Lesson video

Hello, welcome to history here at Oak National Academy.

My name's Mr. Newton, and I'll be your teacher today, guiding you through the entire lesson.

Right, let's get started.

In this topic, we will uncover the story of a Germany that went through a dramatic transformation.

Germany began as a fragmented collection of independent states, divided by borders, laws, and rulers.

Over time, it developed into a unified and powerful nation, a proud empire that demanded respect on the world stage.

But the First World War changed everything.

After its defeat in 1918, Germany shifted into a fragile democracy and faced threats from all sides, political uprisings, economic disasters, and the humiliation of foreign occupation.

These pressures created the conditions that allowed Adolf Hitler of the Nazi Party to rise to power.

Historians continue to examine this period to understand how Germany transformed into a one-party dictatorship.

So we must ask, "How did this transformation happen? Why did some Germans welcome it, while others risked everything to resist it?" To answer these questions, we need to start at the very beginning, before Germany was even a country.

We begin with the story of how a divided land became one nation.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to describe how Germany was governed before the First World War.

Before we begin, there are a few keywords that we need to understand.

Unification is the process of bringing separate things or people together, or bringing states together into a single, unified country.

Nationalism is the belief that people who share the same language, culture, history, or ethnicity should unite in one country.

Many believe this would create greater unity, strength, and harmony within the nation.

A chancellor is the head of government in Germany, appointed by the kaiser, and it's a similar role to a prime minister.

Militarism is the belief that a strong military and military values should dominate society and government.

And the Reichstag is the National Parliament of Germany where elected politicians make the laws for the country.

Today's lesson is called Germany Before the First World War, and we will split the lesson into three parts.

First, we'll look at the unification of Germany, how a group of fragmented states came together to form one nation.

Second, we'll examine Germany's system of government after unification, how power was structured, who held it, and what influenced the new empire.

And finally, we'll focus on Kaiser Wilhelm II and the growing tensions of rule, tensions between monarchy and democracy, tradition, and change, and how these pressures contributed to instability on the eve of war.

Right, let's begin the lesson with the unification of Germany.

Before 1871, what we now know as Germany did not exist.

Have a look at this map of Central Europe in the mid-19th century.

And what you'll notice is that there isn't a country called Germany here, not yet.

Instead, this area is made up of many small independent states.

Each one had its own ruler, laws, and often, its own army.

Some were large, like Bavaria or Saxony, and others were tiny, almost like city-states.

Even though many of these states shared a common language, German, they were not united under one government.

This division made the region weaker and more vulnerable, especially compared to powerful neighbors like France and Russia.

Now, let's highlight one of those states, Prussia.

As you can see, Prussia was by far the largest and most powerful of the German-speaking states.

It stretched across a huge area, from the west, near France, all the way to the borders of Russia in the east.

Prussia had a strong army, a growing economy, and a highly disciplined government.

It also had ambitious leaders, the king of Prussia and his clever and determined chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, who was head of the government.

The Prussian king and Otto von Bismarck set about uniting all the German-speaking states together to create a stronger nation.

Bismarck played a leading role in the unification process.

He wanted the German-speaking states to unite under Prussian leadership, to unite into one nation called Germany.

However, neighboring countries, like Denmark, Austria, and France, felt threatened by the prospect of a powerful new nation on their borders.

To achieve unification, Bismarck and Prussia launched a series of quick and successful wars against them.

These military victories stirred up feelings of German pride and nationalism.

And one by one, the other German states joined Prussia, many believing that unification would bring greater strength and security.

More and more people began to believe that the German-speaking states naturally belonged together as one nation.

The idea of nationalism was a powerful force in 19th-century Europe.

In Germany, it inspired growing support for unification and helped shape shared sense of national identity that would continue to influence the country long after unification was achieved.

Through a mixture of Bismarck's diplomacy, military victories, and a growing sense of German nationalism, the country was fine in unified.

In 1871, Germany finally united as a nation, but Prussia and its leadership would continue to shape Germany's character for decades to come.

What began as a fragmented region had now become a united and powerful nation, one that would play a major role in shaping Europe's future.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

What I want you to do here is complete this sentence with the correct missing word.

In 19th-century Germany, the belief that unification would create a stronger, safer nation, where all German-speaking people belong together was inspired by the idea of blank.

Pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And let's see how that sentence should have read.

In 19th-century Germany, the belief that unification created a stronger, safer nation, where all German-speaking people belonged together was inspired by the idea of nationalism.

Okay, let's continue.

So Germany finally united as a nation in 1871.

The king of Prussia was crowned kaiser, the German emperor, and Bismarck became the first chancellor of the new German Empire.

Germany had been unified under Prussian leadership through a mix of strong, centralized rule, military success, and the unifying power of nationalism.

Because these forces had delivered unity and victory, many Germans came to see them as the key to a strong and successful country.

Take a look at this painting.

It shows the official proclamation of the German Empire in 1871.

Now, this event took place just after Prussia's victory against France.

And this timing sends a powerful political message.

It signaled German strength and French defeat.

At the center of the image, you can see the new kaiser, the king of Prussia, being crowned emperor of a united Germany.

And look at how the figures around him are facing towards him, many in military uniform, saluting or standing to attention.

Now, look just in front of the raised platform, at the bottom of the steps, you'll see a man in white uniform standing slightly apart from the others.

That's Otto von Bismarck, the Prussian chancellor.

Although the kaiser is being celebrated, Bismarck was the political mastermind behind this moment.

Also, notice how many of the people in the image are military officers.

And this tells us something important, that unification was achieved not just through diplomacy, but through military strength and war.

It also reflects how central the army was to the new German Empire.

This painting really demonstrates how Germany had been unified from a mix of strong leadership and military success, and nationalism.

Now, these forces weren't just responsible for bringing the country together.

They were now seen as the key to a strong and successful future for Germany.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Which of the following were seen as key to Germany's strength and success after unification in 1871? Select three correct answers.

A, democratic reforms, B, military success, C, nationalism, D, strong, centralized role.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answers were B, military success, C, nationalism, and D, strong, centralized rule.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task A.

And you can see, I've given you two arguments.

Izzy and Alex have different views about why Germany was unified in 1871.

Let's read Izzy's view first.

"Germany was united because of Prussia's leadership and military strength.

Its powerful army and dominance over other states made unification possible." Okay, let's now read Alex's view.

"Germany was united because of the rise of nationalism across the German states.

People increasingly wanted to belong to a strong, united nation of German speakers that could protect and represent them." So what I want you to do for this task is decide who you agree with the most, and discuss and explain your choice.

Pause the video, have a discussion, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And hopefully, you had some great discussions.

So there's many things that you may have discussed, but check your answers with the ones I have here.

So let's first look at reasons to agree with Izzy.

And Izzy really put Prussian leadership and the military at the forefront of her argument.

So you could have said that Prussia was already the most powerful of the German states, with the largest army and the most influence in politics.

And that Prussian leadership, under the king and Chancellor Bismarck, gave direction and purpose to the unification process.

And that the army's strength allowed Prussia to win quick wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, which brought the other German states together.

And that Prussia's military victories helped create nationalist feeling, which suggested nationalism was a result of Prussian leadership and strength, not the original cause of unification.

This nationalist pride, this feeling of wanting to come together comes through those military successes.

Okay, let's now look at reasons to agree with Alex.

Now, Alex believed that unification of Germany was really down to nationalism and the sense that unifying into one nation would bring security and strength.

So you could have said that nationalism was growing across Europe in the 19th century, and the German states shared a language and culture, making unification a popular idea.

And that military victory stirred up feelings of German pride and nationalism, suggesting that public feeling helped drive unification forward.

And that's even without Prussia's leadership and military strength, unification may have happened eventually because of the public support for a shared German identity was growing.

In other words, unification was possible because of the feelings and motivations of ordinary people, not just military or political leaders.

And finally, nationalism made it easier for Prussia to persuade or pressure other states to join the empire, because many people already supported unification.

Great, now, that we've explored how Germany was unified through war, diplomacy, and rising nationalism, we're going to shift our focus now.

Unification created a new empire, but what did this empire actually look like in terms of power and leadership? In the next part of the lesson, we'll look at Germany's system of government, who really held power, how the country was run, and why Prussia's influence remained so strong, even after unification.

In 1871, Germany became a unified nation of 25 states under the new German Empire, known as the Second Reich.

So Germany was no longer just a collection of fragmented states.

It had become a single, unified nation.

What you can see here on the map is the German Empire.

This new empire was made up of 25 different states, each with its own traditions, rulers, and local governments.

But they had now joined together under the authority of one national government.

The empire became known as the Second Reich.

So in German, that means the second empire.

And this name linked it back to the First Reich, the earlier Holy Roman Empire, which had once ruled much of Central Europe.

By calling itself the Second Reich, the new German state was claiming both continuity and power, which can be traced back to the Holy Roman Empire.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did the German Empire of 1871 become known as the Second Reich, A, it followed the Holy Roman Empire, B, it replaced the Second Republic of Germany, C, it was created after Germany's second civil war? Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer was A, it followed the Holy Roman Empire.

Okay, let's continue.

So Prussia's military traditions shaped the new German Empire.

Prussia was the largest and most powerful of the 25 states, which made up Germany.

And this meant they continued to play a leading role in how the empire was governed.

Prussia was known for its strong army, strict discipline, and powerful kings.

Here, we can see a photograph of a military parade In 1902.

The soldiers on horseback are saluting the kaiser, the German emperor.

This image is a powerful reminder of how deeply Prussian military traditions shapes the new German Empire.

Notice the discipline, the uniforms, the flags, all symbols of strength and obedience.

The army in Germany wasn't just about defense.

It held a special place in society.

Prussian militarism became central to life in the new Germany.

Military officers were seen as figures of authority and respect.

Serving in the army was considered a path to honor and even social mobility for ordinary men.

Many ordinary men came from farming or working-class families, with little wealth or influence.

But by serving in the army, they could gain respect, discipline, and sometimes promotions.

And this worked the other way too.

Once their military service ended, former soldiers often carried that status with them into civilian life, taking up key roles in the state as police officers, postmen, or railway workers.

And importantly, for Germany's system of government, the army did not answer to parliament.

It answered directly to the kaiser.

That meant military loyalty was tied to the king, not to elected representatives in parliament.

So when we think about how Germany was governed, it's clear that the military was at the very heart of its system of power.

Prussian militarism was also reflected in society.

Military values, like discipline, authority, and loyalty, became deeply embedded in everyday German life.

People saw these values as important for keeping order.

And anyone who disagreed with the government was often seen as a threat to stability.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Which statement best defines Prussian militarism, A, the belief that military officers should run the parliament and establish democratic values, B, the belief that a relaxed society with limited discipline creates unity and nationalism, C, the belief that strong armies and military values should dominate society and government? Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer was C, the belief that strong armies and military values should dominate society and government.

Okay, let's have a look at the structure of the empire's leadership and how the empire was ruled.

So at the top of the empire's leadership was the kaiser, who was supported by a small circle of elite advisors.

So the diagram on the left shows us how power in the German Empire was organized.

And right at the top, we have the kaiser, he was the emperor and had the final say on all major decisions, from the army to foreign policy to choosing his chancellor.

His power was not limited by parliament.

Just below him are a group of elite advisors.

These were mostly army generals, the wealthy land-owning aristocracy, businessmen, and top political officials.

The most important of these was the chancellor, who was appointed by the kaiser, and answered only to him.

These elite figures weren't elected, they were appointed, mostly drawn from the ruling class.

They held influence because of their wealth, status, or closeness to the kaiser.

Their role was to advise him, but ultimately, the kaiser made the decisions.

Germany was run from the top down, so with real power concentrated in the hands of the kaiser and his elite advisors.

At the very bottom, we have the Reichstag, Germany's national parliament.

The Reichstag was elected, so it looked democratic on the surface, but in reality, its power was limited.

It could debate laws and approve budgets, but it had no control over the army, foreign policy, or who was chosen as chancellor.

So if we look at the pyramid as a whole, the message is clear.

Real power was concentrated at the top with the kaiser and his close circle, not with the elected parliament.

Germany was united as a nation, but it was not a true democracy.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete this sentence with the correct missing word.

Real power in Germany was concentrated at the top in the hands of the blank and his elite advisors.

Pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

Let's see how that sentence should have read.

Real power in Germany was concentrated at the top in the hands of the kaiser and his elite advisors.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task B.

What I want you to do here is describe two features of Germany's system of government after unification in 1871.

So the best way to answer this question is to identify a feature in your first sentence, and then go on to describe the feature in relation to Germany's system of government.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done on having a go at that task.

So there's obviously many different ways that you could have answered this question, but compare your answers with the ones I have here.

You could have written, "Germany was a unified nation made up of 25 states under the new German Empire, which later became known as the Second Reich." So we've identified a feature there, which is the composition of this new German Empire.

We can go on and describe it a little here in the next sentence.

Each state kept its own local government and leader, but agreed to be part of a single empire.

And for the next feature about Prussian militarism, Prussian militarism shaped the structure and values of the empire.

The army held a special place in society, answered directly to the kaiser, and influenced everyday life.

Military values, like discipline and loyalty, became part of German identity.

Or alternatively, you may have written about the leadership.

The kaiser ruled from the top, supported by a small group of elite advisors, including the chancellor.

The chancellor was appointed by the kaiser and answered only to him.

Other advisors, including army generals, aristocrats, and top officials.

The Reichstag existed, but had limited power and could not control the chancellor, government, or military.

Okay, so far, we've traced Germany's story with the unification of Germany, where war, diplomacy, and nationalism brought the many independent states together into a single empire.

And we've looked at Germany's system of government, a state that looked democratic because of the Reichstag, but where real power remained in the hands of the kaiser and his elite advisors, with the army loyal only to him, and Prussian militarism dominating both the government and the wider German society.

Let's move on to the final part of the lesson, where we'll look at Kaiser Wilhelm II and the growing tensions overall.

So in 1888, the new kaiser came to the throne, Wilhelm II.

Raised in the traditions of absolute monarchy, Wilhelm believed the Monarch should make all major decisions without needing approval from parliament.

He adored the military parades of his youth, and was often seen wearing a crisp uniform and spiked helmet instead of royal robes.

And we can see the kaiser in his uniform in the painting on the left.

The kaiser aimed to expand Germany's power and ruled in an authoritarian top-down style.

In other words, Wilhelm's dream was for Germany to become a global empire.

He relied heavily on his elite advisors and military officials to govern, rarely involving the Reichstag in decisions.

These groups, loyal to the monarchy and hostile to democratic change, helped the kaiser maintain firm control of the empire.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Which of the following best describes Kaiser Wilhelm II's character and leadership style, A, he avoided foreign affairs and focused only on domestic policies, B, he encouraged democratic reforms and shared power of parliament, C, he rejected militarism and wore traditional royal robes to show absolute monarchy, D, he was a military-obsessed monarchy who ruled with little input from the Reichstag? Pause video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer was D.

He was a military-obsessed monarch who ruled with little input from the Reichstag.

Despite the kaiser's strong control over government, Germany was also changing.

Germany began to appear more democratic by 1912.

All men aged 25 and over could vote for members of the national parliament, the Reichstag.

And by 1912, voter turnout had reached 85%.

We can see a photo of the inside of the Reichstag on the left.

In 1912, the Social Democratic Party, or SPD, which represented many working-class voters, had become the largest party in the Reichstag.

Middle-class and working-class Germans began to believe they could influence national politics.

The SPD's rise caused alarm among the ruling elites, who feared socialism and political reform.

However, at this point, they may have had little to fear, as real power remained with the kaiser and his elites.

Although the Reichstag could debate laws and vote on budgets, including military spending, it had no control over major decisions, and little power to change how money was used.

Political parties could win votes, but they could not choose the chancellor or shape key policies like foreign affairs.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete these sentences with the correct missing words.

By 1912, the blank had become a symbol of growing democracy in Germany, with high voter turnouts and the SPD as its largest party.

However, it had limited power, as it could not choose the blank or influence key decisions like foreign policy.

Pause the video, fill in the blanks, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And let's see how those sentences should have read.

By 1912, the Reichstag had become a symbol of growing democracy in Germany, with high vote turnout and SPD as its largest party.

However, it had limited power, as it could not choose the chancellor or influence key decisions like foreign policy.

Wilhelm II's authoritarian leadership widened tensions within Germany just as Europe edged closer to war, what became known as the First World War.

So this growing tension between a powerful king or emperor and an expanding democratic movement led to growing frustration.

And the kaiser did little to help heal the situation either.

In 1890, he dismissed Otto von Bismarck, the experienced chancellor who had helped unify Germany, and had worked to avoid foreign conflict in order to preserve peace in Europe.

So what had happened? Bismarck had initially used war to unify Germany, but afterwards, he deliberately shifted strategy.

Surrounded by powerful neighbors, his goal was to prevent Germany from being dragged into conflicts that could undo everything he had achieved.

But the kaiser had grown tired of sharing power and listening to Bismarck's cautious advice.

He was eager to make Germany a world power, and he needed people who would follow his lead.

So Wilhelm replaced Bismarck with weaker chancellors who would not challenge his authority.

This decision contributed to the risky foreign policy choices leading up to the First World War.

Kaiser's desire for global influence made him even more determined to rule without parliamentary interference.

And some historians cite the kaiser's decisions here as one of the many causes for the First World War.

In the photo, we can see Kaiser Wilhelm II standing with his top military generals.

Notice how closely they're gathered around the table studying military plans.

And this image captures something very important about Wilhelm's style of rule, his reliance on the military.

He had no time for chancellors or the Reichstag.

He surrounded himself with generals and advisors who would support his ambitions rather than challenge him.

By 1914, the forces of nationalism, militarism, and centralized leadership remained central to German identity.

These same forces, which had once unified the nation, now shaped the way Germany entered the First World War.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

How did kaiser Wilhelm II's dismissal of Bismarck in 1890 affect Germany's direction before the First World War, A, it caused Germany to abandon nationalism and militarism, B, it reduced Germany's desire for global influence, C, it resulted in weaker leadership and more aggressive foreign policy? Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer C.

It resulted in weaker leadership and more aggressive foreign policy.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task C.

What I want you to do here is explain ways in which Kaiser Wilhelm II faced difficulties in ruling Germany.

And I want you to write three paragraphs covering the following.

Your first paragraph should look at the democratic movement taking place in Germany at the time, and how this affected the kaiser's leadership of Germany.

Your second paragraph should address the kaiser's leadership style.

And finally, your third paragraph should look at the empire's structure.

And here, you can look at the empire's government and the nature of German society at this time.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many ways that you could have answered that question, but compare your paragraphs with the ones I have here.

So for your first paragraph, you may have answered, "One way in which Wilhelm II was facing difficulties in ruling Germany was that German society was becoming more democratic.

All men over 25 could now vote.

And by 1912, the SPD had become the largest party in the Reichstag.

However, real power still lay with the kaiser and his advisors, with little power given to the parliament.

Many people wanted more say in how the country was run, but the kaiser continued to make all major decisions without consulting the Reichstag, which caused frustration." And your second paragraph, "Another way was because of the kaiser's leadership style.

He believed in absolute monarchy and preferred to rule without interference from the Reichstag.

He relied on elite, unelected advisors and military generals to make decisions.

He also dismissed anyone who challenged him, such as Chancellor Bismarck in 1890, and replaced them with weaker chancellors who wouldn't question his authority.

This led to risky foreign policy decisions, as Wilhelm focused on building a global empire without proper advice or challenge.

Many people felt ignored at home, and tensions increased both inside and outside Germany." And finally, "A third problem was the empire's structure.

Prussian militarism gave the army special status and discouraged political change.

The army was very powerful and answered directly to the kaiser, not to the Reichstag.

Military values, like discipline, loyalty, and obedience, were seen as more important than freedom of speech or political debate.

People who criticized the government were often treated as a threat.

Militarism also encouraged the kaiser to focus on building a global empire, which led to aggressive foreign policies and distracted from solving problems at home." Okay, great, let's summarize today's lesson, Germany Before the First World War.

Prussia's leadership and military strength were essential to Germany's unification in 1871.

Nationalism grew as a result of Prussian victories, but it also reflected growing public support for German unity.

Germany became a unified empire of 25 states, dominated by Prussian militarism and monarchy in 1871.

The kaiser ruled with elite advisors, including the Chancellor, and the Reichstag existed, but had limited power.

Growing demands for democracy clashed with authoritarian rule and militaristic values in the lead-up to the First World War.

Well done, everyone.

And today, we've explored how Germany transformed from a fragmented collection of states into a powerful empire.

We've also seen how Kaiser Wilhelm II's leadership style and his reliance on a small circle of elites and the military deepened tensions both in Germany and across Europe.

See you in the next lesson.