Blog #5- Failure of German Unification

The initial united German Nation was short-lived and full of difficult times and struggles. It lasted only from 1871 until the end of WWII, not even 100 years in which it endured two World Wars, a Depression, political distress, and the strong dictatorship of Hitler which ultimately led to the destruction of Germany’s unity. Perhaps because Germany was such a young nation when WWI broke out, and with their unstable political system that led to Germany’s inability to remain unified. Too many crises erupted before Germany could get a solid grip on their unity.

            Germany’s first attempts at democracy were rushed and emerged in times of desperation which explains their ultimate failure. Schulze explains their first democracy “emerged as the product not of an elected parliament and strong political parties but rather of a general staff at its wits’ end” and the Weimar democracy “came at the worst possible moment, in the hour of defeat…” (page 197).   The defeat of WWI left Germany devastated, and struggling politically, and economically. The Treaty of Versailles stripped them some of their territory, left huge reparation debt they had to pay off, and limited their military leaving Germany vulnerable and defenseless. Soon after WWI the Great Depression spread further increasing the tension and devastation among the German people. Unemployment was high, and Germany currency experienced massive inflation.   After WWI Germany experienced 16 different governments, changing almost every eight and a half months which Schulze explains was the result of “a vicious circle set in motion, for the weaker a government appeared, the more tempting it was for voters to switch to the alternative parties…” (page 207).  There was no consistency in the government as the German people were still figuring out what they wanted for a unified government.

            Hitler came to power when Germany was very vulnerable which helped increased his success in leadership over the German people gaining the support he needed to implement his ideas that led to a destructive war that did not end in Germany's favor. Hitler was smart, a very good public speaker and his political tactic was to appeal to the emotion needs of the German people (Schulze, 231). He decreased unemployment, made improvement to the deteriorating economy, and he had a plan for Germany to increase the empire which he managed to do in the beginning (annexation of Austria, and Czechoslovakia) without going to war which is how he gained much of his support. (Schulze, 257). Maybe because Germany hasn’t had much luck with political leaders up until this point but it seems the Germans may have underestimated Hitler and his ideology because those who knew of his plan for Lebensraum at the start of his political career did nothing to try to stop him until it was too late. Hitler at first seemed to be exaclty what they needed to bring them out of their depressive state and it wasn't until the defeat of Stalingrad that Hitler began to lose his support.

The violent and mostly depressing history of Germany’s unification leads me wonder, how it is taught in schools. Do they tell it like it happened and more of a tool to learn from past mistakes, or are German’s ashamed of their past? Are members of the German resistance, like the Red Orchestra, the White Rose, Kreisau Circle, the Confessing Church, and the many members of the multiple assassination plots of Hitler remembered as heroes for their courage or as traitors for going against the government? From an American standpoint, history seems to be told in some respects as to how we want it to be remembered for example the Civil War in American history, isn’t necessarily viewed as the war in which the United States fought against each other, but more of in the positive light as the war the ended slavery. It’s not that the US has had a completely positive past, the Vietnam War for example sparks a lot of controversy, but the US’s reputation seems to be that of the helper, offering help even when not needed/wanted but Germany has the reputation of starting the only World Wars that have existed in history (though the cause of WWI is up for debate). How do they reflect on their past?

 

This is a photograph taken in Berlin in 1945.

Photo taken from: http://sengook.com/berlin-1945.html

The Reichstag in 1945.

Photo taken from:http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?165551-Pics-from-the-Reichstag-in-1945

 

Photograph of Libertas Schulze-Boysen who was a member of the Red Orchestra. The Red Orchstra, also know as Rote Kapelle or Red Chapel, was a a communist espionage operation against Hitler and the Nazis during WWII.

Photo taken from: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/books/review/Herzog-t.html?_r=0

Blog #4 German identity/unification

For a nation or people that have been around essentially since the Eleventh century, it seems odd that even still by the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries, German is still only referred to as a language and not an identity and it wouldn’t be until the Nineteenth century that Germany became united. What is interesting though is in the Eighteenth century the German identity that began to form was not political but cultural. The growth of the educated elite, meaning teachers, doctors, civil servants, clergyman, etc., who now held positions as a result of training and skill and not inherited, led to the development of a standardized German language. German literature, drama, and opera became a link connecting the German people. Writers began publishing in German not only because it was demanded but because this language gave them a sense of identity that was different to and set them apart from the French. So at this time the educated people of Germany had some sense of a German identity (pg 89). Language and culture brought a sense of identity to these people that were separate from any political ties, so the people they associated with their identity were not political figures like princes or military leaders but were poets and philosophers of Germany. They didn’t see a problem in the territory divide; they thought what they needed to be a more unified country was more unity among the rulers (pg 91). Music and architecture were things that began to give Germany an identity. Composers like Ludwig van Beethoven were successful in their music. In architecture, a classical style was used for building in places like Berlin and Munich. Gothic architecture was at the time believed to be German style of architecture (pg 114). These things like music, and architecture were things that provided Germans something to identify themselves with; to be known for.

 

This a picture of a Cathedral in Cologne, Germany that represents the Gothic style architecture.

 

Image from: http://www.trekbd.com/2011/12/cologne-cathedral-famous-monument-of.html
 

In comparison to the U.S one can see some similarities and differences in the way national identity was formed. The United States began as colonies starting with Jamestown, VA established at the beginning of the Seventeenth century. Each colony operated under its own rule and had their own system of beliefs, value, and culture. Each colony was independent of each other though loosely connected by British rule. While essential they were all English, the colonies didn’t start off having one unified identity.  The German states too operated independently and didn’t identify themselves as a German people. One place where the two countries seem to differ is what the identity of the country would be based on. In America, the colonies united together to break off from British rule and came together to decide what this new country would look like, how it would be governed. The American identity as a nation was more closely tied to political ideas rather than a culture or language like in Germany. America’s struggles in its years of becoming unified were what would the government look like, and what freedoms should be guaranteed whereas in Germany they were struggling with which territories should be included in this unified nation; should Austria be included in the German nation or not? In both cases there was one dominating territory of influence. In America it was Virginia and in Germany it was the kingdom of Prussia. The German struggle for unity and a national identity seems to stem largely from the fact that this “German” people or empire has existed for so long without an identity. They had operated so long independently. The Americas only had thirteen colonies they had to try to unite while Germany had hundreds of small kingdoms to bring together.

 

This is a map of the Kingdom of Prussia and Germany. Prussia was the largest, most powerful kingdom in Germany.

Picture from: http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~lhd/biography/?language=ger

 

 

 This is a map of the Kingdoms of Germany in the Seventeenth Century.

Picture from: http://www.thebreman.org/exhibitions/online/1000kids/germanic_lands.html