HIST2128

Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic

History and national identity

of Germany

Lecture 2

19 January 2012

Middle Ages (6-15 c.)

• 843: Treaty of Verdun: Charlemagne’s Empire divided into 3 parts

→ Eastern part = later Holy Roman Empire of German Nation

Since Charlemagne: Roman Empire

Since 1157: Holy Roman Empire

Since 1438: Holy Roman Empire of German Nation

Since 1512: Official name

Christianization and Colonization of ‘the East’, 12-15th c.

German and Dutch settlers (12th-14th c.)

in the Elbe and Oder territories: Mark Brandenburg, Pomerania, Silesia

= The German ‘Movement to the East’

+The Order of the Teutonic Knights

(1226 – 1466)

in the Prussian lands on the Vistula= The Teutonic Order State

German Movement to the East

• Call of German monks / settlers by Slav tribal rulers on Elbe/Oder + in Brandenburg by Margrave Albrecht the Bear

• German language + superior ‘Western’ Christian civilization prevailed but Slavic remnants still in proper names or with Wends +

Sorbs people

= Peaceful colonization: All-European process in Middle Ages

= A kind of self-inspired ‘development aid’ by Slav rulers

= Peaceful process of intermingling + amalgamation between Slavs + Germans

= No real subjection or extermination of Slav natives

The Teutonic Order State (I)

• 1226 (Golden Bull of Rimini) - 1525 (Transformation into the Duchy of Prussia)

• Blossom in 14th c.: Creation of a model colony + state

• A monastic republic headed by an elected Grand Master (head of

government) + his Chapter (his ministers), divided in 20 districts, governed by Comptrollers (controllers) with a convention (rules) of their own

• An immigrant society with an efficiently working aristocracy (the ‘Estates’)

• A rich state with important cities: Danzig (Gdansk), Elbing (Elblag), Königsberg (Kaliningrad)

The Teutonic Order State (II)

• Growing conflicts between ‘Estates’ (local aristocracy + patricians) ≠ dominating Order

• Teutonic Knights regarded as alien rule + as closed-up recruitment system

• In wars with Poland (15th c.): ‘Estates’ on enemy side = 1410 Battle of Tannenberg: First major defeat of Order

• → Gradual decline and degeneration of Teutonic Order State

Consequences

- 50 Years of close intermarriage relations between Brandenburg + Prussia

- 1618: Brandenburg + Prussia united in personal union : Elector Johann Sigismund (House of Hohenzollern)

→ One ruler but territory divided between German Empire (B) + Poland (P)

= Important precondition for creation of Prussian Kingdom (1701)

1555: Peace of Augsburg

• Territorial principle of cuius regio eius religio (Whose realm, his religion) = Compromise between Catholism and Protestantism, applied to Holy Roman Empire of German Nation

→ Territorial division along religious confessions

→ Churches as parts of state apparatus

→ Major religious wars, 16th C + 1618-48

→ Long-term division of Empire into ca. 300 bigger and smaller single states