Two Sides of What Became the Same Coin

As social and political unrest was growing across the world, the German lands too sought a change in power.  After the Thirty-Years War, Germany as we know it was still comprised of small principalities with their own governing bodies, the aristocracy.  Tensions grew between the mainly Catholic, conservative South and the increasingly Enlightenment-focused and Protestant north.  This division, and the growing liberalism, eventually pushed toward a unified German Nation.  This began with the rise of the Prussian Kingdom, which, according to Schulze, filled a void of power in Central Europe apparent as Northern European nations weakened (78).  Unlike other dynasties and states who attempted to enact a larger governance and shortly dissipated, Prussia, in her starkly militant nature, proved to be a worthy and lasting force in Europe.

With Kingdom of Prussia under Frederick II, whose unlikely victory in Seven Years War earned him the title of Frederick the Great, German territories experiences an influx of both militant strength and progressive philosophy.  Frederick the Great’s infatuation with the writings of Voltaire and other contributors to the Enlightenment Movement sowed the seeds of liberalism in Prussia that would later develop for the growth of the nation. The myriad German principalities inadvertently continued this push for growth in arts and thought by trying to establish stronger political forces in focusing on education (89).  In later years, this resulted in the development of renowned architecture and music which we associate as German, even while Germany was not yet a unified nation.

Like Frederick’s struggle between his love of the arts and the militant nature in his blood, so too did the people of German territories, Prussia, and Austria struggle between stubbornly holding onto their traditional ideal and aristocratic focused status quo versus acting on the principles best suited to help the German people, particularly when economic uncertainty, Pauperism, and famine were growing (121).  The rise of representation lead to a potential unification, but granted from the German National Assembly, not from the German princes whose lands were involved.  A revolution had temporarily subsided, and again we have two opposing forces vying for Germany's central power.  Against the wishes of the traditionally focused party, German lands became industrialized with accomplishments such as the first German railway line in 1835 (130).  The rapid industrialization cause decreases in unemployment and Pauperism, giving strength to progressive Prussia’s economy.

With this rapid development of Prussia’s liberal power and aggressive politics came unrest in the largely Catholic Rhineland and southern Germany (135).   Still in warring times with France, Germany’s unified identity grew out a common hatred of the enemy, and it became evident, that while opposed politically, nationally and culturally as a people, they were Germany.  When Otto von Bismarck became prime minister of Prussia, the liberal movement gave staunch opposition to his conservative policies, but had to give into the efficacy of said policies against Denmark, when a treaty was signed in 1864 (140).  Germany was unified, but opposing parties had and still do survive, as the heart of Germany is not simply described.  Germany is the workers, the aristocrats, the legislators, and the poor.  Germany is both tradition and progression, militant and academic, even Catholic and Protestant and then some.  While Germany as we know is one nation, it has lived and will live as coin with two sides.