It included the lands of the German Confederation north of the river Main , plus Prussia 's eastern territories and the Duchy of Schleswig . Austria , and the southern states of Bavaria , WÃ 1\/4 rttemberg , Baden and the southern parts of the Grand Duchy of Hesse were not in the Confederation . Its territory comprised the parts of the German Confederation north of the river Main ( with the exception of Luxembourg ) , plus Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Prussia 's eastern territories and the Duchy of Schleswig , but excluded Austria , Bavaria , WÃ 1\/4 rttemberg , Baden , Luxembourg , Limburg , Liechtenstein and the southern parts of the Grand Duchy of Hesse .