Italy

The Unification of Germany
Many historians believe that the most important European event of the
19th century was the unification of Germany. Historians believe this
because Germany became the largest in land area (except for Russia) and
the most powerful country in Europe.
Before its unification, the German Confederation was a loose
confederation of states controlled mostly by Austria.Within the German
Confederation, Prussia was a powerful country independent of Austria. In
the middle of the 19th century, Prussia was ruled by King
William I. However, beginning in 1862, the most
powerful person in Prussia was its prime minister or
chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck became
convinced that Prussia had to bring the German
states together and end Austria’s influence.Eventually Bismarck succeeded in defeating
Austria. Beginning in 1864, Bismarck led the
process that would end in 1871 with the creation
Otto von Bismarck
of a united Germany.
Bismarck ruled Prussia with an iron fist. He was called the Iron Chancellor
because he was a strong leader. He ruled with the policy of blood and iron.
This meant that he planned to use military force to unite Germany.Through military might, Bismarck made Prussia the leading German state.

Otto von Bismarck
Bismarck (1815-1898) was the Prussian prime minister who was the
architect of the German Empire. He served as ambassador to Russia
and France, then as chancellor (prime minister of Prussia). He
defeated Austria in the Austro-Prussian War. After defeating Napoleon
III of France in the Franco-Prussian War,the German Empire was
created, and Bismarck was made imperial chancellor and prince in
1871. Bismarck was forced to resign in 1890 after the accession of
Kaiser William II, and then there was no one to prevent the rising tide
of German nationalism, which eventually led to war.

Events Leading to the Unification of Germany
By 1844 most German states had entered the Zollverein, or customsunion,
with Prussia. This union allowed the states to trade freely with one
another without having to pay taxes on traded goods. It helped
industrialize the German states by creating open markets and by

586

Unit 21: Nationalism (1800s)

protecting members through high tariffs against nonmembers. Austria
was against the Zollverein and tried to stop some German states from
being a partof it. Austria did not want to lose control of these German
states. Prussia did everything it could to keep Austria from hurting the
Zollverein.
In 1866 their conflicts led Prussia and Austria to war. Prussia defeated
Austria and gained control over the northern German states. In 1867
Bismarck formed the North German Confederation. Austria’s power over
German affairs ended with its defeat.
NW

E
S

Baltic Sea

DENMARK
North Sea
SCHLESWIG

NE

TH

ER

LA

ND

S

HOLSTEIN
ER
RG
OV MECKLENBURG
BU
EN
AN
D
H
OL
BRANDENBURG
Berlin

WEST
PRUSSIA

SILESIA

SAXONY
HESSE
Frankfort

LO
RR

AIN

BAVARIA

AUSTRIAN

CE
SA
AL

WURTTEMBURG
HOHENZOLLERN
Munich

Dan
u

EMPIRE

be

Vienna

FRANCE

EMPIRE

Prague
BOHEMIA

ERUSSIAN
Warsaw

WESTPHALIA

BELGIUM
LUX

EAST
PRUSSIA

Ri

ver

ITALY
Key

Adriatic
Sea

river
city
German empire, 1871
Prussia, 1865

The Unification of
Germany, 1865-1871

Annexed by Prussia, 1866
Joined Prussia in North German
Confederation, 1867
South German States (joined Prussia
to form German empire, 1871)
Conquered from France, 1871

Unit 21:Nationalism (1800s)

587

After this war, only four southern German states remained outside
Bismarck’s united Germany. Bismarck knew that France would fear a total
unification of Germany. The Iron Chancellor hoped that in a war with
France, the southern German states would join with Prussia. Bismarck also
knew that the southern German states were different from the northern
German states. One...