German History

I was in search of book that depicted the history of Gemany and how they developed into an empire. I was looking for the origins, the Bizmak years, through The Great War and to Post-World War II era. In short I was looking for a deeper meaning to understand the German people and who they are.

The book I choose was unexpectedly similar to Howard's "The Great War." In Michael's Sturmer's "The German Empire." I was suspecting it to go through an in depth historical timeline of German history, but what I got was more of a condensed and concise history of the rise of the German Empire from it's inception after the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 to its dismal defeat of "The Great War" and the revolutions that followed in 1918. It was the turning point in the 19th Century to the rise of the German people.

However in my findings and research I examined the context more extensively too acquire a better understanding of the pre-German Empire era. The book jumps right into the Post-Franco-Prussian years with only a brief historical explanation. It was evident that telling the origin of the how the German became to be was dense and overwhelming task. It was too large in scope to tell within a short time frame presentation. So I will condense Michael's and in short forego World War I considering Howard covered it much greater in depth than Michael. So I will begin here with a brief origin of Germany to the Rise of The Second Reich and on to the revolutions that took place after.

While the German people were not fully unified into a single political unit until the late 19th century, they exerted influence upon Western civilization from its very beginnings.

The Holy Roman Empire, dating from the 8th century until 1806, was the first German Reich, or empire. The territory of the empire originally included what is now Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, eastern France, the Low Countries, and parts of northern and central Italy. But its sovereign was usually the German king, and the German lands were always its chief component. After the mid-15th century, it was known as the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation". The German Empire of 1871Ð'-1918 was often known as the second Reich to indicate its descent from the medieval empire. By the same reasoning, Adolf Hitler referred to Nazi Germany (1933Ð'-1945) as the Third Reich.

After doing background and extensive research it was evident that telling the origin of the how the German became to be was dense and overwhelming task. It was too large in scope to tell within a short time frame presentation. So I will condense Michael's and in short forego World War I considering Howard covered it much greater in depth than Michael. So I will begin where the Empire began to take shape prior to the Great War and then shed light on the revolutions that took place after.

After the fall of Napoleon, European monarchs and statesmen convened in the Vienna in 1814 for the reorganization of European affairs, under the leadership of the Austrian Prince Metternich. The political principles agreed upon included the restoration, legitimacy and solidarity of rulers for the repression of revolutionary and nationalist ideas.

The "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation", the German Confederation was founded, a loose union of 39 states (35 ruling princes and 4 free cities) under Austrian leadership.

In 1848 growing discontent with the political and social order imposed by the Congress of Vienna led to the outbreak of a Revolution in the German states. The German Confederation drew up a national German constitution. But the revolution proved unsuccessful: King Frederick William IV of Prussia refused the imperial crown, and the German Confederation was re-established.

In 1862 Prince Bismarck was nominated chief minister of Prussia - against the opposition of liberals and socialists. Throughout history he was know as the Iron Chancellor and was a master in his management and manipulation of the many alliances between politics and business.

In 1864 it came to disputes between Prussia and Denmark over Schleswig, which - unlike Holstein - was not part of the German Confederation, and which Danish nationalists wanted to incorporate into the Danish kingdom. The dispute led to the Second War of Schleswig, in the course of which the Prussians, joined by Austria, defeated the Danes. Denmark was forced to cede both the duchy of Schleswig and the duchy of Holstein to Austria and Prussia. In the aftermath, the management of both duchys provoked growing tensions between Austria and Prussia, which ultimately led to the Austro-Prussian War (1866). The war was decided in favour of the Prussians, who carried the decisive victory.

In 1867 the German Confederation was dissolved. In its place the North German Confederation was established, under the leadership of Prussia. Austria was excluded, and would remain outside German affairs for most of the remaining 19th and the 20th centuries. Prussia established control over the 22 states of northern and southern Germany. The result was an extended military alliance for Prussians, which would be a precursor to war upon Napolean III. The Confederation came into being after Prussia defeated Austria in the Austro-PrussianWar. Bismarck created the Constitution. The King of Prussia, Wilhelm I, became President of the Confederation, and Bismarck became its Chancellor.

The 19th century was also the time when Germany industrialized. In 1825 the first steamship sailed on the Rhine. In 1833 Gauss and Weber constructed the first telegraph. In 1866 Siemens constructed the first dynamo.

From 1850 the number joint-stock companies increased. The middle classes began to assert themselves, economically, politically and socially. But at the same time, the difficulties and discontents arose in the working classes.

Differences between France and Prussia over the accession to the Spanish throne of a German candidate - whom France opposed - led to the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Following a French declaration of war, joint southern-German and Prussian troops, under the command of Moltke, invaded France in 1870. The French army was finally forced to capitulate by the fortress of Sedan. French Emperor Napoleon III was taken prisoner and the Second French Empire collapsed. Following the capitulation of Paris, the Peace of Frankfurt am Main was signed: France was obliged to cede Alsace and the German-speaking part of Lorraine to Germany. The territorial cessions deeply hurt the French national feeling, creating an obstacle to Franco-German understanding.

On January 18th 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles, the Prussian King Wilhelm I was proclaimed "Emperor of Germany". The German Empire was founded,