Exactly what it says on the tin. What if there was enough momentum behind the the German Unification Movement to actually create a single state? Either through conquest or some other means.
DBWI: What if Germany Unified?
- Thread starter da Racontor
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Perhaps the Germanies could have unified into a single state under some kind of federal government that respected different regional and religious identities, but in the long run I think the centrifugal forces would have been too great, just like they ultimately were for Scandinavia by 1900 and the South Slavic Union in the mid 20th century. The best chance was in 1848. After that the division between Austrian-led Germany and Prussian-led Germany can only grow as German identity loses priority to other identities. What would a unified German state have done with Hungary and the other non-German parts of the Austrian empire? Would it incorporate Switzerland? How?
Well, it could’ve happened, but the arguments between Prussia and Austria became a fair too much for them to take regarding power plays and we got the “Three Germanies” we know and love.
Though I don’t know what they’re called abroad, but from what I recall:
- There’s the Habsburg’s domain of the Greater Austrian Empire, which was Austria plus the southern German Nations like Bavaria and Württemberg. They’re a Catholic constituonal monarchy. They formed after Hungary tore itself to pieces. Of course, they had to form the Second Great Moravia out of Hungary, Bohemia, Silesia, Slovakia and Congress Poland to fix that. Though it along with the Dinaric Confederacy are holding up. They’re BFFs with France.
-Then there’s the Hanover-Brandenburg Dual State, which was formed when Hanover-Westphalia and Brandenburg-Mecklenburg fused together. They’re largely Protestnant and they’re closer to the British and the Nordic nations. The used to be two constituonal monarchies, but with the kinks given up their thrones, they’re gonna become a Federation next year including giving themselves a new name. Not sure if it’s be Germany though.
- Then there’s Prussia or the New Teutonic State I think they call themselves. After they lost, they went a little nuts and instead fused with the Baltic states. They then proceeded to reinvent themselves by embracing Eastern Orthodox and create a new “East German” language by combining German and the old Gothic language along with a new alphabet based on, well same as the languages. They’re closer to Eastern Europe obviously. I think they used to be ruled by the Romanovs after Russia kicked them out, but that house combined with that of Krupp, so some foreigners call them Krupanov. Constituonal monarchy, but also an elective one, with junkers being able to vote for the ruler, like how Poland-Lithuania had.
Though I don’t know what they’re called abroad, but from what I recall:
- There’s the Habsburg’s domain of the Greater Austrian Empire, which was Austria plus the southern German Nations like Bavaria and Württemberg. They’re a Catholic constituonal monarchy. They formed after Hungary tore itself to pieces. Of course, they had to form the Second Great Moravia out of Hungary, Bohemia, Silesia, Slovakia and Congress Poland to fix that. Though it along with the Dinaric Confederacy are holding up. They’re BFFs with France.
-Then there’s the Hanover-Brandenburg Dual State, which was formed when Hanover-Westphalia and Brandenburg-Mecklenburg fused together. They’re largely Protestnant and they’re closer to the British and the Nordic nations. The used to be two constituonal monarchies, but with the kinks given up their thrones, they’re gonna become a Federation next year including giving themselves a new name. Not sure if it’s be Germany though.
- Then there’s Prussia or the New Teutonic State I think they call themselves. After they lost, they went a little nuts and instead fused with the Baltic states. They then proceeded to reinvent themselves by embracing Eastern Orthodox and create a new “East German” language by combining German and the old Gothic language along with a new alphabet based on, well same as the languages. They’re closer to Eastern Europe obviously. I think they used to be ruled by the Romanovs after Russia kicked them out, but that house combined with that of Krupp, so some foreigners call them Krupanov. Constituonal monarchy, but also an elective one, with junkers being able to vote for the ruler, like how Poland-Lithuania had.
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FillyofDelphi
Banned
Of course it could have happened; all the institutional elements for a Holy Roman Republic (possibly with a modestly powerful monarch at its head, depending on the unification method of such a state) existed in the pre-Napoleonic structures of the Germanies. It was really, in my opinion, the Congress of Vienna that put the final kibosh on any final attempt at German unification by not only legitimizing Napoleon's reorganization of the States and destruction of the Empire (The elements of the new German Confederation were both powerful/large enough to construct their own identities, surpress internal pan-German radicals, and resist any Habsburg efforts towards centralization, but too few in number of easily slip into becoming representative entities in a federal, conservative Imperial structure of co-equals in a manner like The United States or The Ulema-Osmanli), but also in its efforts to establish the "Big 4" as equally powerfully overly compensated Prussia to the point that neither they nor Vienna could reasonably hope to out-maneuver or overpower the other. I'd say your best bet at laying down the framework for a unified Germany is in 1815-1816 by restoring the antibellium borders of the German States pre-Napoleon, at which point Austria would have the decisive margin in political, fiscal, and military power to push through the restoration of Imperial authority and impose greater control over the affairs of the individual micro-states (Especially since they'd need centeral funds to rebuild their shattered governments and infrastructure). In that case, you could either see an eventual formalization of unification in by the 70's or 80's, or perhaps just have the government mechanics in place for the Liberal revolutionaries to co-opt to form a Pan-German Republic in 1848.
I think Germany and Unity are a Contradictio in Terminis only a by force will they unite I gess .
Perhaps a real Ruthless Emperor who is not afraid to decapitate Members of the High Nobility once in a while just like it used to happen in other civilesed European Countries would achieve a United Germany.Charles Y who has the Duke of Wurtemberg and the Landgraf of Hessen decapitated is a good start
Perhaps a real Ruthless Emperor who is not afraid to decapitate Members of the High Nobility once in a while just like it used to happen in other civilesed European Countries would achieve a United Germany.Charles Y who has the Duke of Wurtemberg and the Landgraf of Hessen decapitated is a good start
The Avenger
Banned
Holding this unified Germany together would be a challenge, but it could work. What you need to do is significantly expand Germany's territory--probably through a war with Russia--so that a new frontier is created for Germany. That way, Germans can settle there and become imbued with a pioneer spirit--helping to forge a common German identity in the process considering that Germans from all parts of Germany could settle there.
Since the Saxerweg obtained abandonment of High German in favour of Saxon I strongly suspect it's something like Saxenbund (Saxon Federation) or Bundesreich Saxen (Federal Realm/Kingdom of Saxony).
Ooc: Saxerweg ~ Saxon Movement who promoted use of the colloquial "Saxon" languages ie OTL Low Saxon. The use of "x" is deliberate.