Unification of Italy and Germany

(“Nation building of the mid-19^th c.”)

 

The Concert of Europe

• 1848 had been a year of revolutions, but in almost every instance the conservative powers of Europe—France, Prussia, Russia, Austria, and England—had worked together to prevent liberal reforms from taking hold
• The Europe of Metternich was to be maintained even after he was ousted

 

The Crimean War (1853-1856)

• The war will split the Concert of Europe
• Austria v. Prussia over the German states
• France will seek to undermine Austria
• Russia is exposed as weak and backward

 

“Charge of the Light Brigade” – Sir Alfred Tennyson

Florence Nightingale: nurse during the Crimean War

 

Italy in 1850

SELF-GOVERNING AREAS                       HAPSBURG CONTROLLED 1. Kingdom of Sardinia/Piedmont          1. Venetia 2. Kingdom of the Two Sicilies                2. Lombardy 3. The Papal States                                     3. Tuscany                                                                         4. Parma                                                                         5. Modena

 

 

Feeling of Risorgimento, Italian resurgence, was sweeping through the regional and nationalism was gaining support. The people felt Italy needed to be one nation, but how? And who?

                        Revolution led by the idealists and liberals?

                        A federated government led by the pope?

            A constitutional monarchy as found in Sardinia and led by

moderate nationalists?

 

Building the Italian Nation: Two Views   Mazzini and Romantic                                                            Farini the National Society Nationalism What three visions does he set out in                           1. How is Austria the               this excerpt?                                                                            “enemy”? How is he Romantic?                                                         2. Why is Farina a                                                                                                                  nationalist? How is revolutionary?                                                       3. Why should Italy be                                                                                                                  politically united?

 

 

Leaders of Italian Unification

• Count Camillo Benso di Cavour (1810-1861)
• Giuseppe Garibaldi (18-7-1882)

 

Timeline of Italian Unification

• 1848 – Hapsburg areas rebel, Sardinia fails to help them overthrow Austrian rule
• 1850 – Cavour plots with Napoleon III, help vs. Austria in exchange for Nice and Savoy
• 1859 – Sardinia provokes war w/Austria
• Magenta – French Sardinians defeat Austrians
• Solferino – Austrians defeated again
• Hapsburg areas hurry to join with Sardinia, but Napoleon III fearing Sardinia will become too strong, pulls out of the war, signs treaty with Austria
• 1859 – Sardinia acquires Lombardy, Parma, Tuscany, Moderna, and part of the Papal States
• 1860 – Garibaldi and his “Red Shirts” liberate the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
• 1861 – Cavour and Garibaldi join forces and Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia becomes king of Italy
• 1866 – Venetia added as spoils of Austro-Prussian War
• 1870 – Rome is taken as French leave city

 

Count Cavour as a Leader Your text makes the statement, “The spirit of Machiavelli must have smiled over the enterprise (unification).” Read the selection on Cavour and tell why this statement is true.

 

SOURCES OF GERMAN NATIONAL FERVOR

 

The Germans unlike the Italians could only look back at a splintered past. They drew their national fervor from Romantic ideals.

 

Johann von Herder – civilizations come from the genuine culture of the common people, the VOLK. Each culture has its own unique historical character – VOLKSGEIST-the Spirit (genius) of the people.

 

George Wilhelm Hegel was history as a series of clashes between the old and the new, a synthesis of both. Foresaw the creation of a new national-state out of the disunion of the German states.

 

J.G. Fichte – the spirit of the whole people as expressed in the customs, traditions, and history is what matters. Spirit of the German people is potentially superior to others.

 

Baron Wilhelm von Humboldt – agree there was a special German spirit. “Other nations do not love their country in the same was as we love Germany.” … “a longing for German feeling and German spirit.” Germany must assume its rightful place in history.

 

Bismark: the Architect of Union

• has nothing to do with being liberal
• Prime Minister of Prussia
• Conservative
• Wanted Prussia to become the preeminent power over Austria
• The means justify the ends – Realpolitik

 

Bismark believed –

o       Nationalism was inevitable, thus control it

o       Middle class who supported liberal reforms was to economically wealthy to ignore, thus control the liberal reform

o       Wars are inevitable, thus control them

Bismark used th emood of this age to achieve his strong goals—to have Prussia be firmly in control of strong power

           

“…The great decisions of the day will not be decided by speeches and majority decisions—that was the mistake of 1848-1849—but by iron and blood.” --- Bismarck’s first speech as minister

 

Timeline to Unification

• 1863 – Denmark moves to annex two German-speaking provinces, Schleswig and Holstein
• 1864 – DANISH WAR: Prussia allies with Austria to defeat Denmark
• 1865 – Holstein governed by Austria, Schleswig by Prussia
• 1865 – isolates Austria diplomatically
• 1866 – AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN WAR – arguments over Holstein erupt and Austria declares war on Prussia (Seven Weeks War)
• Austria surrendered Holstein
• Austria surrendered Venetia
• Austria gave up any control over Northern German states
• 1867 – Prussia annexed Hanover, Hesse, Nassau, and Frankfort, formed the North German Confederation
• Est. a 2-house legislature
• Upper house – Bundestat
• Lower house – Reichstag
• Universal manhood suffrage
• Liberals must support the government because they have no platform
• 1870 – FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR
• Ems Telegram
• France declared war on Prussia – July 19
• Napoleon III defeated at Sedan
• Paris surrendered/Second Empire collapsed
• 1871 – GERMAN EMPIRE DECLARED
• William I becomes the German kaiser