Introduction
By 1815, Europe had been at war for 23 years. Between 1792-1815, France had been the 'enemy', and it was no surprise that in 1815, the leaders of all the European powers that defeated France did not want to see Liberalism or Nationalism that had been inspired by the French revolution. Within the German states, there were problems with religion - catholicism and protestantism - especially because the two most powerful Germanic states, Austria and Prussia, were followers of different religions. This would go on to hinder the development of nationalism. The 5 main factors that played as an obstacle to German Unification between 1815-1850 were; Austrian strength, the German princes, divisions among the nationalists, religious differences, and the indifference of the masses.
In this essay, it will be argued that the strength of Austria was the biggest obstacle to German nationalism 1815-1850.
Austrian Strength
Austrian strength was a significant factor hindering German unification 1815-1850. As Austria was Chairman of the German Confederation, meaning they could control all pass, it had the most power. This shows how they were able to control the extent of Nationalism and Liberalism (including suppression) in the states, which would affect the future of unification. Nationalist student societies were a big problem for the Austrian authorities, and they managed to significantly decrease strong ideas in schools, societies, and work through the Carlsbad decrees.
However, it can be argued that Austrian strength was not the most important factor as other states were also against nationalism. So, Austria wasn't convincing them, they merely just agreed. Therefore, they didn't actually make much of an impact.
German Princes
Another big obstacle to German unification was the German princes. All states had a prince who was in control of them. These princes realized that if Germany were to become one country, there may either be a king or no royalty at all. This shows the German princes as an obstacle as they were too afraid of losing power and status, so they didn't support the idea of unification. Prince Frederick William of Prussia was the 2nd biggest German power and the only state (par Austria) who was powerful enough to unify Germany. If Germany did unite, it was likely Frederick William of Prussia would be king. Smaller states felt threatened by this, so tended to side with Austria. In 1850, the German states sided with the Austrians as they re-asserted power over Germany and re-established the German Confederation. This showed how opposed Germans were to Prussia, illustrating the importance and obstacle of the German princes to the unity of German states.
Divisions Among the Nationalists
The Nationalists were divided over which territory should be included in any united Germany, Grossdeutchland and Kleindeutchland. Grossdeutchland supporters thought all states should be included in a united Germany, whereas Kleindeutchland supporters thought Austria should not be included. This shows the divisions of the Nationalists as an obstacle to unification as they couldn't decide if Austria should be included, therefore it took longer for Germany to unify. Nationalists from middle and upper classes had different ideas about what direction and what policies a future Germany should take, compared to the working class. For example, higher up classes wanted to dominate the decision making in parliament, whereas the lower classes wanted more change and improved working conditions.
In conclusion, the factors hindering German unification 1815-1850, such as Austrian strength, the influence of the German princes, and divisions among the nationalists, were significant obstacles to the unification of Germany. These factors played a crucial role in delaying the formation of a unified German state.
