‘ the Great Questions of the Day Will Not Be Settled by Speeches and Majority Decisions’. What Were the ‘Great Questions’ of the Day for Bismarck and How Did He Settle Them Up to 1871?
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In 1861, a stalemate had grown in Prussia between the Prussian government and Parliament over the size of the army and length of service.In the hope of breaking this stalemate in line with the king's wishes, Bismarck was appointed minister-president of Prussia in early October 1862. Bismarck was determined that Prussian sway should extend such that Prussia would become the leading power in a northern and western Germany from which Austrian influence was excluded. This reference to "the great questions of the day" referred to Bismarck's agenda of Prussian expansion and consolidation.
One of the first major questions for Otto von Bismarck was how he was going to push forward Prussian influence in Germany as well as in the rest of Europe. In 1863 in Poland, there was a revolt by the Poles over Russian authority in their country after a century of being divided geographically between Prussia and Russia. Here, Bismarck offered Prussian military help to the Russians to stop the revolt spreading but they turned it down. A convention, however was agreed between the two countries and Prussia agreed to hand over any rebels straying into their territory. The suppression of the revolt angered France, Britain and Austria, however, suppressing the revolt helped sustain Prussian influence in Poland. Then in 1864, there was the major issue of Schleswig-Holstein in Denmark, which was to be the first real test for Bismarck’s diplomatic ability. The Danish monarchy consisted of three parts after 1814; Denmark, Schleswig and Holstein, all under the rule of King Frederick VII of Denmark. The population of Schleswig was largely Danish and the population of Holstein was a mixture of Danish and German and as Holstein was a member of the German confederation and Schleswig was not, the Danes wanted Schleswig incorporated into their territory. So in 1852, at the Treaty of London, it was agreed that when King Frederick died, Christian of Glucksburg would succeed him. When this did...
One of the first major questions for Otto von Bismarck was how he was going to push forward Prussian influence in Germany as well as in the rest of Europe. In 1863 in Poland, there was a revolt by the Poles over Russian authority in their country after a century of being divided geographically between Prussia and Russia. Here, Bismarck offered Prussian military help to the Russians to stop the revolt spreading but they turned it down. A convention, however was agreed between the two countries and Prussia agreed to hand over any rebels straying into their territory. The suppression of the revolt angered France, Britain and Austria, however, suppressing the revolt helped sustain Prussian influence in Poland. Then in 1864, there was the major issue of Schleswig-Holstein in Denmark, which was to be the first real test for Bismarck’s diplomatic ability. The Danish monarchy consisted of three parts after 1814; Denmark, Schleswig and Holstein, all under the rule of King Frederick VII of Denmark. The population of Schleswig was largely Danish and the population of Holstein was a mixture of Danish and German and as Holstein was a member of the German confederation and Schleswig was not, the Danes wanted Schleswig incorporated into their territory. So in 1852, at the Treaty of London, it was agreed that when King Frederick died, Christian of Glucksburg would succeed him. When this did...