Prussia+and+the+Frankfurt+Assembly

​​Aaron Buncher Alex Katz Baylee Williams

//PRUSSIA-- 1848-- A TIME OF TROUBLE//

The liberal middle class in Prussia desired a constitutional monarchy in Prussia and wanted to unify the thirty-eight German states as well as Prussia into one country. Louis Philippe’s death pushed their cause forward, and the working class united with the middle class in their cause. Frederick William IV gave in at last and assured both classes that he would grant Prussia a liberal constitution. This did not please the workers, who wanted more, and the aristocracy, who didn’t want this at all. A National Assembly met in Frankfurt to write a federal constitution. In order to incorporate the territories of Schleswig and Holstein into the German nation, the National Assembly declared war on Denmark. By May 1849, the National Assembly had finished writing its constitution and elected Frederick William of Prussia to become the emperor; however, Frederick William did not want a liberal constitution. He granted them a conservative constitution and disbanded the National Assembly. Ruling by the divine right of kings, Frederick tried to become emperor, but Austria denied him the title. With Russia supporting Austria, Austria demanded that Prussia stop attempting to unify the German states, and then Prussia reestablished the German Confederation.

// Riots in Berlin // Workers in Berlin drafted a set of demands to the Prussian King. After several days of inaction, riots broke out in Berlin and the revolutionaries surrounded the royal palace. The king gave in to an extent by removing censorship and calling for a general assembly. The violence started when the workers refused to leave the area and two shots broke out, which led to hours of street fighting. After leaving hundreds dead, the king issued an apology to all Berliners and declared that Prussia would merge with Germany; he also gave in to their other demands. // A Symbol of German Unification // As tensions rose, riots broke out in Berlin, and the troops were forced to intervene. Rather than witness his beloved people being killed, Frederick William IV decided to unify Germany into one country through a national flag. Utilizing black, red, and gold, Frederick William IV created the “venerable colors of the German nation”; these colors were associated with German liberalism and nationalism.



// The Frankfurt Assembly // The German governments agreed that diplomatic, military, and commercial powers should be headed by an executive body, but should not have any involvement in the writing of the Constitution. A Regent of the Empire headed the executive body; this title was given to Archduke John of Austria. Some groups of people such as the Czechs, who were controlled by the Austrians, did not want to become part of a German state. They aspired to remain a part of the Austrian empire. The Frankfurt Assembly convened at Paulskirche (St. Paul’s Church) in Frankfurt-am-Main on May 18, 1848. Of the 600 delegates, the majority were upper middle and upper class university educated professors, teachers, magistrates, lawyers, mayors, civil servants or businessmen, writers and noblemen.\



// The War with Denmark // The Germans wanted Schleswig and Holstein under their rule, while Denmark wished to incorporate Holstein and Schleswig into its own territory. Germans in Schleswig and Holstein set up governments supporting the German nation. German forces intervened in the dispute, and invaded the territories of Schleswig and Holstein, which resulted in many deaths. On July 9, 1851, the war with Denmark was brought to an end, and Schleswig and Holstein were under control of the Danish crown.

// A Failed Empire // In the Constitution, the National Assembly wanted to create a unified German Empire with Frederick William IV as the Emperor. Although Frederick William IV became emperor, he denied the National Assembly a liberal constitution. He granted them a conservative constitution instead and then disbanded the National Assembly against their will. Austria rebelled against the new empire, and Russia supported their opposition. Because of Austria's and Russia's resistance to the empire, it was dissolved, and in its place remained the German Confederation and Prussia. // Sources //

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