- 1. 1848 Revolutions 23.09.09
2. 'Spring of Nations' 3. On the period: "society was cut in
two: those who had nothing united in common envy, and those who had
anything united in common terror." Alexis de Tocqueville 4.
Revolution in Berlin, 1848 5. Revolution in Berlin, 1848 6. What
were thecauses of the German Revolution 1848? 7. The Middle class
intelligentsia had become moreconscienceand self awareof their role
in society and therefore wantedrepresentationfrom the autocratic
princes. 8.
- In 1848 Germany was a number of smaller states, the more well
known were Austria and Prussia.
- The Intelligentsia were fed up of this and influenced by
enlightened or modernist ideas.
Why did the Middle Classes want change within Germany? 9.
- Potato Blight in 1847.This led to rising food prices and wide
spread starvation.
- This exacerbated an already difficult situation in towns and
cities, where there was a lack of housing, jobs and sanitation due
to the movement of people from the Cities from the
countryside.
- Ideas like Marxs struck a cord with the lower middle
classes.Class representation became a core theme.
The issues 10. Rulers, Frederick III of Prussia and Franz Josef
of Austria did not have the money or the ambition to help their
citizens. The caf dwelling middle class intelligentsia influenced
by the revolutions sweeping across Europe, especially France where
they already had a national republic, but were moving towards even
more Liberal ideals. 11.
- The revolution or mob violence started in March 1848 and
quickly spread to the capital of Prussia, Berlin.It then swept
across the country.
- Demonstrators and the army clashed. Streets were barricaded,
until Frederick Wilhelm VI removed troops and appointed liberal
ministers (who were powerless.)
- The mob though, which was mainly made up of dissatisfied
peasants and working class, quickly left the revolution to the
political thinking middle classes as they had to make sure their
families were fed and protected.
Events 12.
- The revolutionaries made a dire mistake in that they did not
eliminate the Princes of the German states.
- Although the Parliament Germany was given in 1849 did not last
long, it gave theliberalthinkers among the revolutionaries the
incentive to look for morePower , a GermanCultureandIdentity.
- The long term consequence was that there was a drive to look
forNATIONHOOD. Whether that be a Klein Deutschland (led by Prussia,
the pre WW1 Germany) or the Gross Deutschland (Big Germany
including Austria.)
The results 13. Prussia became the dominating state within
Germany as it created an economic nation and gained power from
politicians like Otto von Bismarck.Prussia won wars and thus
created borders which defined Germany. It created the German
identity we recognise today.