Question

Give an account of the unification of Germany especially mentioning the part played by Bismarck

Answer 1

The rise of these nationalist feelings was brought about by the romantic movement, which adhered to the philosophy that passion for ones country counted for more than a sense of logic and reasoning. It was artists, philosophers and writers such as the Grimm brothers who encouraged fellow Germans to remember German heroes and legends of the past. The romantic movement inevitably reached the student community, who were encouraged to act on their views. An example of this was the burning of unpatriotic books in 1877 on the anniversary of Napoleon?s defeat in Leipzig. This was called cultural nationalism, and it played a part in the eventual unification of Germany re-introducing a passion for the whole German nation.