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Sorne argue that lhe o ld empire,
in po int of law. has never been ex–
tinguished. Great Britain, for ex–
ample, refuses to recog nize the
dissolution of the empire in 1806.
From that poin t of view, the empire
has li ved on in a state of suspended
anirnation through the days of Na–
poleon a nd the Confede rat ion of the
Rhine and simply has been reborn
as the post-Napoleonic Germanic
Confed eration.
Year
1815:
Germanic Con–
federation Created. The new Ger–
man pl a n
is
to take the place of the
old Ho ly Roma n Empire. T he fed–
era ti on comprises 39 sta tes. Tbe Act
of Confedera tion is signed on June
8. 18 15, a nd is later supplemented
by the Final Act of Vienna on May
15, 1820.
This is one of the most important
resu lt s of th e deliberations a t
Vi enna, this crea tion of a "German
Confederation." Statesmen realize
that sorne definite forrn of política!
organiza tion must supersede the
defunct empire. Sorne would still
like to revive th e Ho ly Roman Ero–
pire of the German nation in a
modernized form.
Austrian Foreign Minister Met–
ternich would like to see a con–
federation of states allowing a
true
bala nce of power and also make
provision for the inclusion of a uton–
omous national units such as
Aust ria and Prussia. But Metter–
nich's plan for a federation among
equals does noLmeet with approval.
Prussia and Austria demand a bso–
lute supremacy in the new con–
federation. U nd e r the Ac t of
Confedera tion. Austria is finally
designated as the presiding power in
the new Confederation. A federal
diet. the
Bundestag,
is crea ted to
meet in Frankfurt.
The política! wheel has come full
circle.
Elimina te the new titles, the new
systems of government and the new
actors and one finds the shadow of a
mo ribund, old Ho ly Roman Ero–
pire. The feeble "German Con–
federation" is des tin e d to be
dominated, no t by an emperor, but
20
by the Quadruple Alliance and to
function asan instrument of Metter–
nich's po litical plans.
The German Confederation not
only has political problems, but it is
also wrestling with grave econorrúc
difficulties. As early as 18 19, a
memorandum is submüted to the
federal diet in Frankfurt calling
upon a Confederation to create a
unified German economy.
Prussia, destined to take the Jead
in the endeavor. has already a bo–
Jished the 67 different tariff sched–
ules in her terri tories. They are
replaced by a unifo rm tarilf. making
the en tire state a single, unifi ed ma r–
keting unit. Prussia will expand her
customs union gradually. By 1853
this German
Zollverein
(customs
union) will include al! of Germany
except German Aus t ria. Pruss ia
uses economics as a political tool to
gain the upper hand in German af–
fa irs.
Year
1815:
The Holy Alliance. A
document is drawn up by Tsar Alex–
ander 1 and signed by Emperor
Francis 1 of the Austrian empire
a nd Frederick Willi am
lJJ
of Ger–
many. Ultimately a ll European
rulers excepting Brita in, the pope
and the Turkish sultan
will
subscribe
to it. The document lays down the
type of conduct rulers are to exhibit
in their relations with each o ther.
But by 1833, the year in which the
three heads of the Holy Alliance
meet for the last time, it is clear that
the pact has cometo nothing. Many
thought they saw in the Ho ly Al–
liance a new resurrection of the old
Holy Roman Empire. But it was
only a chimera .
Years
1840-1861:
The Rule of
Frederick William IV. Frederick is a
member of the German ruling
house of Hohenzollern. He is deeply
imbued witb mystical conceptions.
Frederick seeks to revive the posi–
tion of the nobles which, in his view,
reflect the "mystic glories of a d i–
vinely consecrated a nd patriarchal
monarchy. "
Frederick wants to see the feeble
Germa nic Confederation replaced
by the old Holy Roman Empire. In
that empire Prussia would play a
key role. though a secondary one to
the Habsburgs. But his dream does
not reflect political rea lity; the o ld
ceremonies and methods of govern–
ment are not acceptable to Euro–
pean statesmen.
Year
1862:
Bismarck Recomes the
Iron Chancellor of Germany. Bis–
marck is to be Chancellor from Sep–
tember 1862 to March 1890. During
his long tenure of o ffice, he will rea l–
ize his cbiefambition: a un ified Ger–
ma ny headed by Prussia. He works
for the expulsion of Austria from
a ny mea ningful position of power in
German politics.
The po licies of Bismarck will send
Germany down the path of grea t–
ness a nd the Germanic peoples wi ll
again stand a t the center of conti–
nental European politics.
Year
1866:
Austria Defeated in
Seven Weeks War. Bismarck's pol–
icy of eventually excluding Austria
from German politics comes to fru–
ition in 1866. In April events are
such that bo th Prussia and Austria
begin to mobilize their troops. Most
of the German states, including
such large ones as Bavaria. Saxony
a nd Hanover side with Austria.
The Prussian government de–
clares the federal constitution to be
in violation a nd ends the con–
federation of German sta tes. Bis–
marck and the king dispatch the
milüary genius. von Moltke. to de–
feat Austria. Using the
blitzkrieg
method. von Moltke's forces quickly
overrun Saxony. Hesse and Han–
over. Next, the Bava rians and their
allies are defea ted .
Finally, the main Austrian forces
stationed in Bohemia are a ttacked
simultaneously by three Prussian ar–
mies striking from Saxony. Lusatia
and Silesia. On Ju ly 3. 1866. the
Prussia ns inflict a decisive defeat on
the Austrians at Koniggratz. T he
sudden victory of the Pru ssians
stuns Europe.
Hanover. Elector al Hesse, Nassau
and Frankfurt are incorporated into
Prussia. Austria is excluded from
Germany a nd the Germanic Con–
federation is disma ntled. A North
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1975