Unification of Germany

WHY WAS UNIFICATION SO UNLIKELY IN 1815?

Independance of the individual German states

• No single German State
• 39 individual states varying in size across Germany
• all united loosely under the Emperor
• Ruled by different leaders who all wanted different things

The Diet

• Attended by representatives chosen by individual Princes
• laws passed unanimously
• Austrian ambassador as President
• Lacked an army/civil service
• limited freedom of press, association and protest
• Representatives more interested in safe guarding their own states than working for a confederation…