Growth/Failure of German Nationalism 1815 – 1850
Timeline of Events
1815 – End of the Napoleonic Wars and creation of the Deutscher Bund (German Confederation)
1817 – Wartburg Festival
1818 – Formation of the Zollverein
1819 – Carlsbad Decrees
1848 – Revolutions in Europe (including Austria and Prussia)
1848/9 – Frankfurt Parliament
1849 – Erfurt Union (League of the Three Kings)
1850 – Treaty of Olmutz
Essay Plans
There are three basic types of essay question on this topic:-
A. Why did nationalism grow/What were the reasons for the growth of nationalism?
DO THE ISOLATED FACTOR FIRST.
WEIGH UP THE FACTORS AS YOU GO ALONG – DON’T WAIT TILL THE CONLUSION TO COMPARE THE FACTORS TO EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF THEIR IMPORTANCE.
1. Intro – SEAF
(start date – 1815, end of Napoleonic war/creation of Deutscher Bund, end date – 1850, still no united German state, was a growth of nationalism due to several factors ……..)
2. Impact of French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars
400 – 39 states, more on end of Napoleonic wars and creation of Bund
How Napoleon triggered nationalism in German states, how Bund pleased but frustrated nationalists.
3. Culture
Language, race -‘volk’, music, art, literature, history (Romans).
Burschenschaften, Wartburg Festival 1817, Carlsbad Decrees ‘nipped this nationalism in the bud’, Hambach Festival 1830
The Term Paper on Nationalism In German Music During The Early Romantic Period
Until the nineteenth century, music was generally regarded as an international language. Folk music had always been in place and linked directly with particular regions. On a larger scale though, European music was a device for expression through the application of Italian techniques and styles. In other words, its technical vocabulary was Italian, and from the time of the early baroque, European ...
‘Talkers and dreamers with no real plan of action’ –McKichan? Or do all revolutions need thinkers to ‘sow the seeds’?
4. Economy
Prussian economy
Zollverein – how it united the German states economically, how it led to other things that contributed to German states moving together e.g. railways, urbanisation.
Was the Zollverein more than an economic union? Stiles Vs AJP Taylor
5. 1848 Revolutions
1848 revolutions and Frankfurt Assembly 1848/9 – causes of these revolutions – harvest failure, economic slump, unemployment, Cholera epidemic – how this stimulated nationalism in the German states, but how attempts to unify states failed when revolutions over.
6. CONCLUSION
Nationalism grew but ultimately failed to unite the German states by 1850.
Which factors were most important in the growth of German nationalism?
WEIGH UP the factors one by one – finish with the one that you think was most important. Include a good quote if you can.
B. How much had nationalism grown by 1850?
1. Intro – SEAF
start date – 1815, end of Napoleonic war/creation of Deutscher Bund, end date – 1850, still no united German state, but nationalism had grown to the extent that had been one serious attempt to unite the German states in 1848 (Frankfurt)
2. Examples of how far nationalism had grown before 1840s – (2 BRIEF paragraphs)
Cultural – Wartburg/Hambach.
Were these real nationalists? Would they ever unite the German states? Mention Carlsbad/Six Acts ‘nipped this in the bud’
3. Economic – Zollverein.
Was this just an economic union? Was it a force for political unity?
4. Extent of nationalism by 1840s. (2 paragraphs)
1848 Revolutions –
how economic problems created nationalism amongst peasants and working classes (Berlin demands for constitution and united Germany).
Frankfurt Parliament and reasons for failure of revolutions
Had nationalism really grown enough to unite the German states? Or was nationalism in the 1840s simply a short-lived reaction to wider economic problems?
The Essay on China: Nationalism And Communist Revolution
China: Nationalism and Communist Revolution CHRONOLOGY Section II of course 1895-98 Looting of China. Division into “spheres of influence” of foreign powers. 1898 The Hundred Days of Reform. 1900 Boxer Rebellion. 1905 SUN YAT-SEN creates the Nationalist Party TONGMENGHUI (later became the GUOMINDANG). 1911-12 Revolution overthrows Manchu dynasty and establishes the Chinese Republic. 1913 The ...
5. Erfurt Union/Olmutz
Attempt by ruling classes to have unification on their own terms and its failure with the humiliation of Olmutz.
Was this really nationalism or a knee-jerk reaction by rulers to protect their own interests?
6. CONCLUSION
Nationalism grew but ultimately failed to unite the German states by 1850. How much more likely was unification by 1850? How many serious attempts had been made to unify the German states? How much closer were the German states economically and culturally?
C. Why did nationalism fail to unite the German states before 1850/ What were the obstacles to German unification before 1850?
DO THE ISOLATED FACTOR FIRST.
WEIGH UP THE FACTORS AS YOU GO ALONG – DON’T WAIT TILL THE CONLUSION TO COMPARE THE FACTORS TO EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF THEIR IMPORTANCE.
1. Intro – SEAF
start date – 1815, end of Napoleonic war/creation of Deutscher Bund, end date – 1850, still no united German state, Germany failed to unify for several reasons …… (Put them in an explained LIST)
REST OF THE MAIN PART IS MADE UP OF ALL THE OBSTACLES TO GERMAN UNIFICATION. MOST OF THESE PARAGRAPHS WILL BE SHORT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES ARE MARKED WITH A *. DO NOT MISS THESE ONES OUT!
2. German Princes/Rulers of German states
Opposed to unification as would lose influence/power
Particularism – loyalty to individual states
3. Religious divisions
Protestant north/Catholic south
4. Nationalism limited to middle-classes and intellectuals
Use Burschenschaften Wartburg/Hambach as an example.
5. Economic divisions
Despite the Zollverein German states still economically diverse and divided.
6. Resentment of Prussia
Resentment of Protestant Prussia from Catholic southern states loyal to Catholic Austria, Resentment of growing Prussian economic strength and later military strength.
*7. Divisions amongst the nationalists
Kleindeutschland/Grossdeutschland, monarchy/republic, democracy?
Nationalists themselves couldn’t agree on what a united Germany should be like.
Use failure of Frankfurt as an example of this.
The Essay on German Nationalism And Unification
... name of German nationalism. However, he was still a vital part of the unification. ... nationalism throughout Europe. He had not only united the people of Germany and Italy. German nationalism ... only German while the other states were too small. German people came to see German unification as ... factor in the unification of Germany, he would not have achieved unification without the feeling of nationalism ...
*8. Austrian Opposition
Why Austrians (and Metternich especially) happy to keep states divided. Conservatives like Metternich scared of nationalism ad went hand in hand with liberalism.
Use Carlsbad Decrees and Olmutz as examples of when Austrian opposition quashed nationalism.
9. Conclusion
Which factor/s was/were most important and why?
WEIGH UP the factors one by one – finish with the one that you think was most important. Include a good quote if you can.
