1866: Prussia annexes Bohemia and Austrian Silesia

Following the Austro-Prussian War, there were forces within Prussia urging for an annexation of territory from Austria - namely Bohemia (but not Moravia) and Austrian Silesia. Bismarck opposed this as he did not want to make a permanent enemy of Austria.

But what if Bismarck hadn't been able to satiate these nationalist elements Prussia had annexed these territories?

Part of the reason for the OTL annexation of Alsace-Lorraine was to make up for not annexing territory from Austria. German nationalists will clamor for Alsace-Lorraine, but perhaps Germany doesn't take the territory TTL?
 
If Germany do that, Italy wil go for annexing more respect OTL, as it occupy a large part of Trentino and OTL Bismark pressed that he will have supported Italy obtaining only what promised by the previous agreement; if he fail to contain the nationalisit he will 'forced' to concede something more to the italians
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
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If Prussia annexes Bohemia (and Austrian Silesia), do Czechs and Poles have a markedly different experience living under Prussian rather than Habsburg rule?

Do differences in policies on language, etc. encourage any migration of Czechs and Poles into remaining Austria lands?

I would note that for Austria, a Prussian annexation of Bohemia - without Moravia - is more "merciful", because it still leaves Cisleithania as a contiguous territorial unit going forward, with land connections between the Archduchy of Austria and Galicia provided by Moravia.

Regarding Italian annexations- How extensive will they be? Versailles borders, or just the territory of the old Archbishopric of Trent. If the Italians get the Versailles borders, are they likely to henceforth drop any animus to Austria-Hungary? If they get something less, say the Archbishopric of Trent and any of Trieste, Fiume or Istria, would they be satiated of "irredenta" in Europe and lose animus to Austria-Hungary? Or would they on the contrary have national ambitions for subsequent expansion at Austrian expense?

If Prussia and Italy are taking substantial Habsburg territories on any scale, are the Russians making any demands for compensation from Austria (Tarnopol, eastern Galicia), and would those demands be met?
 
The OP is jumping the gun. First, they need to win more, Austria sued for peace, they didn't unconditionally surrender. The situation on July 22 isn't enough to make Austria surrender Bohemia.
 
The OP is jumping the gun. First, they need to win more, Austria sued for peace, they didn't unconditionally surrender. The situation on July 22 isn't enough to make Austria surrender Bohemia.

Isn't it?

Iirc, by the time hostilities ceased, all or nearly all Bohemia was in Prussian hands.
 
If Germany do that, Italy wil go for annexing more respect OTL, as it occupy a large part of Trentino and OTL Bismark pressed that he will have supported Italy obtaining only what promised by the previous agreement; if he fail to contain the nationalisit he will 'forced' to concede something more to the italians

... at which point the other Great Powers (Russia, Great Britain, and France) step in to stop the wholesale dismemberment of such a key piller of the stability of the European system.
 

TruthfulPanda

Gone Fishin'
If Prussia annexes Bohemia (and Austrian Silesia), do Czechs and Poles have a markedly different experience living under Prussian rather than Habsburg rule?

Very different experience.
In Habsburg lands since time immemorial "major local language" was used in Adminstratation. In late XIXth
century Prussia - German only.
Forget the Czech revival - come 1914 Czechia would be much more Germanised than in OTL.

Gradually education would be in German only and - same as in the UK or France - pupils would be beaten for speaking the local language.

Do differences in policies on language, etc. encourage any migration of Czechs and Poles into remaining Austria lands?
I don't think that there would be sizeable political emigration - most people would simply get on with life.



If Prussia and Italy are taking substantial Habsburg territories on any scale, are the Russians making any demands for compensation from Austria (Tarnopol, eastern Galicia), and would those demands be met?
Russia has just put down the latest idiotic uprising in its part of Poland ... so I do not see Alexander II looking for more poor quality farmland of no strategic value with Poles, Jews and Little Russians on it.
 
Isn't it?

Iirc, by the time hostilities ceased, all or nearly all Bohemia was in Prussian hands.

They took Bohemia, doesn't mean that they can keep it.

In other words, Prussia had two aces to bargain with, not a Royal Straight Flush. You can't start dismembering Austria on July 22, 1866, the Austrians entered negotiations they didn't surrender unconditionally. If it was the case that the Prussians wanted so badly Bohemia they would need one of three things:

1 - To win more and cripple Austria, like winning two more Konningratz.
2 - Concede something or give up other exigencies, like stop supporting Italy or giving up in kicking Austria out of Germany.
3 - Win the support of another Great Power.
 
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