German unification, Wilhelm I, Bismarck, Kulturkampf

• How did Germany unify in 1871? (5 things)

  Prussian economic strength

  Decline of Austria

  Role of Bismarck

  Isolation of Austria

  Isolation of France
• What were the 3 wars of unification that caused the Isolation of Austria?

  Schleswig-Holstein (1863-4)

  Austro-Prussian War (1866)

  Seven Weeks War (1866)
• What was the treaty that brought Germany unification?

  Treaty of Frankfurt
• Obstacles to German unification?

  • Division among nationalists - middle class/working class wanted different things (couldn't present a united front)
  • Austrian strength - 20% of Austrian civilians were German - emperor feared they would leave for Germany = weaker Austria
  • Economic success - Zollverein, railways (1820s-30s)
  • Religious issues - German states were converting to Protestantism, Austria was Catholic, Southern Germany was Catholic, Northern German states were Protestant
• Bismarck's relationship w/ Kaiser Wilhelm I?


  • Couldn't do anything without Kaiser's support
  • Got on well with the Kaiser
  • Manipulated Kaiser Wilhelm I into doing what he wanted through hysterical outbursts + threats of resignation
  • Bismarck used the Kaiser's reliance on him to his advantage
• Kaiser Wilhelm I's personality and relationship w/ Bismarck?

  • Prussian aristocrat, loved his standing, image in society
  • Upset to lose Prussian crown in return for German Empire
  • Bad speaker + not largely popular with any one party
  • Kaiser relied on Bismarck
  • Got on well w/ Bismarck
  • But he distrusted him at first due to his rapid resolutions, rash actions - he started to trust him when his actions proved successful
• 1871 Election results


  • National Liberals won by a landslide - good for Bismarck's influence to spread
  • Free Conservatives had a little bit of popularity - good as they were interested in a united Germany like Bismarck
  • Socialist party only had 2 seats - good for Bis as he was opposed to socialism
• Who was the leader of the National Liberals?

  Rudolf von Benningsen

  • Furthered German unification, supportive of Bismarck's aims to unite Germany
  • Reforms for economic development
  • Laws e.g. abolition of tariffs on internal trade between Landers, National Penal Code 1872 - states retained independent control over their police forces, support for the extension of railway network
• What was Kulturkampf?


  Struggle for culture campaign - targeted attack on the Catholic Churh aimed to remove

  • Began by Bismarck and NLs
  • Bis and NL afraid of Zentrum's popularity because of their strong Catholic views in society
  • 1873 - Pope Pius IX wrote to Kaiser complaining about Kulturkampf and said anyone who had been baptised should only obey the Pope
  • --> Wilhelm was offended by this, and showed Bismarck even more support
  • --> but crown prince Frederick + wife didn't like the campaign
• Kulturkampf and school reform

  • Bismarck was unhappy w/ supervision of schools in Polish-speaking areas of Prussia
  • Chose Adalbert Falk to be Prussian Minister of Religion and Education 1872 - close to NL, introduced measures to dissolve traditional bonds between Church and schools
  • Weaken Church influence in school, reduces right to merge Catholic and Protestant schools into inter-confessional schools
• What were the May Laws 1873?

  Adalbert Falk introduced these laws that applied to Prussia

  Examples include

  • Catholic education must be under state supervision
  • Existing priests must retrain, prove loyalty to the state
  • State financial aid to the Church was abolished
• Other actions against the Church in Kulturkampf


  • 1874 - responsibility over registration of births, marriages, deaths in Prussia was removed from the Church and taken over by the state
  • Any banned priest caught preaching could be placed under house arrest/expelled from Germany
  • 1876 - all Catholic bishops of Prussia and Polish bishops were imprisoned/exiled
  • Catholic section of Prussian Ministry of Religion and Education was abolished
  • Jesuits = forbidden from preaching and entering Prussian schools, anti-Jesuit campaign spread across the Empire
• End of Kulturkampf

  Bismarck had the reasons below to start ending Kulturkampf in 1878, the May Laws were revoked but Jesuit ban remained; new Pope was elected and more liberal allowing Bismarck to change policy

  • Persecution encouraged Catholics to rally to the cause of the Church
  • Zentrum had a new able leader, Ludwig Windhorst, they had organised meetings i.e. 'national resistance tours' attacking Kulturkampf
  • Resistance = success - in the 1874 elections, Zentrum won 91 seats and could threaten Bismarck's majority in Reichstag
• Results of Kulturkampf

  • Bismarck wanted to unite the Empire but increased divisions + cased problems for minorities
  • Assassination attempt by Catholic barrel-maker in 1874
  • Jews in NL party expressed concerns over this causing an increase in anti-semitism
  • This would get in the way of his alliance w/ Catholic Austria; he wanted the centre party's support to oppose growing Socialism, his natural allies Protestant conservatives grew opposed to Kulturkampf (promoted hostility towards religion)
• What benefits were caused by ending Kulturkampf?

  • Improved relationship with the Papacy
  • Bismarck was able to make his alliance w/ Austria in 1879
  • Zentrum turned into a fully religious party, supporting the Empire, strengthening its unity long-term
  • Bismarck didn't have to be dependent on the NL Party anymore, as he could make any policy changes he wanted