The German Empire was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, January 1871. This event was the crowning achievement of Bismarck's political career.

OTTO VON BISMARCK used this phrase to describe the method by which a unified German state would be created. The FRANKFURT ASSEMBLY OF 1848, which attempted to unify Germany through constitutional means, had been crushed. Bismarck knew that the chances of peaceful revolution were nonexistent: Germany could be created only through war.

Two great powers lay claim to German leadership: Austria and Prussia. Both peoples spoke the German language and followed many traditional German folk customs. The two rivals struggled with each other to lead the smaller German states.

In 1851, Bismarck began to represent Prussia in the diet of the GERMAN CONFEDERATION, an organization dominated by Austria. Bismarck served as ambassador to Russia and France in the late 1850s, and in September 1862, he was named Prussia's chief minister. He was less concerned with German nationalism than he was with expanding the power of Prussia.

The path to such power lay in eliminating Austria's influence over German affairs. Prussia had already created the ZOLLVEREIN, a customs union of German states that did not include Austria.

Realpolitik

The Danish king's attempts to annex the DUCHIES OF SCHLESWIG AND HOLSTEIN provided an opportunity for Bismarck to act. He enticed Austria to declare war on Denmark to acquire these two territories. Following a brief war, Prussia assumed control of Schleswig while Austria occupied Holstein. Denmark was too weak militarily to stop either larger power. Bismarck never intended to make the joint occupation permanent. He immediately made plans to stab the Austrians in the back.

Otto-Suggestion

This map illustrates the territories of the German Empire at the time of its creation. The captured province of Alsace-Lorraine, located at the empire's southwest border, proved to be a point of contention until and during the Second World War.

Tensions mounted, and in June 1866 Austria declared war on Prussia. Austria was no match for Prussian armed forces, which used the telegraph and rail links in its mobilization. Prussia crushed Austria in only seven weeks of fighting. The TREATY OF PRAGUE OF AUGUST 1866 officially ended the Seven Weeks' War, resulting in Prussia's control of both Schleswig and Holstein.

Bismarck then annexed the recalcitrant pro-Austrian German states to form a new NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION, marking the end of Austrian influence in Germany.

Only several small German kingdoms in the south, such as Bavaria, remained independent of Prussian control. These territories might have fallen into the Prussian, Austrian, or French spheres of influence. Although aligned with the new North German Confederation in the face of French imperialism, south German states feared further "PRUSSIANIZATION" OF GERMANY. Bismarck soon conspired to annex those lands.

The Iron Chancellor

Known as the "Iron Chancellor," Otto von Bismarck was the driving force behind German unification.

Bismarck, in the famous EMS TELEGRAM, carefully edited the king's words to create the impression that the French ambassador and King Wilhelm had traded diplomatic insults. France thus declared war on Prussia on July 19, 1870.

Fearing a French attack, the south German states joined the North German Confederation, satisfying Bismarck's dreams. Although the Franco-Prussian War officially ended in May 1871, France was soundly defeated by Prussian forces within two months. In January 1871, in the Palace of Versailles, WILHELM I was crowned kaiser of the new German Empire, which now contained 39 million Germans. The peace settlement humiliated France, laying ground for future conflict. Germany received an indemnity payment of five billion francs and the territories of Alsace and Lorraine.

Germany was now satiated and ready for peace, Bismarck said after the war. But the balance of power in Europe was completely changed. In five short years, Bismarck's Germany had become the most powerful country in continental Europe, soon rivaling Britain in industrial output and military power.

You Be the Kaiser

The King, on the advice of one of his ministers, decided in view of the above-mentioned demands not to receive [first famous person] any more, but to have him informed by a/an [occupation] that His Majesty had now received from [a different famous person] confirmation of the news which [first famous person] had already had from [city] and had nothing further to say to the ambassador. His Majesty suggests to Your Excellency that [first famous person possessive] new demand and its rejection might well be communicated both to our [group of people] and to the [sports team].