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Content: The Unification of Germany
The Unification of Germany
Under the terms of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the German states had been 
reorganized into a new German Confederation, consisting of thirty eight 
sovereign states. Frederick William IV of Prussia had attempted to unify Germany 
"from above," but had been blocked by Austria with the support of Russia. Tension between Austria and Prussia exacerbated as each sought to block the 
other from gaining power within the confederation. As a result, a tense 
stalemate existed in the 1850’s. At the same time, rapid industrial growth 
occurred within the German Zollverein(customs union). The union had 
developed gradually under Prussian leadership after 1818, and was officially 
founded in 1834 to stimulate trade and increase the revenues of member states; but it did not include Austria, a factor which played heavily in the 
Austro-Prussian rivalry. Tariff duties within the Zollverein were substantially reduced which 
prevented Austria from joining, since its industries were highly protected by 
tariffs. In retaliation, Austria tried to destroy the Zollverein by inducing the 
southern German states to leave it, but failed to do so. By 1853, all German 
states except Austria were members, and as businessmen and merchants enriched 
themselves, the economic reality of German unification excluding Austria seemed 
more and more a de factoreality.