To what extent was Stresemann responsible for the increased stability in Germany in 1924-29? The increased stability in Germany during the years of 1924-1929 was due to Gustav Stresemann's policies. I will be reflecting on the reasons that suggest he was responsible for this. Before Stresemann came into power German enconomy was in the air. As the chancellor in 1923 he led Germany out of the hyperinflation crisis and as the foreign minister, he ended Germany's isolation amongst the international community and helped the country to become a magnet for foreign investment.
This was because the new middle class that had emerged in the 'German states', from industrialisation, wanted political representation, and felt that it could only be achieved in a united Germany. The Congress of Vienna wanted to make sure that no country could take over Europe in the way that France did in the early 1800s, it aimed to do this by allocating more land to Prussia and creating a 'barrier' that would block any attempts of French expansion and also war from Russia in the east. The German Confederation divided Germany into thirty-nine states, as Napoleon did during the French occupation. A reduction in the number of German states may seem like a move towards nationalism and in turn unification, however it was in fact a direct move against it, as can be seen in the second amendment of the confederation. This is known as 'particularism', the principle of leaving each state in a federation free to govern itself and promote its own interests.
Lastly, Bismarck tricked Napoleon III at the meeting in Biarritz in 1865. He made vague promises, and in return, Napoleon III promised not to help Austria in any future wars with Prussia. However, Bismarck didn't keep his word and the Franco-Prussian relation deteriorated. In 1870, France and Prussia quarreled over the Spanish throne candidature, and this triggered the significant war in the history of Germany unification - the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. The victory brought the unification to an end in 1871.
Bismarck and German Unification Extended Essay How important was Prussian military strength in bringing about the unification of Germany by 1871? During the French wars (1792-1815) Napoleon dominated Germany and he replaced the Holy Roman Land for the Confederation of the Rhine, were the 400 states became 39. This caused a surge in nationalism in the German states and they united to defeat Napoleon in 1815. This was the first time there was unity between the German states which a surge in nationalism and a desire for unification and with the help of other factors Germany eventually became one country.. Certainly the strength of the Prussian military was key to the unification of Germany as it was vital in winning the three wars of unification, but it shall be argued that the military were as strong as they were due to other more important actors such as Economics and Bismarck.
By launching successful wars over other European countries and having the German states joining these wars , he managed to increase nationalistic feelings among people who now saw him as a national hero instead of a liberty oppressor. He also managed to unite the German provinces ( first under the North German Confederation and then, after the
- It was a provisional government formed due to the abdication of the Kaiser. - Success can be seen through the establishment of the bill of rights and the stresemann era, where the country experienced prosperity and people were entitled to rights and freedom - As part of the democracy system, Germans were allowed to vote and elect members of the Reichstag and the president. - The republic and the foreign concept of democracy faced many significant obstacles at the time. - Democracy in 1919 - 1923 Germany under the Weimar Republic experienced a true democracy The golden years Economic: -Stresemann became chancellor in Auguest 1923. -Stresemann altered the policies with the introduction of Dawes plan and the young plan.
How important were the German princes in creating the atmosphere within which Lutheranism was successful? The German princes were essential for creating the atmosphere in which Lutheranism was successful between 1521 and 1555 because they maintained Luther’s teachings, making it a reality. Also they obtained military authority over Charles V who at this time, was a new, inexperienced emperor and also had major influence over Charles power due to the fact they were the ones who elected him. This proved useful at the Diet of Worms in 1521 when instead of Luther being issued full excommunication, instead he was offered a full hearing and this was all down to princely support. By 1531 the Schmalkaldic League was set up as a united defence alliance by protestant princes in response to Charles’s threat of eradicating Lutheranism.
Arguments to agree with the statement is that Germany did have a voting system and this was done on universal suffrage for all males over the age of 25, which was exactly the same in countries such as Britain and France and arguably better than America who discriminated against racial minorities. These votes were for the election of members to the Reichstag, which did contain power over the defence and annual budget which was the most significant federal government expenditure. Also, though the Reichstag could be dissolved by the Kaiser, it could not be dissolved indefinitely and it had the right to hold elections after its dissolution. This shows that the Reichstag would always have a voice over political issues in Germany even if the Kaiser elected to dissolve it, showing that Germany was a parliamentary democracy to a small extent. Pressure groups also existed in Germany at the time, which shows that the German public had a certain amount to freedom of speech.
Assess how vital Bismarck is to the process of German Unification Intro and historians shifting views: In January 1871 King Wilhelm became the first German Kaiser of the new German empire. The creation of the empire was one of the most important developments of the nineteenth century. However, the process by which Germany came to be unified has been an area of heated historical debate ever since. Historians always have argued that German was not unified by the push for the nationalist ideology lead by the “bloody and iron” chancellor Otto Von Bismarck. In order to shift attention away from the liberal pressure to reform and modernizing Prussia, Bismarck was able to keep modernization forces at bay by pushing for a united Germany.
How successful were successive German Chancellors in protecting the position of the Second Reich's ruling elite? Germany's ruling elite were made up primarily of Prussians, land owning aristocrats or high ranking military leaders. It also consisted of leading industrialists and the judiciary. However, their position as the ruling elite was under threat. Although the industrial revolution had a huge positive impact on German economy, it also lead to a rise in socialism which meant the emergence of pressure groups, such as the Nationalist pressure groups and the Economic pressure groups.