HI136 The History of HI136 The History of GermanyGermany

Lecture 19Lecture 19Germany and Europe:Germany and Europe:The Debate on German The Debate on German

PeculiaritiesPeculiarities

German Unification, German Unification, 1862-18701862-1870

After 1815 Germany made up of After 1815 Germany made up of 39 independent states.39 independent states.

Growing demands for unification.Growing demands for unification. 1848: failure of liberal 1848: failure of liberal

‘bourgeois’ revolution.‘bourgeois’ revolution. Economic & industrial Economic & industrial

development helped unification, development helped unification, eg. the eg. the ZollvereinZollverein customs customs union.union.

1864-71: Wars of Unification, 1864-71: Wars of Unification, expelled Austria & united expelled Austria & united Germany under Prussian Germany under Prussian leadership.leadership.

Imperial Germany, 1871-Imperial Germany, 1871-19181918

Authoritarian government, but Authoritarian government, but some degree of democracy & rule some degree of democracy & rule of law.of law.

Forces of reaction balanced by Forces of reaction balanced by forces of change.forces of change.

Saw rapid industrialisation which Saw rapid industrialisation which brought both increased prosperity brought both increased prosperity & social dislocation.& social dislocation.

Emergence of aggressive Emergence of aggressive nationalism & fears of social nationalism & fears of social unrest may have led to decision to unrest may have led to decision to go to war in 1914.go to war in 1914.

War led to economic hardship & War led to economic hardship & military dictatorship. Defeat military dictatorship. Defeat discredited the regime & led to discredited the regime & led to collapse of the monarchy.collapse of the monarchy.

The Weimar Republic, The Weimar Republic, 1918-331918-33

Faced significant problems of Faced significant problems of legitimacy from the beginning: legitimacy from the beginning: defeat, revolution, Versailles defeat, revolution, Versailles treaty, economic problems etc.treaty, economic problems etc.

Characterised by economic Characterised by economic upheaval & political extremism.upheaval & political extremism.

Attempts to balance German Attempts to balance German political traditions with West political traditions with West European democratic traditions.European democratic traditions.

But democracy endured for 15 But democracy endured for 15 years.years.

Achievements:Achievements: Guarantee of civil rights.Guarantee of civil rights. More equal society.More equal society. Cultural flowering.Cultural flowering.

World economic crisis initiated World economic crisis initiated final crisis. final crisis.

The Third Reich, 1933-45The Third Reich, 1933-45 Debate over continuities with what Debate over continuities with what

went before:went before: Nationalism, militarism, racism Nationalism, militarism, racism

etc. present in Germany before etc. present in Germany before 19331933

But the Nazis took them to But the Nazis took them to extremes.extremes.

Economic revival in 1930s.Economic revival in 1930s. Attempts to reshape German Attempts to reshape German

society & bring it into line with Nazi society & bring it into line with Nazi ideology.ideology.

Police state not governed by the Police state not governed by the rule of law.rule of law.

Germans also victims of Nazism.Germans also victims of Nazism. War & genocide ultimately led to War & genocide ultimately led to

disaster for Germany.disaster for Germany.

West Germany, 1949-90West Germany, 1949-90 Rooted in Western democratic, Rooted in Western democratic,

free market traditions.free market traditions. Rapid economic recovery in Rapid economic recovery in

the 1950s helped produce a the 1950s helped produce a prosperous & stable society.prosperous & stable society.

But reaction against this in the But reaction against this in the 1960s and 70s.1960s and 70s.

Nevertheless, the system itself Nevertheless, the system itself not challenged.not challenged.

By the 1980s West Germany By the 1980s West Germany was a stable democracy, firmly was a stable democracy, firmly entrenched in Western entrenched in Western Europe.Europe.

East Germany, 1949-90East Germany, 1949-90 Roots in the Soviet occupation led to Roots in the Soviet occupation led to

problems of legitimacy.problems of legitimacy. A single party state ruled by the A single party state ruled by the

SED.SED. Party rule bolstered by the secret Party rule bolstered by the secret

police (Stasi) & a paternalistic police (Stasi) & a paternalistic welfare state.welfare state.

Planned economy had some Planned economy had some successes (rapid industrialisation in successes (rapid industrialisation in the 1950s), but by the 1980s had the 1950s), but by the 1980s had become stagnant & riddled with become stagnant & riddled with corruption.corruption.

Despite problems much support from Despite problems much support from citizens until the late 1980s.citizens until the late 1980s.

Changing international situation & Changing international situation & reform in the Soviet Bloc paved the reform in the Soviet Bloc paved the way for collapse in 1989.way for collapse in 1989.

Germany’s Special Path Germany’s Special Path ((SonderwegSonderweg))

Term originated in the 19Term originated in the 19thth century – Germany’s political, economic century – Germany’s political, economic & military success were down to unique values & institutions. & military success were down to unique values & institutions. Germany was pursuing a ‘middle way’ between Tsarist Autocracy & Germany was pursuing a ‘middle way’ between Tsarist Autocracy & western democracy.western democracy.

After 1945 the notion took on a more negative slant – Germany had After 1945 the notion took on a more negative slant – Germany had taken a ‘wrong turning’ on the path to modernity which led to taken a ‘wrong turning’ on the path to modernity which led to National Socialism.National Socialism.

1960s: Wehler – failed bourgeois revolution led to Germany 1960s: Wehler – failed bourgeois revolution led to Germany developing a modern economy governed by pre-modern elites developing a modern economy governed by pre-modern elites (monarchy, army, aristocracy).(monarchy, army, aristocracy).

1980s: Blackbourn & Eley – German middle class disempowered in 1980s: Blackbourn & Eley – German middle class disempowered in political life but dominated culture & society. political life but dominated culture & society. SonderwegSonderweg a flawed a flawed tool for looking at German history.tool for looking at German history.

Continuity in German Continuity in German HistoryHistory

Related to the debate over Related to the debate over SonderwegSonderweg is the issue of continuities in is the issue of continuities in modern German history.modern German history.

1940s & 50s: West European & American historians saw the Third 1940s & 50s: West European & American historians saw the Third Reich as the result of flaws in the German character; while West Reich as the result of flaws in the German character; while West German historians saw it as an aberration & the consequence of German historians saw it as an aberration & the consequence of wider European trends.wider European trends.

1960s: Fischer controversy & new debate on Sonderweg led to 1960s: Fischer controversy & new debate on Sonderweg led to ‘structuralist’ historians identifying & highlighting continuities ‘structuralist’ historians identifying & highlighting continuities between Imperial & Nazi Germany.between Imperial & Nazi Germany.

Undoubtedly there are similarities – no period of history is divorced Undoubtedly there are similarities – no period of history is divorced from what precedes it – but this approach can be misleading.from what precedes it – but this approach can be misleading.

Hindsight shouldn’t mislead us into assuming that the course of Hindsight shouldn’t mislead us into assuming that the course of history was fixed.history was fixed.

Geographical ArgumentGeographical Argument Assertion that Germany’s historical development has been shaped Assertion that Germany’s historical development has been shaped

by its geography.by its geography. Germany’s position at the centre of Europe made it a meeting place Germany’s position at the centre of Europe made it a meeting place

for different cultures and ideas,for different cultures and ideas, But it also made it vulnerable to attack.But it also made it vulnerable to attack. This led to development of Prussian military monarchy & the This led to development of Prussian military monarchy & the

adoption of an aggressive foreign policy on the grounds that attack adoption of an aggressive foreign policy on the grounds that attack was the best form of defence.was the best form of defence.

After both World Wars Germany was at the mercy of its enemies, After both World Wars Germany was at the mercy of its enemies, and its position at the heart of Europe made it the focus of Cold War and its position at the heart of Europe made it the focus of Cold War rivalries and tensions.rivalries and tensions.

Martin Kitchen: geography had a psychological effect on the Martin Kitchen: geography had a psychological effect on the Germans – nationalism the result of a jealous hatred of the west & Germans – nationalism the result of a jealous hatred of the west & an arrogant disdain for the east.an arrogant disdain for the east.

Historical ArgumentHistorical Argument Germany’s fractured & fragmented history is the key to Germany’s fractured & fragmented history is the key to

understanding its development in the 20understanding its development in the 20 thth century. century. Germany became a nation-state comparatively late, which led to the Germany became a nation-state comparatively late, which led to the

development of an unstable national consciousness & national development of an unstable national consciousness & national inferiority complex.inferiority complex.

History of particularism made it difficult to integrate different groups History of particularism made it difficult to integrate different groups into German society after 1871, leading to the growth of an into German society after 1871, leading to the growth of an assertive nationalism (Wehler – ‘negative integration’).assertive nationalism (Wehler – ‘negative integration’).

Debates between champions of federalism & centralisation Debates between champions of federalism & centralisation continued in the 20continued in the 20thth century – the Nazis tried to eliminate federal century – the Nazis tried to eliminate federal tradition & bring all of Germany under central control.tradition & bring all of Germany under central control.

Revival of federalism after World War II seen as an important Revival of federalism after World War II seen as an important feature in ensuring stability & preventing a resurgence of feature in ensuring stability & preventing a resurgence of nationalism.nationalism.