Plato

Analyze the Making of the Modern German State. Your answer must include a discussion of the geographical settings and critical junctures. Geographical setting – Germany located in central Europe is the second largest in all of Europe with a population of 82 million. It is divided into 16 federal states. Religion mostly Roman Catholic/Protestant. 54% of Germany’s land is consumed by production of agriculture. Since the Industrial Revolution many of Germany’s external relationships both commercial , military and resources they lack have been with national borders. Critical Junctures Nationalism+ Germany’s unification 1806-71 Germany was unified as a nation state under Prussia leadership, Otto von Bismark. The process of unification began in 1806. Napoleon invaded Germany and consolidated some principalities. Second Reich 1871-1918 Semi-authoritarian regime: constitutional monarchy, government was controlled by Chancellor, appointed and removed by emperor, not accountable to parliament. German Empire was a federation of stated that had powerful parliaments. The German Parliament, the Reichstag, was not being able to play a major role in governing the new nation state. The first German Chancellor Otto von Bismark assembled the coalition of the landowners and the industrialists. His enemies were the church. Socialist parties and the labor organization. He encouraged the industrial to secure a powerful position for Germany. Germany was involved in WW1 and were defeated therefore were in dept . Consequences: Treaty of Versailles Weimer Republic 1919-1933 Democratic regime. Pact between the Social Democratic party and Conservative party and changed from a institutional monarchy and liberal democracy. However because of economic problems (inflation, depression, legacies ofWW1and discontent with treaty)undermines legitimacy of regime. Many Germans become disappointed with democracy and want to go back to old regime. The Third Reich 1933-45 Hitler and his Nazi (Nationalist Socialists) party take over Germany through elections and is elected on Jan 30, 1933. Through time he crushes the Weimar constitution and became a dictator. In 1939 Hitler invaded Poland and provoked France and Britain to declare war. WW2. A divided Germany 1945-89 After begin defeated Germany was divided into the Federal Republic of Germany in the west and became democracy , the Democratic Republic in the east was controlled by the communist party. For more than 40 years this division lasted until Germany’s unification in 1990 and the Berlin Wall was opened.