The Great Bismarck

Otto von Bismarck is one of the most interesting characters in German history. What intrigues me most about him is his political savvy. This man took Prussia, a growing power in the European theater but still a minor one, and, through manipulation of both domestic and foreign politics, united his country into a power that rivaled the likes of France and Great Britain. His poltical manuevering started when he unveiled his plan to finance the modernization of the army. The Reichstag, more specifically the liberals, would not vote for a budget that included the expansion of the army. So Bismarck unveiled his Gap Theory. There is a loophole in the constitution that allows for the old budget to be used if a new one is not agreed upon by the Kaiser and the Reichstag. Another way to view his tactics is the fact that the law allowed the government to collect back taxes. In any case, Bismarck is successful in getting the funds he needed to modernize the army. With a modern army, Bismarck departs on his quest in the expansion of the German Empire. In short order, Bismarck defeats the Danes, Austrians, and French. Bismarck seemed to be a master of perception. He starts off by stating that the territories of Holstein and Schleswig are German territories and thus should be under German control. He manages to enlist the aid of the Austrian Empire. While they do not provide men or materials, they do provide backing in exchange for control of one of the provinces. Here is where Bismarck proves to be the political mastermind of his age. With his victory over the Danes, he turns to the Austrians. Then the Austrians declare war over the territories. Then the French declare war and lose with the loss of Alsace-Lorraine. I find it fascinating that he managed these feats without ever being the aggressor, but what really is fascinating is his constraint. Here is a man, one could say a man with the power and the ability to conquer much more of Europe, that defeats the powers of the region and enlarges the empire but once the borders are established he stays content with the empire he founded. I think that this points to his motives behind all that he did. It would seem that he only wanted to unite the German peoples under one flag and establish an empire capable of standing up to the other powers.

The Burschenschaft

The Burschenschaft group and their focus was probably the most interesting thing about the readings we have done so far. One thing that struck me about this group was the specific rights they demanded. As Robertson points out they "emphatically rejected the snobbery of the old student fraternities and proclaimed that they were in favor of democratic integration of all social classes...they also hoped to turn the duel from an aristocratic right to a purifying 'human' ordeal..." (Students on the Barricades pp. 368) As Robertson points out there demands for "democratic integration of all social classes" was really just a smoke screen to grant the rights of the aristocracy to these mostly middle class students. Their demand of the right to duel, a right enjoyed by the aristocracy, is the key to clearing away the proverbial smoke screen the Burschenschaft erected behind their equality for all demands allowing a look into their true intentions. The right of dueling was denied to all but people of noble birth for most of history. To have the right to engage in dueling would, in essence, elevate the middle class to a level equal to the aristocracy. Now why would the right of dueling be so important to people who express the opinion that all people should be equal under the rule of law? That is the question that keeps coming back to me.