Second Reich Overview

Since 1815 Germany was made up of 39 states known as the German Confederation. The two largest German states where Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the revolutions of 1848 Prussian king, Fredrich Wilhelm IV, was forced to call a constitutional convention, and a liberal constitution was drawn up. In 1861 Wilhelm I succeeded Fredrich Wilhelm IV.

     Wilhelm I wanted double the size of Prussia’s army, but the Prussian parliament refused to give him the money to do it. Wilhelm saw the parliament’s refusal as a challenge to his authority, so he got Junkers (members of the Prussian upper class with the same views as Wilhelm) to help him create a larger army. In 1862 Wilhelm appointed Otto Von Bismarck, a Junker, prime minister. Bismarck practiced Real Politik (the politics of reality). The Prussian parliament still wouldn’t help Wilhelm create his larger army, so with Wilhelm’s approval Bismarck declared that Wilhelm would rule without parliamentary consent or a legal budget. This was in direct violation of the Prussian constitution. Bismarck planed to unite all of the German states (under Prussian rule) not with elaborate speeches and votes, but with "blood and iron."

     Bismarck turned his attention toward Schleswig and Holstein, which where ruled by the king of Denmark, but where ethnically and politically tied to Germany. The government of Copenhagen planned to make Schleswig an integral part of Denmark in 1863. Wilhelm proposed to Franz Josef, the Austrian Emperor, that Prussia and Austria should occupy Schleswig and Holstein to "prevent" a violation of international agreement that guaranteed their separate status. Austria, afraid to let Prussia act alone, agreed. In 1864 a short war with Denmark broke out. Prussia and Austria won, and no other foreign powers intervened. It was decided that Schleswig was to be under Prussian control and Holstein under Austrian control.

     Bismarck wasn’t finished in his endeavor to create a united Germany yet. He now provokes a war with Austria. Bismarck wanted to see Schleswig and Holstein completely annexed to Prussia, or at least have indirect control over the government. While Austria would have rather seen them added to the German Confederation as separate states. The conflict escalated, and Austria finally declared war in 1866 beginning the Seven Weeks’ War. As the name infers the Seven Weeks’ war only lasted seven weeks. Prussia wins the war at Königgrätz, and Austria is annexed. A more powerful German state has now been created in Europe (North German Confederation).

     France, under Napoleon III encouraged the Austro-Prussian conflict in hopes that they would tire each other out and France could expand eastward with little resistance. France was unhappy, to say the least, when the conflict only lasted seven weeks. France wanted compensation in the Rhineland, Luxembourg, or Belgium. Berlin succeeded in halting these plans (though Prussia agreed to demilitarize Luxembourg).

     Bismarck wanted a war with France in order to unite North and South Germans nationalistically against a foreign power. In the spring of 1870, Bismarck encouraged Prince Leopold, a Prussian and relative of Wilhelm I, to compete for the throne of Spain. As Bismarck expected, France was angry about this, and demanded Leopold withdraw. Leopold’s father did it on his behalf, but this wasn’t enough for France. The French government insisted that Wilhelm promise that the candidature would never be renewed. The demand was presented at Ems by a French ambassador. Wilhelm refused to promise, but dismissed the ambassador in a friendly way. The ambassador sent a telegram back to France known today as the Ems Telegram. Before the telegram got back to France Bismarck got a hold of it and shortened it in such a way as to basically say, "up yours France." France used this as an excuse to declare war on Prussia (July 19, 1870), this became known as the Franco-Prussian War. The French where blamed for starting it. Paris was captured on January 28, 1871 after a long and bitter siege. On May 10 the Treaty of Frankfurt was sighed and the war was officially brought to a close. The Third Republic had to give up Alsace-Lorrain, pay 5 billion francs, and accept army occupation.

     During and after the Franco-Prussian War nationalistic feelings ran high among Germans. On January 18, 1871 (ten days before Paris was taken) Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of Germany at the military headquarters in Versailles. The Holy Roman Empire had now ended and the Second Reich (German Empire) was formed. Bismarck was appointed the new empire’s first imperial Chancellor.

     After 1871 Wilhelm I and Bismarck tried to avoid conflicts so the newly formed united Empire could develop. Bismarck’s economic policies resulted in the rapid growth of German industry and the acquisition of overseas colonies. From 1871-1875 the iron-works factories and machine companies grew to an unbelievable size. The German railroads became the best in the world, and German cities grew into European metropolises. From 1888 to 1908, foreign trade increased by 250%.

     Bismarck feared a war on two fronts so he tried to keep Germany allied with Russia and Austria-Hungary in order to keep them from becoming allies to the French. Russia and Austria had conflicting interests over the Balkans, which made it hard to keep them both as allies. In 1873 Germany formed a loose alliance with Austria-Hungary and Russia known as the Three Emperors League, but soon broke up over the Balkan problem. In 1879 Bismarck established a military and political alliance with Austria-Hungary. Italy joined in 1882, and the Triple Alliance was formed.

     Wilhelm I died in 1888, and was succeeded by his terminally ill son, Frederick III. Frederick died 99 days later, and Wilhelm II was next in line. Wilhelm II was eager to establish his authority and resented Bismarck for pushing his father around. Wilhelm II forced Bismarck to resign in 1890.

     Wilhelm II demanded Germany have influence throughout the world and wanted to build a navy to challenge British supremacy. Wilhelm’s aggressiveness frightened other European powers, and in 1894 Russia allied with France. Britain felt its control over the seas threatened and established the Entente Cordial (cordial understanding) with France (1904). In 1907 Britain and Russia signed a similar agreement. The Triple Entente was now formed. Europe was divided into two opposing forces (the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente). In 1914 World War I started in the Balkans when a Serbian assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. By 1918 Germany has put up an incredible fight, but has lost. Before the Armistice ending World War I was signed on November 11, 1918, German workers and troops revolted in protest to the continuing of the war. The Revolution began in Kiel and spread like wild fire through Germany. On November 9, 1918 Germany was declared a republic, and Wilhelm II was forced to flee to the Netherlands. And so the curtain closes on the Second Reich and opens on the Weimar Republic.