GERMANY PRE-WWI

BRIEF HISTORY

UNIFICATION• Before 1871 German territory was composed of

single independent states. 1870:Franco-Prussian war

1871:to fight France, all German states join Prussia to form the German empire,

William I is the first kaiser of Germany

Bismarck is its chancellor

STAGES BEFORE 1914:

• 1871-1890: Germany is ruled by chancellor Bismarck, who defeats France, sets the basis of the German colonial empire and stipulates defensive treats with Austria-Hungary and Italy

• 1888-1918: German emperor is William II, various Chancellors succeed one each other

GERMANY 1914

ECONOMICAL CONTEXT At the beginning of the 20th century, Germany economic as

demographic growth is the strongest in Europe:• Population increased between 1870 to 1910 from 40 to 65

million people• German heavy industry was the strongest in Europe(it

quadrupled in only 40 years)• Development of communication system was a key issue in the

German growth• Germany largely invested in strategic new growing industries• Wealth condition improved in a very socially-balanced way

POLITICAL CONTEXT

German Empire was a federal constitutional monarchyThe Kaiser is the head of the state, while legislative power

belongs to two federal parliamentsDespite its modern economic growth, at the beginning of 20th

Germany was still ruled by a restricted and conservative elite.• In 1912, the social-democratic party became the first party in

the German parliament• The growth of social-democrats set a period of reforms and

improvement of welfare• Still, the government of the Kaiser strongly challenged the

socialists, considering them enemies of the empire

SOCIAL CONTEXT

At the beginning of the 20th century the initiatives of the government to weak socialists lead to a strong state welfare policy

Most of German workers were involved in industrial work, but still a large 30% worked in the lands

Imperial Germany’s social structure was traditionally aristocratic ruling, but, due to the fast economic development, bourgeoisie and workers were slowly gaining power.

MILITARY CONTEXT

In 1914 Germany was the second strongest military power in the world

• Its army was composed of 700,000 soldiers

• Its military navy was the second in the world

• German Military Air Service was not very developed