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