The zollverein was a customs union, an agreement between 25 of the
39 states to allow free trade
by 1836 there was 25 members
Set an example of the benefits of
working together as produced much
more coal and became economically
stronger than Austria
Did not include anti-nationalis Austria
Carr feels that it is inappropriate to say the zollverein was the for runner of German
nationalism as the states did not join for a love of Prussia, but to escape their own economic
difficulties. However it is surely what the states gained from the zollverein that really
matters, not why they joined. They gained fresh new nationalist ideas thus making the
zollverein one of the main reasons for the growth of nationalism.
"the railways were of great political
significance as they helped break
down provincial barriers" stiles
Railways helped ideas to
spread as when people
traveled on the railways, their
ideas traveled with them.
The French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleon's french empire ( 1804-1815) took over
the old 400 German states of the Holy Roman
Empire, and merged them into 39 called the
confederation of the Rhine. This was later
renamed the German confederation when
napoleon's empire fell after 1815.
The states were united by an early from of negative nationalism
as they were brought together by their hatred for the french
The ease at which napoleon took over the states
showed them that they were weak standing alone,
and would be stronger when united.
The French Revolution (1789-1799)
brought new liberal and nationalist
ideas to Germany.
Showed the German people that they did
not have to be lowly subjects, they could
be citizens with rights.
1848 Revolutions
The 1848 revolutions were a series of
uprisings against european monarchies.
In Germany the peasants were angered by poor working conditions, a bad
harvest and extreme poverty. The middle classes where angered by a lack of
top jobs and political say as they were the ones bringing money into the
economy.
The street fighting got so bad that chancellor
Metternich was forced to flee vienna like a common
criminal
Lead to the Frankfurt parliament, however this failed for a
variety of reasons, and the 39 princes used their armies to
crush any other nationalist supporters.
Showed there was a need for change, and rallied nationalist support.
Cultural nationalism
States united through language, literature
and music.
25 million people all speaking the same
language meant the states already felt
as one.
Stiles "those who speak the same language are joined by a
multitude of invisible bonds"
HOWEVER not the most important factor as
the working class were mostly illiterate so
were missed out of the rise of cultural
nationalism. This lead to Golo Mann stating
that "most Germans seldom looked up from
the plough"
Population increase and industrialisation
Germany's population saw a massive boom rising from 25
to 34 million between 1816 and 1840.
Many were moving to the cities to work in factories due to industrialisation.
This lead to squalid over crowded cities and appalling living conditions.
The German people started to demand change HOWEVER they
wanted political change, not specifically nationalism making it the
least import and factor.