A Troubled Path to Unification

The past of the German nation was littered with few advancements and many setbacks when it came to becoming a unified nation. The German nation was formed and born through the minds of the German peoples due to the influences from significant figures and events. Before the Unification of

Map of the Holy Roman Empire

1871 and despite being under rule of the Holy Roman Empire the land was split into a plethora of small independent states that were surrounded by European threats. Most notably was the presence of France.

In 1806, the Prussian army suffered defeat by Napoleon's troops and the small states were no longer surrounded by the protection the Prussian Empire had to offer. However, their near eradication led to a vague sense of unity among the people. "When terms such as 'nation,' 'fatherland,' or 'patriotism' cropped up, they could refer equally well to some vaguely defined Germany, to the specific political unit in which one lived, or to both at once" (Schulze 102). Soon enough, the government system went through reorganization where there were constitutions enacted, the French model shaped the government and the Code Napoleon was adopted (Schulze 102-103). 

Otto von Bismarck; Chancellor and architect of
German unification. 

While the influence of the French model in the government proved to be effective, the most despised presence from the French were Napoleon's troops among the people. This sparked an even stronger cry for some sort of unity among the people and nation than ever before. "Their experience of occupation by Napoleon's soldiers gave words such as 'fatherland' and 'nation' new force, turning them into rallying cries" (Schulze 104). As soon as word had gotten back about Napoleon's Grande Armée many people rejoiced and held high hopes there would soon be a new constitution and German unity, but none the less there was still no united nation that the people desperately desired. However, it would still be a good chunk of time before this would become a reality. 

Arch-conservative Otto von Bismarck had a major role in the Unification of Germany in 1871. Bismarck was appointed the new prime minister of Prussia where soon enough many thought he was against all national forces. However, the German public greatly misunderstood him and his intentions. "His real intent was to consolidate and expand Prussia's might in Europe beset by revolutions, and he was convinced that the path to success lay in establishing Prussian hegemony in Germany at Austrian expense" (Schulze 138). Overtime Bismarck paved the way to countless wars that strengthened the unity of the German people and ultimately brought unification to the land in 1871.

The German people, throughout the years, endured the reign of powerful rulers and many wars that helped the German people send a loud cry for the unification of their land. While the idea was tossed around for years and years, it finally came to rest and the beginning of the German nation, free from the grips of other countries, began.

Word Count: 482

Works Cited

Schulze, H. (1998). Germany: A New History. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press