperors‘ League in 1873 (Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)

Berlin Congress, 1878

Bismarckian system

• Three Emperors‘ League in 1873 (Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)

• Dual Alliance in 1879 (Germany – Austria-Hungary)

Bismarckian system

• Three Emperors‘ League in 1873 (Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)

• Dual Alliance in 1879 (Germany – Austria-Hungary)

• Three Emperors‘ Agreement in 1881 (Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)

Bismarckian system

• Three Emperors‘ League in 1773 (Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)

• Dual Alliance in 1879 (Germany – Austria-Hungary)

• Three Emperors‘ Agreement in 1881 (Germany – Russia – Austria-Hungary)

• Triple Alliance in 1882 (Germany – Italy – Austria-Hungary)

Bismarckian system

• Mediterranean Agreement I and II in 1887 (Britain, Italy, Austria-Hungary)

Bismarckian system

• Mediterranean Agreement I and II in 1887 (Britain, Italy, Austria-Hungary)

• Reassurance Treaty in 1887 (Germany and Russia)

William IIGerman emperor

Dropping the pilot 1890