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HIST2128 Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic

HIST2128 Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic. Myth and Power of Bismarck, 1890-98 Lecture 9 21 February 2012. Kaiser Wilhelm I and Bismarck, 1862-88. Often stormy, emotional, noisy joint meetings Strong mutual comprehension of other

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HIST2128 Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic

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  1. HIST2128Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic Myth and Power of Bismarck, 1890-98 Lecture 9 21 February 2012

  2. Kaiser Wilhelm I and Bismarck, 1862-88 Often stormy, emotional, noisy joint meetings Strong mutual comprehension of other Kaiser’s willingness to let Bismarck his own way = Bismarck’s hold on power never in question

  3. Kaiser Friedrich III and Bismarck,1888 Kaiser strongly influenced by his mother Augusta von Sachsen & his wife Viktoria with liberal ideas (≠ his father + Bismarck) Dismissal of Prussia’s conservative interior minister von Puttkamer + Bismarck’s position no longer secure Bismarck’s concerned about liberal and pro-British tendencies of imperial couple = Kaiser’s rule too short (99 days) to help his liberal friends into long-lasting influential positions

  4. Kaiser Wilhelm II Convinced German nationalist Committed to belief to rule by Divine Right Educated in Prussia’s military spirit Strongly interested in modern technologies & sciences Complex character + full of contradictions: ☺Intelligent, talented, cultured, energetic ☻ Overbearing, arrogant, erratic

  5. Kaiser Wilhelm II and Bismarck, 1888-90 (+) Yearlong friendship between them (+) K.’s admiration for B. in public (-) Age difference: K. 29 y. ≠ B. 73 y. (-) B. underestimated K.’s determination torule + to reign (-) K.’s wish to dispense with B. ASAP = Continuing conflicts …

  6. Conflicts Foreign policy: K.’s questioning Germany’s links with Russia ≠ B.’s insistence on R.I.T. of 1887 Social policy: K’s confidence of winning over working class by modest extension of welfare system (no child labour + Sunday working) ≠ B.’s favour of further repression → B.’s attempt to make Anti-Socialist law permanent defeated in Reichstag (Jan 1890) → K.’s sole announcement of new social laws = B.’s trapped between self-confident K. + hostile Reichstag: His power crumbled

  7. Bismarck’s resignation Quarrel about ministers’ right to advise monarch (Mar 1890): → B.’s insistence of order of 1852: ‘Minister- President as channel’ → K.’s order to withdraw order → Stormy meeting + K.’s ultimatum to B. to resign = B.’s resignation for ‘health reasons’ = Long-term estrangement between them

  8. Bismarck’s glorification • 378 times ‘honorary citizen’ (1895) • 550 monuments • 240 towers • Bismarckhütte in Upper Silesia • Bismarck Archipelago (Papua-New Guinea) • Bismarck herrings = Gratitude: The ‘unifier’ of 1871 = Pride & arrogance: Germany an economic + world power = Reaction: Irrationalism & imperialism of Wilhelm II, his weak chancellors, danger of war

  9. Bismarck’s written heritage • Gedanken und Erinnerungen (Reflections and Reminiscences) (vols. 1 & 2 in 1898, vol. 3 in 1921) (Chinese): Si kao yu hui yi / Bisimai zhu ; Shanxi da xue wai yu xi "Si kao yu hui yi" fan yi zu yi.思考與回憶 / 俾斯麥著 ; 山西大學外語系《思考與回憶》翻譯組譯 • Die gesammelten Werke (Collected Works), 19 vols., 1924-35 • Werke in Auswahl (Selected Works), 8 vols., 1962-80

  10. Bismarck biographies (1) Lothar Gall: Bismarck: The White Revolutionary (1980/1986) • B.: Great activist but also prisoner of changes caused by himself • B.: Arch royalist wishing to preserve Prussia’s conservative structures but also strong promoter of economic & social modernization = B. finally unable to control the forces he called upon and wakened up

  11. Bismarck biographies (2) Ernst Engelberg: Bismarck, 2 vols. (1985/90) • Sensible approach to B’s career & politics by a Marxist historian Otto Pflanze: Bismarck and the Development of Germany, 3 vols. (90) • Focused on B’s complex personality in psychoanalytical way • Points to connection between B’s nervousness and political behavior

  12. Apotheosis (= godlike idol) “Iron Chancellor” Monument & national myth Germany’s greatest national hero Apocalypse (= disaster) Demon of the Germans “White revolutionary” Responsible for ‘Special Path’ of German history leading to Hitler and ending in catastrophe Bismarck Slogans

  13. Questions = Was Bismarck all-responsible ? = How unique were Bismarck’s methods ? → Napoleon III - Itō Hirobumi – Li Hongzhang ? = Did Bismarck’s political heritage lead directly to war (1914) + to Hitler (1933)? → ‘Special path’ of German history ≠ ‘Normal path’ of Western European history ?

  14. Accusations against Bismarck (1) • His appointment to Prussian minister- president in 1862 ‘a disastrous step’ for German history • ‘Blood and iron’: Strengthening of militaristic character of Germany • ‘Revolution from above’: Strengthening of authoritarian character of Germany

  15. Accusations against Bismarck (2) • Cutting-off democratic-liberal traditions • Conserving old-fashioned power distribution with superior status of old elites: Officers, diplomats, nobles • Promoting authoritarian government + charismatic leadership • Keeping political parties away from power • Preparing path into World War I with annexing Alsace- Lorraine = permanent hostility with France

  16. Bismarck in German public memory • Overshadowed by disastrous Hitler & Nazi past • Memory of him as ‘Germany’s unifier’ most widespread (as in street names & statutes) • Foreign policy achievement (= ‘the genius strategist’) in foreground, domestic policy almost forgotten = Still important figure for public history perception = More in public memory than Prussia’s King Friedrich II (‘the Great’) but not as much as Hitler

  17. Historiography: Trends • Before 1945: Bismarck as hero or as demon • After 1945: Bismarck responsible for all ill developments in German history in 20th century • Present: Much more balanced views on Bismarck - generally more positive than negative

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