bismarck overcoming divisions
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- Created on: 18-06-17 12:58
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- To what extent was Bismarck successful in reducing divisions in the new Germany from 1871-79?
- Language and geography
- What it meant to be German was still vague even after 1871, and the many divisions between different states and religions did not just evaporate overnight.
- There was still no national flag or anthem.
- Kulturkampf
- Since 1864, the catholic church had denounced the values of liberalism and secularism. 1870 saw the declaration of Papal infallibility which claimed that the pope's spiritual power took precedence over any secular power in regard to political allegiance.
- The National Liberal party opposed the declaration as it contradicted the fundamental ideal of their party.
- This was also seen as a threat to national unity because if 1/3 of the German population was more loyal to the church in Rome than it was to Germany, unity would be impossible.
- The centre party was the physical form that this catholic view took in the politics of the new nation.
- Bismarck's concern with the centre party was not only a result of its support from German speaking catholics, but from Catholic non German ethnic groups such as Catholic poles and the French of Alsace and Lorraine.
- Control over and repression of Catholics
- Laws were established which allowed the state to inspect catholic schools and the Jesuit priestly order was banned from Germany.
- Followed by the Prussia May laws which meant that the state would have control over education and the appointment of priests.
- These laws were unsuccessful in their aims and a further wave of even more repressive measures were introduced. Church property was siezed, priests who had not been appointed by the state were expelled from Germany and financial support was withdrawn from any priest who did not declare his open support for the German state. This was known as the Bread basket law.
- By 1879, over 1,800 priests had either been jailed or exiled.
- These laws were unsuccessful in their aims and a further wave of even more repressive measures were introduced. Church property was siezed, priests who had not been appointed by the state were expelled from Germany and financial support was withdrawn from any priest who did not declare his open support for the German state. This was known as the Bread basket law.
- Followed by the Prussia May laws which meant that the state would have control over education and the appointment of priests.
- Laws were established which allowed the state to inspect catholic schools and the Jesuit priestly order was banned from Germany.
- Ultimately, Kulturkampf failed to achieve its goals and actually reinforced Catholic separation from the German state.
- The centre party vote increased from 18.6% in 1871 to 27.9% in 1874, at which point the centre party were the joint largest party with the National Liberals.
- Since 1864, the catholic church had denounced the values of liberalism and secularism. 1870 saw the declaration of Papal infallibility which claimed that the pope's spiritual power took precedence over any secular power in regard to political allegiance.
- Suppressing all other languages apart from German was a key aspect of Bismarck's policy of Kulturkampf.
- Polish people retained a separate identity and polish nationalism. Bismarck therefore saw that the Polish youth needed to be "Germanised"The continuation of the Catholic Church and the centre party encouraging the polish language was therefore a major threat to this aspect of Bismarck's policy.
- All of this and the pope's retained claim of sovereignty over German Catholics resulted in them being branded as Reichsfiende (enemy to the empire).
- Polish people retained a separate identity and polish nationalism. Bismarck therefore saw that the Polish youth needed to be "Germanised"The continuation of the Catholic Church and the centre party encouraging the polish language was therefore a major threat to this aspect of Bismarck's policy.
- What it meant to be German was still vague even after 1871, and the many divisions between different states and religions did not just evaporate overnight.
- Dominance of Prussia
- Prussia was determined to control the process of unification, to ensure that they became the dominant state and that the emerging nation would be under their control.
- Many minority religious groups were concerned by this.
- The crowning of prince Wilhelm of Prussia as Kaiser of Germany symbolised Prussian dominance.
- The new constitution claimed that all German sovereigns were equal, but this was clearly not true seeing as the Prince of Prussia had full control over the civil service and of the military.
- Prussia was determined to control the process of unification, to ensure that they became the dominant state and that the emerging nation would be under their control.
- Political system and the Reichstag/ Military
- While the establishment of the Reichstag didn't play as significant a role in German politics as would have been desirable, it did serve as a key foundation stone of German unification.
- Germany had suffrage for all men over 25, whereas only 2/5 men could vote in Britain at the same time. This contributed to more of a sense of unity and participation among the German nation.
- The German military was comprised from the four provinces of Prussia,Bavaria, Saxony and Wurttemburg.
- Each army would owe allegiance to their respective kings but would be loyal to the Kaiser in times of war, and Prussia would take supreme command. Prussia therefore essentially controlled the German Military.
- Dominance of Prussia
- Prussia was determined to control the process of unification, to ensure that they became the dominant state and that the emerging nation would be under their control.
- Many minority religious groups were concerned by this.
- The crowning of prince Wilhelm of Prussia as Kaiser of Germany symbolised Prussian dominance.
- The new constitution claimed that all German sovereigns were equal, but this was clearly not true seeing as the Prince of Prussia had full control over the civil service and of the military.
- Prussia was determined to control the process of unification, to ensure that they became the dominant state and that the emerging nation would be under their control.
- Dominance of Prussia
- Each army would owe allegiance to their respective kings but would be loyal to the Kaiser in times of war, and Prussia would take supreme command. Prussia therefore essentially controlled the German Military.
- Kulturkampf
- Since 1864, the catholic church had denounced the values of liberalism and secularism. 1870 saw the declaration of Papal infallibility which claimed that the pope's spiritual power took precedence over any secular power in regard to political allegiance.
- The National Liberal party opposed the declaration as it contradicted the fundamental ideal of their party.
- This was also seen as a threat to national unity because if 1/3 of the German population was more loyal to the church in Rome than it was to Germany, unity would be impossible.
- The centre party was the physical form that this catholic view took in the politics of the new nation.
- Bismarck's concern with the centre party was not only a result of its support from German speaking catholics, but from Catholic non German ethnic groups such as Catholic poles and the French of Alsace and Lorraine.
- Control over and repression of Catholics
- Laws were established which allowed the state to inspect catholic schools and the Jesuit priestly order was banned from Germany.
- Followed by the Prussia May laws which meant that the state would have control over education and the appointment of priests.
- These laws were unsuccessful in their aims and a further wave of even more repressive measures were introduced. Church property was siezed, priests who had not been appointed by the state were expelled from Germany and financial support was withdrawn from any priest who did not declare his open support for the German state. This was known as the Bread basket law.
- By 1879, over 1,800 priests had either been jailed or exiled.
- These laws were unsuccessful in their aims and a further wave of even more repressive measures were introduced. Church property was siezed, priests who had not been appointed by the state were expelled from Germany and financial support was withdrawn from any priest who did not declare his open support for the German state. This was known as the Bread basket law.
- Followed by the Prussia May laws which meant that the state would have control over education and the appointment of priests.
- Laws were established which allowed the state to inspect catholic schools and the Jesuit priestly order was banned from Germany.
- Ultimately, Kulturkampf failed to achieve its goals and actually reinforced Catholic separation from the German state.
- The centre party vote increased from 18.6% in 1871 to 27.9% in 1874, at which point the centre party were the joint largest party with the National Liberals.
- Since 1864, the catholic church had denounced the values of liberalism and secularism. 1870 saw the declaration of Papal infallibility which claimed that the pope's spiritual power took precedence over any secular power in regard to political allegiance.
- Language and geography
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