Germany to 1848

Regional Map 1815

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National status (1815) (Status as a people/region)

Ethnic Make-Up

Religious Make-up

 During the early 1800’s at the end of the Napoleonic wars, the religious make up in Germany consisted of different types of Christians and some Ashkenazic Jews. There were many types of Christians that were living in Germany at the time, for example the Lutherans and the Catholics. The two types of religions were at war at each others beliefs from the 1500s. Many Germans at this time believed the core values and ideas of the Lutheran lifestyle. At this time, Germany wanted the secular alternative religions like nationalism, socialism, rationalism and romanticism.   There were Jews as well, Sephardic and Ashkenazic, but mostly Ashkenazic Jews. They were considered Germans and spoke Yiddish.

Sources: Queen II, Edward L. "Judaism." In Queen, Edward L., II, Stephen R. Prothero, and Gardiner H. Shattuck Jr., eds. Encyclopedia of American Religious History, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2001. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAR235&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 2, 2008)  

Alles, Gregory D., and Robert S. Ellwood. "Lutheranism." Encyclopedia of World Religions: Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE53&iPin=EWR0322&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 5, 2008).

Stimulants to Unification (1815-1848)

 

On June 8, 1815, representatives from all over <place w:st="on">Western Europe</place> assembled and established the German Confederation. This was made up of thirty- nine states that would be brought under the umbrella of the German Confederation. This meant that every state would have equal power and law- making abilities (except for the larger ones, who had more of the vote in assemblies). What led to the German Confederation? The stimulants are numerous.

After years of being occupied by France, Germans grew nostalgic for the military and economic power Germany  once was. They thought that they could once again conquer the lands the Holy Roman Empire had conquered before it was defeated by Napoleon. Another reason was their harsh German rulers, who ruled over their lands without mercy. If Germany was unified, more human rights could be distributed. The Germans also became angered at the Prussians, whose strict traditions (social classes) would not make room for German advancement.

Another stimulant was the rise of German liberalism. These firebrands wanted the freedoms and ideas from England and France to be absorbed into German culture. Ideas from the British such as free speech and trial by jury excited these radicals. Under the Confederation, there would be more equality for states, leading them to recognize each other and allow a quicker expansion of ideas. However, liberals often contradicted each other and would not always agree: Some liberals wanted small government, others wanted big government. 

The last stimulant was economic growth. If Germany was unified, economic expansion could then take place since the money would be distributed equally. For this reason, most Germans immediately recognized the necessity of the German Confederation. The last reason was the opportunity for the Zollverein. The Zollwerein, or Customs Union, was ultimately the reason for the vast economic growth in Germany after the German Confederation was established. The Customs Union allowed free trade, tax- free, throughout almost half of the German states. Without the taxes that used to be imposed on goods that were traded in German territory, the Zollverein allowed the fast and cheap transportation of goods in eighteen of the German states. 

These were the reasons for the establishment of the German Confederation on June 8, 1815.

A nationalistic organization of German university students, called the Burschenschaften, publicly expressed their wish for a unified Germany. One of their protests though, led to the assassination of August von Kotzebue by Karl Sand in March of 1819 (“Burschenschaft,” Para. 2). In response to and soon after the liberal outbreaks, leaders of Austria, Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and other German states conferred and passed the Carlsbad Decrees on September 20, 1819. The decrees were created to restrict radical protests of nationalism, but were limited in their actual effect, as they only briefly stopped the spread of radical movements. The decree’s enforcement though, actually fostered revolutions, like those of 1848, the beginnings of unification.

Sources:

"Burschenschaft." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. 5 Oct. 2008          <http://www.school.eb.com/eb/article-9018233>.

"Carlsbad Decrees." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. 5 Oct. 2008          <http://www.school.eb.com/eb/article-9020368>.

Obstacles to Unification

On June 8, 1815, the Congress of Vienna agreed that 39 individual states would form the German Confederation. Each would participate in law-making decisions, but Austria and Prussia had greatest authority (“Act of German Confederation,” Para. 1).The principle of the German Confederation was stated as "the preservation of the external and internal security of Germany and of the independence and inviolability of the individual German states.” With such a mission, it is clear that the princes of each state opposed unification in order to protect their power (“German Confederation,” Para. 1). 

The Confederation wanted to protect especially the Secondary States and the Habsburgs and it opposed the nationalistic view. Each state wanted political freedom, hoping to preserve independence and the Habsburgs were opposed to a centralized government or union. The Confederation, being a divided Germany, assured authority to the states, and the ability to engage in affairs that were not German rather Austrian, to the Habsburgs ("Germany," Para. 1).

During the 1800's the area now known as Germany was made up of many individual states. Each state had its own unique ethnic population. For this reason, neighboring nation states such as France, Russia, and the Austo-Hungarian Empire, did not have to fear an economic or political competetor within the small german states.  The Concert of Europe, comprised of these nation states, was not in favor of the forming of the German Confederation. They did not want Germany to gain power eventually leading to more threats to the strength of those nation states. 

In terms of geographics, Germany borders many alrady existent nation states. For example, Germany borders Russia, Prussia, France, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their lack of support for German Unification posed as a threat during international meetings.

Sources:

Kohn, George Childs. "Act of German Confederation." Dictionary of Historic Documents, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc.,         2003. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
        ItemID=WE53&iPin=hisdc01053&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 4, 2008).

Biesinger, Joseph A. "German Confederation." Germany: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present, European Nations. New York:         Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
        ItemID=WE53&iPin=GER0287&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 4, 2008).

"Germany." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. 5 Oct. 2008  <http://www.school.eb.com/eb/article-58182>.

Status of Jews

 Until the 1800's, ideas of "equality for Jews with all members of society" (Biesinger Para. 1) did not exist. As Jews wanted to practice their religion, they were given no privledges and like many other times throughout history, they were treated unfairly. While the rest of the society was beleived in Catholic orthodoxy, the Jews strived to keep their faith while trying to accomodate to the tough every life. Many historians bring up a good point that if Jews hadn't involved themselves into the society, then Jews would not have survived through the Middle Ages. For example, Jews appointed themselves to jobs which involved somethings that Christians could not do, such as loaning money. According to Christians, loaning money was considered a sin, but for the Jews, loaning money with interest was perfectly fine. This helped give the Jews a position in society doing jobs that only their religion would allow them to do.

Sources:Biesinger, Joseph A. "Jews in Germany up to 1869." Germany: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present, European Nations. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.comactivelink2.asp...gleRecord=True (accessed October 2, 2008).

Important Figures/Leaders

 

Klemens von Metternic was th foreign minister of Austria present at the congress of Vienna. One of his most famous quotes at the congress was: “The first and greatest concern for the immense majority of every nation is the stability of laws- never their change.”  German Confederation established from the congress which Metternich resided over. He wanted Austrian ruler to control all of Germany, which did not end up happening. One of his goals was to strengthen France and restore aristocrcy there. Metternic also formed the "concert of Europe: to keep peace between Europe's most powerful countries.

 Johann Gottlieb Fichte was a German philosopher who helped with the rise of German nationalism. He wanted Germans to stop absorbing French culture. He was in support of socialism and against the French Revolution. Fichte didnt believe ini God and preached his view of religion. Along the same lines, he delivered speeches from 1807- 1808 (Addresses to the German Nation), calling for improved education that would stimulate nationalism. In a nutshell, Fichte stimulated nationaistic ideas in Germany.

Johann Gottfried von Herder was another German philosopher who believed in diversity and that a group of individuals was a group of many not a group o f one. He initially supported the French Revolution but as the executions continued, he greew to oppose it. His support of rebellion maintained. 

The Schlegel Brothers were both very open to new ideas which was shown in their writings. THey were writers and critics who inspired the German Romantic Movement.

Baron Wilhelm von Humboldt was born in 1767 and died in 1835. He was apart of the Congress of Vienna and believed that Germany would become a unified state. Also a Prussian ambassador, he urged Austria, with success, to unite with Prussia in order to defeat Napoleon. He was influenced by romanticism and believed in nationalism. While he supported the nationality of Germany and wrote, in 1813, ideas for a German constitution, he also advocated for preserving the traditions of each German state.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is considered to be the greatest German Literary figure of the modern era. He was a poet, playwright, novelist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist.

Friedrich von Schiller was a dramatist, poet, and literary theorist. Some of his most famous works include Die Räuber from 1781, the Wallenstein trilogy from 1800, Maria Stuart from 1801, and Wilhelm Tell from 1804.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is considered to be the greatest German Literary figure of the modern era. He was a poet, playwright, novelist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist.

Friedrich von Schiller was a dramatist, poet, and literary theorist. Some of his most famous works include Die Räuber from 1781, the Wallenstein trilogy from 1800, Maria Stuart from 1801, and Wilhelm Tell from 1804.

Sources:

Biesinger, Joseph A. "Humboldt, Wilhelm, Baron von." Germany: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present, European         Nations. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.as...gleRecord=True (accessed October 5, 2008).

Regional Map At Unification

 

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What institutions governed

 

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Foreign Policy

 

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Concerns

 

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What peoples are included?

 

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What peoples are excluded?

 

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