German Empire 1871-1912

Today’s Agenda

• Finish German Empire (1871-1912)• Return and Go over Test

German Empire

1870 1871 1873 1878 1883 1888 1890 1912

Pope Pius IX declares Dogma of

Papal Infallibility

-German Empire

Declared-Kulturkampf

begins

Wilhelm II ascends to

throne

-Kulturkampf ends

-Bismarck allies with Catholic Center Party

Bismarck begins national social

security system with sickness and accident

insurance

Social Democratic

party legalized

Wilhelm Drops the

Pilot

Worldwide financial Panic

leads to protectionism

Social Democratic

becomes largest party in

Reichstag

Bismarck and the German Empire, 1871 – 1890• German Empire

– federation of 25 German monarchies under the Prussian Kaiser

• Bismarck’ Foreign Policy (Post 1871) – Avoided war & sought to build

German Empire into strong nation-state

– consolidated power by “dressing himself” as a liberal, a socialist, a republican, a free trader, a protectionist, anti-Catholic, pro Catholic

• IE. Realpolitik • policies of manipulation in domestic

and foreign policy & adulation of militarism led to an arrested development of constitutionalism & democracy in Germany with catastrophic results

Bismarck dragging Alsace & Lorraine into German Empire

German Culture (1871)• German nationalism (after 1871) took

Prussian tone• Liberalism of Frankfurt Assembly crushed by

Blood and Iron• “Better pointed bullets than pointed

speeches” Bismarck• Order = first duty of all citizens• Education characterized by drilling, discipline• Uniforms = mark of status, honor• Wilhelm Voigt- The Captain of Kopernick

– German drifter/ impostor• Honour• German students formed fraternities of

dueling– Used sabers to prevent being labeled der

innere schweinehund (coward)• Proudly displayed schmisse (scars)

Captain of Köpenick

Kulturkampf• Syllabus of Errors (1864)

– Denounced gov.t encroachment in church affairs

• Dogma of Papal Infallibility (1870) – Declared Pope to be infallible in

matters of faith & morals• Center Party

– Catholic-grounded political party based in southern Germany

– Supported mostly by peasants

Bismarck and Pope Pius IX in a chess

match

• In 1871 Bismarck launched Kulturkampf – Battle for civilization or culture– Series of Anti Catholic laws– Bis motivation was to gain support of liberals– They were anticlerical and disapproved of the Church influence in

public and private life– Restrictions

• Some Jesuits/bishops were expelled, Banned religious teachers in schools

• Banned priests discussing politics from pulpit, Diplomatic ties broken with Vatican (1872), 50% seminaries closed

• Bismarck, a conservative dressed in liberal clothing!

Kulturkampf• Worldwide agricultural depression

after 1873 • Bismarck wanted to raise taxes &

looked for new way to do it• Abandoned the liberals (free trade,

Kulturkampf)• Appealed to the Catholic Center Party

& Protectionists– resulted in the policy of economic

protectionism in Germany – established protective tariffs

(1879)– Supported by Junkers, some

industrialists, and Catholic peasants

• Pope Pius died in 1878• Kulturkampf ended in 1878• Bismarck, a conservative dressed in

conservative, Catholic, protectionist clothing

Repression of Socialism• German Social Democratic party founded (1875)

– fusion of Marxian socialists and reformist of Ferdinand Lassalle

• Basically a moderate socialism– Willing to work with existing government thru

democratic means• Bismarck still equated it with violence• 2 assassination attempts on the emperor (neither by SDP)

gave him an excuse• Bismarck set out to end socialism• Carrot and Stick Approach

– meetings forbidden, newspapers closed– socialism was driven underground (1878-1890)– initiates a national social security system (1880)

• 1883 Sickness Insurance• 1884 Accident Insurance• 1889 Old Age Pension Insurance

• Didn’t end SD Party but made overthrow of government less attractive (already had universal male suffrage since 1866)

• Bismarck, a conservative dressed in socialist clothing!

The German Empire after 1890: William II• William I died in 1888• Frederick III (his son) died (of cancer) three

months after coming to the throne• William II (Fred’s son) 1888-1918 came to the

throne– Grandson of Queen Victoria– He was 29 and full of ideas about his

personal power– uncomfortable in presence of elder

statesmen (Bismarck) whom he saw respectfully as an old fogy

– argued with Bis about anti socialist legislation, foreign affairs

• Bis ordered ministers not to meet with him unless he was present

• Dropping the Pilot (1890)– William “retired” Bismarck– Known as “dropping the pilot”

• Replaced Bismarck as the dominant political figure (and led Germany to WWI)

Young Wilhelm

A New Course• Wilhelm I led Germany on New Course• Colonial expansion• Naval expansion

– GB won’t like this• Aggressive diplomatic policy• Wanted Germany to have

– A PLACE IN THE SUN

• dropped the antisocialist laws• expanded the social welfare system• Social Democrats elected 110 members to the

Reichstag– 1912 largest party in Reichstag– Retained none of the highest government

offices• Imperial Germany was moving toward a

conflict with constitutional interests and democracy

German Naval Power