Growth of German Nationalism

Political Factors

1. The 1848 Revolution

1. The 1848 Revolution

16. Revolutions engulfed Europe, including the states of the Deutscher Bund. Reasons:

• Harvest failures : Potato famine 1846-48• 1847 wheat prices x2• 1848 cholera epidemics• Industrial depression • Lack of response to crises by undemocratic

governments (the autocracies)

1. The 1848 Revolution

17. Metternich unable to keep control so he fled to Britain.

• revolutions break out in Vienna, North Italy, Hungary and Prague

18. Austrians could not influence the affairs of Bund states. This affects German nationalism because:

• without control of Austria, nationalist revolutionaries could now demand democratic reforms and unification

1. The 1848 Revolution

19. Berlin (Prussia) 1848 (McKichan p 36 – 38)• Demonstrations and street fighting outside the

royal palace. 300+ rioters killed by government soldiers.

• Bodies of the dead and wounded were paraded in front of King Frederick William IV (King of Prussia).

• KFW IV deeply saddened by deaths and announces his support and leadership for liberty and a unified Germany.

• Read his proclamation, p38: McKichan• A new Parliament of the German people was to

meet in Frankfurt, May 1848.

The 1848 Revolution

20. The nature of the Frankfurt Assembly• Elected members were middle class, well

educated.• Most were liberals and nationalists • Wanted

– a united Germany with a monarch as Head of State.– A parliament elected by middle class /well educated ie.

People like themselves.

The 1848 Revolution

20 ctd: The purpose of the Frankfurt Assembly

• Decide on the future for Germany– Klein or Grossdeutschland– Monarchy or democracy– Draw up a constitution for a united Germany

The 1848 Revolution

21. Issues the Assembly disagreed over• If KD or GD who would be offered the crown?

Austria or Prussia or who?• Workers who were in Assembly (Minority) called

for a republic to protect them against exploitation by their bosses.

• The business owners (the middle class members) were the bosses who claimed workers demands were too much and would destroy business.

The 1848 Revolution22. Collapse and dissolution of Frankfurt Assembly

• 1848 into 1849 revolutions die down• Austrians regain control over its own territories by March

1849• No chance Austrians wanted to be part of a united and liberal

Germany.• So, now the Frankfurt Assembly offer the crown of a KleinD

to FWIV.• FW IV has restored power in Prussia as well• Changes his mind about leading a united and liberal

Germany• He refuses to accept the crown! (McKichan p 39)• Other monarchs ignore the FA constitution and withdraw

their states.• FA dissolved.

The 1848 Revolution23. Why did political nationalism fail to unite Germany in

1848/49? (ref: McKichan p 39+40)– Revolutions relatively ineffective – no sweeping changes made

– Monarchs not overthrown

– Armies remained loyal to monarchs – especially in Prussia

– Reforms granted by monarchs were easily reversed.

– FW IV refused the crown of united Germany.

– KleinD decision disgruntled Austria

– Frankfurt Assembly took too long to make decisions about issues they disagreed on.

– Lack of clarity, purpose and strong leadership among nationalists and liberals

– Lack of power from below to unify.

The Erfurt Union - 1849

Possibility for unification from above.

24.The League of the Three Kings• KW IV still interested in Unification but on his terms. Ie not

to be controlled by his subjects.• Invites rulers of Saxony and Hanover to form a federation

of states with an army and foreign policy controlled by Prussia.

• Other states join and meet at Erfurt (Saxony) March 1850.

This makes up the Erfurt Union.

The Erfurt Union - 1849

• 25. • Erfurt Union not very strong as other German states were suspicious of Prussian

motives and scared of Austrian reaction if they joined.• By 1850 Austria had a new, strong Chancellor, Prince Schwarzenberg. Austria

recovering fast after revolutions.

The Erfurt Union - 184926. Austria crushes the Erfurt Union and restores the power of the

Bund:• Schwarzenburg objects to plan of Erfurt Union plan to have KleinD.• Persuades majority of German states to meet at Frankfurt to plan

restoration of pre 1848 confederation (Bund). Prussia does not attend.

• Old Bund arrangement agreed. • Test case: Hesse Cassel asks for military help from Bund to put

down a minor rebellion. Bund helps. But HC is ally of Prussia and Austrian troops sent in to help HC.

• Prussia could have declared war on Austria but doesn’t as it is not ready for war and fears power of Austria in alliance with Russia.

• Nov 1850, Treaty of Olmutz. Meeting of Austria and Prussia. Prussia is forced to abandon the Erfurt Union.

• This a humiliating defeat for Prussia. Shows Austria politically stronger than Prussia.

The Erfurt Union failed

27. Reasons for failure

a) Austrian power and influence over the German southern states like Bavaria had been re established by 1850 and they were reluctant to support Prussia’s desire for a Kleindeutschland

b) Prussia was forced to abandon the EU because it was not strong enough militarily or politically to exclude Austria from any German union at the time.