An evaluation of the reasons for the growth of nationalism in Germany, 1815-50

An evaluation of the reasons for the growth of nationalism in Germany, 1815-50

Impact of Napoleonic Wars and Congress of Vienna

  • The legacy of Napoleonic rule and the nationalist sentiments ignited during Napoleon’s occupation continued to manifest in German states long after his downfall.
  • The Congress of Vienna in 1815, which restructured Europe post-Napoleon, left a patchwork of 39 German states governed by different rulers. This would later pave the way for the desire for a unified national state.
  • The mutual desire to resist French domination had stirred the concept of a shared German identity which was built on the common language, literature, history and culture.
  • The ideas of the Romantic movement and the focus on common folklore and language fostered a sense of community among the Germans.
  • Influential philosophers and thinkers like Johann Gottfried Herder and Johann Gottlieb Fichte encouraged Germans to be proud of their language and culture and advocated for political unity.
  • German scholars and universities became centres of nationalist ideas promoting the notion of a unified German state.

Economic Factors and the Zollverein

  • The Industrial Revolution accelerated economic development and created a middle class or Bürgertum, who became important supporters of nationalism.
  • The establishment of the Zollverein or customs union in 1834, which removed trade barriers between the German states, increased economic interdependence and fostered the sense of a single German economic entity.

Revolutions and Political Developments

  • The Revolutions of 1848, which swept across Europe, significantly impacted Germany. These uprisings were driven by demands for constitutional and political reforms and included a strong element of nationalism.
  • The Frankfurt Parliament of 1848–49, despite its eventual failure, attempted to unify Germany as a single constitutional monarchy. This was an expression of nationalist aims and helped to politicise the wider population.
  • Despite being suppressed, the ideological effect of these revolutions and subsequent nationalist movements such as the Vormärz (“pre-March”) continued to influence German society and politics, setting the stage for future movements towards unification.