UCSB > History Dept. > Prof. Marcuse > Courses > Hist 133a > Lecture 17: National Liberals, Catholics

UCSB Hist 133A, Fall 2006 (133a homepage)
19th Century Germany, Nov. 8, 2006

Prof. Marcuse (homepage)
marcuse@history.ucsb.edu

Lecture 17:
National Unity and the Kulturkampf
(previous lecture, next lecture)

Guiding Questions

  • To what extent did political parties shape national life in the German empire?
  • How did Bismarck navigate the pitfalls to unite very disparate interest groups into a unified culture?

Loose Ends

  • Monument theory & how it applies to the examples
  • Example of Bismarck monument in Hamburg, and 1873 ADAV Breslau Lassalle flag

Social Democracy

  • 1878 Anti-socialist laws (Oct. 19 law after June 2, 1878 attempt on W I's life)
  • 4 prohibitions: political parties, organizations, printed matter, assembly: 1300 pamphlets censored, 330 organizations prohibited in 12 years

Political Catholicism and the Kulturkampf

  • Center Party: established 1870 in Prussian Assembly. Goals:
  • Ludwig Windthorst (1812-1891): 1848 Hannover delegate
  • July 1871: disbanded Catholic department in Prussian Ministry of Culture
  • Jan. 1872: punishment for preaching about "affairs of the state"
  • Mar. 1872 : School Inspection Law: State appoints all school teachers
    RT speech: founding of Center in 1870 "mobilization against state;""enemies of the state"
  • June 1872: Jesuit order prohibited – "ultramontan"
    Gustav zu Hohenlohe-Schillingfürst ambassador to Vatican
  • May 1872: "We won’t go to Canossa—neither physically nor mentally" (Henry IV in 1077)
  • May 1873 laws: Priests need state exam in German Philosophy, History, Literature;
    All appointments must be approved by state;
    No need to give reason why leaving the Church.
    (May 1874: infractions punishable by revocation of citizenship)
  • Jan-Apr. 1875: 241 priests, 136 editors, 210 Catholics fined & arrested; 20 newspapers confiscated, 74 houses searched, 113 people extradicted; 55 assemblies broken up
  • Passive resistance: no reports, no flags, auction repurchases
    electoral success: Prussian assembly Nov. 1873: 52->90 seats; Reichstag Jan. 1874: 58->91 seats
  • Feb. 1878 : Pius IX -> Leo XIII; 1880-83 reductions, 1886/7 end

Reichstag, July 1878

Party

Vote

Seats

Conservatives

13.0%

59

German Reich Party

13.6%

57

independent Liberals

2.7%

10

National Liberals

23.1%

99

G. Progressive Party

6.7%

26

Germ. People's Party

1.1%

3

Center

23.1%

94

Social Democrats

7.6%

9

Welfs

2.6%

14

Danes

0.3%

1

Poles

3.6%

14

Alsace-Lorraine

2.3%

11

other

0.3%

0

participation/seats

63.3%

397

Reichstag, February 1890

Party

Vote

Seats

Conservatives

12.4%

73

German Reich Party

6.7%

20

National Liberals

16.3%

42

German.-Freisinnige Party

16.0%

66

German People's Party

2.0%

10

Center

18.6%

106

Social Democrats

19.7%

35

Welfs

1.6%

11

Danes

0.2%

1

Poles

3.4%

16

Alsace-Lorraine

1.4%

10

Germ. Reform/Antisemites

0.7%

5

other

1.0%

2

participation/seats

71.6%

397

Q6 for Monday

  • 3 important facts about the women's movement in 19th century German (each w/ sentence of explanation)
  • Purchase Heinrich Mann, Man of Straw ($11.95+tax at the UCen bookstore)
    advance copy of the Man of Straw handout is available (need for Q8)

Links (back to top)


Illustration (back to top)

Kulturkampf: Bismarck and Pius IX playing chessBismarck and Pius IX playing chess with figures representing the issues in the Kulturkampf..


prepared for web by H. Marcuse on Nov. 9, 2006, updated: 11/15/06, 5/13/2013
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