Erfurt Union

Following the 1848 revolutions, Austria regained her strength and was determined to maintain its dominant position in Germany and they wanted to keep the country weak and divided. The only equal strength that could beat Austria was Prussia.

ERFURT:

• even though Frederick William IV rejected the crown from Frankfurt, he did like the idea of leading German unification
• in 1849, General Radowitz suggested the Prussian Union Plan which would guide Prussia as leader
• it proposed a Kleindeutschland (without Austria and a small Germany)
• it would have a strong central government
• plus a constitution based on the one Frankfurt drafted
• even though Austria would not be involved, Prussia and Austria would have a 'special relationship' with the Reich and Hamsburg Empire
• however, Austria's cheif minister, Schwarzenberg labelled this plan as 'unacceptable' as it could have been just a ploy to remove Austrian influence in Germany
• but Schwarzenberg was busy with a crisis in Hungary
• this allowed Prussia to go ahead with its plan
• in March 1850, the newly named Erfurt Union (they met…