THE UNIFICATION OF GERMANY

Germany as a state started to exist in 1871.
Before then there was no state in Europe called Germany.
Instead, there was a confederation of about 360 states each independent in the name.
Powerful neighbors such as France, Demark, Austria, and Hungary continuously harassed them.
Hungary regarded herself as leader and protector of these German states.
However, by 1815, these states were reduced to 39.
Prussia emerged as the largest and most powerful of the German State.
Prussia aimed at uniting all small German states under the brilliant leadership of Otto Von Bismarck.
Bismarck became the chancellor of Prussia in 1862 under King William I.

OTTO VON BISMARCK

Bismarck was born in 1815 to a middle-class family distantly related to the Royal family.
He belonged to the Junker Class or the land-owning gentry or aristocrats.
After obtaining a University degree, Bismarck worked as a civil servant in the Prussian Government.
Later, he joined politics and served the government in various portfolios including that of a diplomat.
In 1847, he was elected as a member of the Prussian Diet or parliament.
In 1848, there was a Liberal Revolution in the German states.
The Liberals were advocating for a united Germany under democratic rule.
Bismarck was an aristocrat and an authoritarian who was very much against democracy.
Bismarck wanted power in the hands of the King with an elected Parliament.
By this time, Bismarck had become a very good public speaker and he opposed the liberal view with all his force.
However, the reigning King William IV of Prussia sent him to serve as an ambassador in a foreign nation to prevent him from causing confusion in the Confederate Parliament.
While a Member of Parliament, Bismarck became aware of the fact that there were real problems and weaknesses in individual German states.
As a result, he began to favor the uniting of all German states under the leadership of Prussia. Since Austria was a dominant power in the German states, Bismarck regarded Austria as a stumbling block and enemy to German Unification.
In 1858, King William IV’s rule came to an end and he was succeeded by his brother King William I. King William I was against the Liberals and he appointed Military chiefs who were also against the Liberals.
From 1857 to 1862 Bismarck served as Prussian ambassador, first at Petersburg in Russia and at Paris in France.
In 1862, Bismarck was called back by telegram to Berlin and appointed Chancellor by King William I who had the same views as Bismarck on the unification of Germany.
The destiny of Prussia was at last in the hands of Bismarck and with it the destiny of not only Germany but of Europe as well. Bismarck believed that nothing could be done without the use of force.
It was for this reason that he stated that “The greatest question of the day will not be decided by speeches and resolutions of the majority but by blood and iron”.
To Bismarck, affairs in European politics were not determined by “right but by might”.
Bismarck also believed that wrong must sometimes be committed in the interest of the States, particularly if the state is Prussia.
This belief was called RALPOLITIK.
As such, Bismarck was able to convince himself that he was carrying out the will of God.

WARS OF UNIFICATION OF GERMANY

The unification of Germany was made possible with the appointment of Bismarck.
General Helmut Von Moltke was put in charge of the Prussian army.
He organized the army in modern times.
Therefore, he conducted the following wars;

WAR 1-Prussia and Austria-Hungary Vs Denmark-1864.

In 1864, Bismarck engaged Denmark in a war over two territories of Holstein and Schleswigwhich were Germany speaking states.
In this war, Prussia allied with Austria-Hungary with the understanding that the two would share the two territories after the defeat of Denmark.
This was a deliberate move by Bismarck who wanted to have an excuse to attack Austria-Hungary next.
Within a few weeks, Denmark was defeated by the two states.
Prussia got Schleswig while Austria acquired Holstein.

WAR 2-Austria-Hungary Vs Prussia-1866

Bismarck already considered Austria-Hungary as a stumbling block to the unification of Germany.
Therefore, Bismarck started inciting the Germans of Holstein to demand to be part of Prussia.
The Austrian Government tried to put down this rebellion, but Prussia decided to declare war on Austria on the pretext of protecting Germany citizens in Holstein.
Austria was finally defeated at the Battle of Sadowa.
The effects of this war were;
The war led to the signing of the treaty of Prague
Austria lost Holstein to Prussia.
It led to the creation of the North German Confederation under the leadership of Bismarck.
Four million German speaking people were incorporated into Prussia.

WAR 3- Prussia Vs France-1870-71. (The Franco-Prussian War)

The causes of the war involved the appointment of a Prussian Prince Leopold of Belgium to the Spanish throne. France felt threatened by this and decided to protest the appointment.
The French sent a telegram to King William I who was on holiday at a place called EMS.
This telegram was politely requesting the Prussian King to advise Prince Leopold not to accept the Spanish throne.
The Prussian King also politely turned down this request.
Unfortunately, this telegram which became known as the EMSTelegram passed through Bismarck’s office on its way to France.
Bismarck deliberately changed and manipulated the contents of the Telegram to make them sound as if King William had insulted the French ambassador and the French people.
This was a deliberate move by Bismarck to draw France into a war with Prussia.
As a result, the tension between the two countries increased and the French were finally manipulated into declaring war on Prussia.
France was finally defeated at the Battle of Sedan in 1871.
The effects of this war were;
The German Empire was created which comprised Prussia, the Confederation of North German States of Holstein and Schleswig, and the Southern German-speaking states.
King William became the first Emperor of the German Empire and became known as Kaiser William I while Bismarck became the first German Chancellor.
France was required to pay 200million franks to the new Germany as reparations.
France was also forced to give up her two rich provinces of Alsace and Lorraine which were also highly industrialized.
German troops were also supposed to occupy Eastern France until the indemnity of 200million franks was paid.
This war left France extremely bitter and with a desire to revenge against Germany.

THE PROCESS OF UNIFICATION

There were two views about the process of Unification of Germany.
One was that it was as a result of a long laid plan while the other was that it was as a result of Manipulation and Opportunism.
It was as a result of a long laid plan;
According to a report by Benjamin Disraeli, the then British Prime Minister of a meeting with Bismarck in 1862, he stated that “What an extraordinary man Bismarck is’’. He meets for the first time and tells me all he is going to do if he will attack Denmark in order to Holstein and Schleswig, he will put Austria out of the Confederation, and then he will attack France what an extraordinary man!”.
It was also a result of manipulation and opportunism;
Bismarck confessed that “By himself, an individual can create nothing by himself, he can only wait until he hears God’s footsteps resounding through events and then spring forward to grasp the helm of his mantle and act” Bismarck also remarked that “many paths led to my goal. I had to try all of them one after the other, the most dangerous at the end”.

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