European Royalty: German Empire (Second Reich)


Figure 1.--There were only three German emperors of the second reich. This post cards show Crown Princess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and her three oldest sons, taken about 1912, just before the war. Their father was Crown Prince Frederich Wilhelm who thanks to his father, Kaiser Wilhem II, who set Wotld war I in motion, the German Empire was destroyed and Federich Wilhem never became kaiser. Crown Prince Frederich Wilhelm was among the Kaiser's most hawkish advisers. He implored his father to intensify the war, including unconditional submarine warfarre which brought America into the War. Like many Germans in leadership positions, the Crown Prince did not think America much of a threat. After the War the Crown Prince was involved in right-wing politics and flirted with Hitler and the NAZIs, but after the Night of the Long Knives he understood the character of Hitler and the NAZIs and withdrew into private life. The boys here are Princes Wilhelm, Louis Ferdinand, van Hubertus. Wilhelm at the time of World War II was a lieutenit in the Heer. This was not a very high rank for a 34-year old man especially in the greatly expanded Wehrmacht. We wonder about his capabilities or if the NAZIs wanted to limit his rank for political purposes. e was wounded during the fighting in France (Jyne 1940). He died 3-day later. A crowd of 50,000 mourners appeared at the funeral in Potsdam. Hitler was angered at this show of monarchial sentiment and ordered that the renmaining Hohenzolerns be taken off active duty and given civilian jobs.

The last obstacle to the creation of the German state was France, ruled at the time by the Emperor Napoleon III. The Prussian victory over Austria had fundamentally changed continental power relationships. Confronted with the emergence of a united German state with all that portended for the ballence of power in Europe and beset by other difficultieds, Napoleon III decided to pursue a bellicose policy with Prussia. A diplomatic dispute arrising out of Bismark's attempt to secure the vacant Spanish throne for a Hohenzollern, provided a mutually agreeable cause belli. The French Government declare war on Prussia in 1870. The efficently organized Prussian Army aided with forces of other German states desimated the army of the French Second Empire which collapsed on September 4, 1870 at the Battle of Sedan. Continued resistance by a new French Republic proved futile and Paris fell in 1871. The peace which followed resulted in hugh indemnities and French cessesion of Alsace Loraine, virtually ensuring a future war. Under the auspices of Prussia, its largest state, Germany was united into a federal system in 1871. The resulting combination consisted of 22 states and the 3 former city-states or urban republics of Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck. Kaiser Wilhelm served as the first emperor of the unified Germany which was referred to as the Second Reich. This structure lasted until 1918 when Germany lost extensive portions of territories to France, Poland, Belgium, Denmark and Czechoslovakia. Hitler and NAZI rule beginning in the 1933 marked the Third Reich. The devastation of World War II resulted in the further loss of territory including the provinces of Silesia, Pomerania, East Prussia and part of Brandenburg to Poland and the Soviet Union. Germany was also split into Eastern and Western sectors following the NAZI capitulation.

Austro-Prussian War (1866)

The Austro-Prussian War is commonly called the German Civil War. After victory in the war with Denmark, Austria and Prussia differed over the disposition of Schleswig-Holstein. Austria in early 1866 formally requested that Schleswig-Holstein be made an independent principlity within the Federation. When Austrian made this request at the German Federal Parliament (Frankfurt), Prussia withdrew from the Federation and seized the Holstein which had been occupied by Austria. Most of the German states wanted no part of a war between Austria and Prussia. Bavaria at the Federation Parliamnt tabled a resolution to expel both Austia and Prussia Federal Army. The Federal Army was mobilized to react, if either Prussia or Austria should attack any of the other German states. Of course the overwealming mlitary power of the German states was that of Prussia and Austria. Bismarck whom had earlier couciled aginst war, this time led the move toward war, a show down with the Austrains that he had planned for years. There was considerable resistance to war against Austria, even in Prussia. The War, however, was to settle the issue as to weather Austria or Prussian would dominate Germany.

Franco Prussian War (1870-71)

The last obstacle to the creation of the German state was France, ruled at the time by the Emperor Napoleon III who was commited to teritorial expanion. The stunning Prussian victory over Austria in 1866, however, had fundamentally changed continental power relationships. Confronted with the emergence of a united German state with all that portended for the ballence of power in Europe and beset by other difficultieds, Napoleon III could not restrin his Government from pursuing a bellicose policy with Prussia. Prussian Prime Minister Count Otto von Bismark swredly used the diplomatic dispute arrising out of France's objectin to filling the vacant Spanish throne with a Hohenzollern, provided a mutually agreeable cause belli. The French Government declare war on Prussia in 1870. The efficently organized Prussian Army aided with forces of other German states desimated the army of the French Second Empire which collapsed on September 4, 1870 at the Battle of Sedan. Continued resistance by a new French Republic proved futile and Paris fell in 1871. The peace which followed resulted in hugh indemnities and French cessesion of Alsace Loraine, virtually ensuring a future war.

Unification

Under the auspices of Prussia, its largest state, Germany was united into a conderation of states and adopted a federal system in 1871. The resulting combination consisted of 22 states and the 3 former city-states or urban republics of Hamburg, Bremen and Lubeck. Prussia provided the new soverign. Kaiser Wilhelm I served as the first emperor or kaiser of the unified Germany which was referred to as the Second Reich. Prussia through the person of the the Kaiser exercized executive power in the new German Empire through a constiuton carefully crafted by Bismarck. Each state that Prussia had not previouslly annexed retained its ruling family. This helped presrve in much of Germany an esentially pre-industial social order. Prussia through Bismarck's constitution was able to put it's aggresively masculine stamp on German society.

Imperial Germany

Although outwardly Imperial Germany was the most poweful country in Europe, the imperial ediface had some basic weaknesses. Bismark's brilliance had succeeded had enabled a Prussian landed military caste to unify Germany and attempt to impose its martial values and ethos on the new state. From the beginning, however, the Prussians who maintained their hold on political power were threatened from economic both above and below. The wealthy industrial and merchant class. This class was better educatd and wealthier than the Prussians artistocrats with their agricultural estates and demanded a hare of political power. The Prussian aristocracy also faced increasing demands and growing political consciouness of the working class--an increasingly important group in a Germany in the midst of rapid industrial expansion. Especially worrisome to the Prussians and the industrialists was the increasing acceptace of socialist ideals by the working class. Imperial Germany also had major foreign policy concerns. The German Empire was situated between the Russian collosus and a France through the seizure of Alsace-Loraine that was an implaccable enemy. Although Germany had no territorial issues with the British, they looked on enviously at the British colonies maintained by the Royal Navy. Bismarck while Chncellor was able to play off these competing interests. Bismarck had esentially made Austria an ally by redirecting its German interests with expansion into the Balkans. This created conflict with Russia. Bismarck was able to ballance the competing interests, albeit with increasing difficulty. Kaiser Wilhelm II saw the Bismarckian policies as essential the weakness of an old man. He dismissed the Iron Chancellor and allowed an alliance to lapse with Russia. The Fench seized the opportunity and negotiated an alliance with Russia. The Kaiser's belicose policies also drove the British toward the French. The Kaiser's decisson to build challenging the Royal Navy was one of the key steps in turning British opinion against Germany.

World War I

The German Empire lasted until 1918 when Germany lost extensive portions of territories to France, Poland, Belgium, Denmark and Czechoslovakia. Hitler and NAZI rule beginning in the 1933 marked the Third Reich. The devastation of World War II resulted in the further loss of territory including the provinces of Silesia, Pomerania, East Prussia and part of Brandenburg to Poland and the Soviet Union. Germany was also split into Eastern and Western sectors following the NAZI capitulation.

Aftermath of Empire

By dismantling the German Empire, the Allies hoped to eliminate Germany as a future threat. The result was completely the opposite. By dismantling the Hohenzollern and Habsburg empires, the Allies opened Pandora's box in Central Europe. Nationalism was a double-edged sword. It consumed the Habsburg empire, and the effects of nationalism are still witnessed in the tragic events causing instability in the Balkans. The Treaty of Versailles shattered the image of the old Europe. A new continent was created, yet sadly enough it only lasted two decades with Hitler and the NAZI's seizure of power.







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Created: September 15, 2002
Last updated: 11:16 PM 11/26/2015