TL: United we stand (Kaiserdeputation Suceeds)

Hi there,
There is something that interest me for quite some time now. I have read Marios "Austria Inside" and started wondering what could have happened if the german unification suceeded already in 1848. After i did some Research, i concluded that there are no good (in my opinion) timelines (that i found) about that topic.
I find the lack of such timelines disturbing.
Therefore i tried to create my own.

Disclaimer: Firstly i am german. My english can be rough sometimes. Secondly i am a historically interested Person, but haven't studied it. Most of my knowledge derivates from Wikipedia. So if you notice discrepancies, please tell my. I will try to adjust the TL.

Goal: With this timeline i aim to describe a world where the Paulskrichen Parlament suceeds in crowning a prussian emporer of a united (Great-)Germany.

Premise (probably a bit strange): In 1807 when Heinrich vom und zum Stein became Staatsminster of Prussia, he also overtakes the education of ten year old Prince Wilhelm (William). Wilhelm takes this training in addition to his Military tuition (which is a bit reduced compared to OTL). The Prince remains under Steins Hands until 1808. During the year he gets in contact with liberal opinions and modern politics. Just before Stein has to take his leave, he give Wilhelms education in the Hands of Wilhelm von Humboldt. Humboldt arrives at the end of 1808. Until 1817 Wilhelm ist trained by Humboldt and later (mainly in the Military ways) by Johann von Brause.
He visits Weimar serveral times (in the Name of his father) between 1810 and 1814, etablishing a sort of friendship with Carl Friedrich and gaining respect for Grandduke Karl August.
During this years Wilhelm grows up be am Military talented and scientific interested man, influenced by liberal and "aufklärerischen" ideas.
He marries Augusta von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach 1824 after his father prohibited a marriage with Elisa Radziwill a year earlier. The couple continues to visit Weimar often, so also in early march on 1848.
 
You've chosen a very thrilling moment in German history, a golden chance to achieve something that may had changed the course of Europe.

Wilkommen!!!

PS: Don't worry about your English, it's good enough. Ihrem Englisch ist besser als meinem Deutsch.;)
 
@king_of_the_penguins, @Kurt_Steiner: Thank you. :)
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Overview: The german liberal Revolution 1848 so far
>
After 1815: Vormärz: Growing demands for liberal rights after the Wiener Kongress
> July 1830: July-Revolution in France, regional uprisings in the german areas
> Following 1840: several uprisings (Schlesischer Weberaufstand), bad harvests in the german areas, Kartoffelaufstand in Berlin, formation of liberal clubs
> The Year 1848: February-Revolution in France
> 1. March: Start of the Revolution in Baden
> 4. March: Start of the Revolution in Bayern (Bavaria), Prince Wilhelm of Prussia travels to Weimar
> 5. March: Heidelberger Versammlung
> 9. March: Start of the Revolution in Preußen (Prussia)
> 13. March: Start of the Revolution in Österreich (Austria), Metternich resignates
> 15. March: de facto Independence of Hungary (Twelve Points)
> 17. March: Disengagement of Mailand (Milano) from Austria, Union with Sardinien-Piemont
> 18. and 19. March: Barricades fighting in Berlin, Friedrich-Wilhelm IV. is forced to honor the fallen revolutionary,
> 18.-22. March: Italian War of Independence
> Early April: Start of the Three Years War (Schleswig-Holstein Uprising)
> April-May: Polish Uprisings in Posen, Heckerzug
> 18. May: Opening of the Nationalversammlung in the Paulskirche of Frankfurt
> 16. June: Pfingstaufstand in Prague (Busted by the Austrians)
> 25. July: End of the Italian War
> 26. August: Treaty of Malmö (Nationalversammlun accepted at September 16.)
> 18. September: Barricades fighting in Frankfurt
> Continued Uprisings in Austria and Germany
> The Year 1849
>
28. March: Paulskirchenverfassung
> 2. April Current Date


Chapter I: The Coagulum that changed history
Berlin, Stadtschloss, 2. April 1848

Berlin_Stadtschloss.jpg

Berliner Stadtschloss
18:30 The King finishes the talks with his Advisors. He return to the family quarters in order to take supper with his wife Elisabeth. In his mind he worries about the liberal "problem" and the "Kaiserdeputation". The Ambassadors of the Nationalvresammlung arrived that day. The hearing was planned for the next day. Of course the King would decline this "Reif aus Dreck und Letten" (crown of
dirt and crisps).
19:15 After the meal Friedrich Wilhelm complains about headache and nausea. His physician Johann Schönlein is consulted.

1379_Friedrich_Wilhelm_IV__von_Preussen.jpeg

Friedrich-Wilhelm IV. King of Prussia
"Der Romantiker auf dem Thron"
("The Romanticist on the Throne")​

19:50 Schönlein diagnostics migraine. He recommended bed rest and extracts of mother's grain.
20:30 The king goes to bed. He told his wife that he his vision starts to blurr. Elisabeth shunts it on the migraine.
21:00 The queen goes to bed.
22:55 Friedrich-Wilhelm starts to speak mazy and complain that he don't feel his left arm.
23:30 Schönlein is powerless and can only declare death by stroke.

3. April
The message of the kings death reaches the city in the following morning and with it the ambassadors of the Kaiserdeputation. Under the lead of Reichsministerpräsident Heinrich von Gagern they hold a emergency meeting in the Café Josty (the Josty Meeting). Friedrich-Wilhelm was elected as Emporer by the Nationalversammlung on 28. March after long debates between the Republicans and the "Erbkaiserlichen". Heinrich Gagern was one of the main defenders of a smaller german under prussia.
With Friedrich-Wilhelms death all this hangs by the thread. After hours of debate the Deputation decides to offer the crown to the new king of Prussia, Friedrich-Wilhelms brother Wilhelm. The Prince resides in Weimar at this time, visiting his brother in law.

josty2.jpg

Café Josty (1880)
On the evening of the 4. April the messages of his brother death reaches Wilhelm in Weimar. A message of the Deputation, sended by Eduard von Simson arrives only hours later. The new royal couple leaves Weimar hastily and travel to Berlin.
 
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Yes, i wasn't really shure how to start and i don't like the Idea auf Friedrich-Wilhelm spontaneously supporting the Revolution. :) Therefore liberal Wilhelm :D.
 
Very interesting premise: I love timeliness where 1848 goes better for the liberal cause!
I understand that you will want to focus on Germany (Kleindeutschland at this point I suppose, although who knows what ripples can your POD bring to Vienna?) but one can always hope that things go differently in Italy? Maybe the French, feeling threatened by this new Germany, never send an expedition to Rome and so the Roman Republic is allowed to survive? It would be quite a stretch to be honest. Hungary could also turn out differently, although it is probably in Germany'so best interests that the Tsar'so army be kept occupied there for the moment.
 
I aim towards a Greater Germany and have my plans for its formation. As i have Plans for Hungary. I didn't really think about Italy until now. Hm..... :) But most of this will unwrap around the late 1850 oder early -middle 1860. For now Germany has enough other Problems.

Also to mention like i said in my opening post my historical knowledge ist restricted. So i'm not completely shure if my Plans will work reallisticly. Be surprised!
 
1848 easily being able to succeed is one of my ceterum censeos, so I'm eagerly awaiting how this turns out. The political debates of the 1850s were highly interesting; now they will no doubt proceed diferently! Germany is still full of little principalities, I wonder how that will turn out (it's not miraculously enlightened princes all over the place after all).
 
Assuming Wilhelm goes along (do we know his actual views at the time?) the "sixtifor" will be his attitude to the Constitution. Will he accept as permanent, or ill he view it as provisional only, and insist on summoning an assembly of the Princes to draw up a permanent one - which is likely to be a more conservative document?
 
Thank you very much for all the responses :).

@Salvatore: Yes the princes and especially the Middlestates (? -> the Congress Kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony, Wurttemberg and Hannover) will surely cause some truoble in the future. But with the prussian Kaiser the Empire will have one ot two stable starting years, with Unification Hype. Also most of the smaller states (the Hessians, Mecklemburg, the Free citys basically all but the middlestates (and Austria, Prussia of course) aknowlegded the constitution and a prussian emporer ITL on 14. April 1849. But yes they probably will be problems.

@Mikestone8 I have to admit i don't know the term "sixtifor". But this is not the Wilhelm of our timeline. As you can see in the premise wie was educatet by Wilhelm von Humboldt, the father of german liberalism. He has his problem with parts of the constitution, but there will be no changes in the first time (mostly because of the ongoing war with Denmark). A "Fürstentag" like you suggested could be possible in the Future.
 
Another quick update to get everything in starting position.
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Interlude: Emporer Wilhelm
Coronation and Cabinett
Timeline
> 02. April 1849: Friedrich-Wilhelm IV. dies in Berlin
> 03. April Josty Meeting

> 09. April Prince Wilhelm arrives in Berlin



The royal familiy arrives at Berlin in the mid of the 09. April eagerly awaited by von Gagern and his fellow parliamentarians. The Reichsministerpräsident and the prussian King firstly met on tuesday 11. The talks are furtile. Wilhelm admits his desire for the crown, but want to wait for a statemant of the other nations.
Although not taking the crown at this day he assumes the lead and power of the Empire in the following weeks. After his brother burial in the Friedenskirche of Potsdam on the 14. the king travels to Frankfurt, where he arrives soon after.
By that time 28 german states proposed a diplomatic note supporting Wilhelm as Emporer and aknowledging the constitution.
619OAaf.png

The 28 States in yellow + Wurtemberg which also accepts the contitution

On the 20. April 1849 King Wilhelm of Prussia is crowned Emporer of Germany in the St. Bartholomew Cathedral (which also was the crowning church of the holy roman emporers until 1792). In the evening stand before the the Nationalversammlung symbolicly taking power from Reichsverweser Johann von Österreich and holds his first famous speech as emporer: “An meine deutschen Brüder”.

Kroenung_KW_1_.jpg
Wilhelm Crowning Augusta in the St. Bartholomew Cathedral

The Huldigungserlass (Ovation decree) is announced a second time, demand all german states to hold parades in Wilhelm honor.
Only Bavaria and Hannover refuse to follow the degree. But even their citizens hold their own parades and celebrations.

683a8R8.jpg
Parade in Schwerin, 21. 04. 1849

In the following years the 20. April will become a day of national celebration in Germany.​
Wilhelm quickly takes action in the following days.

Wilhelms Cabinet​

Reichsministerpräsident: Heinrich von Gagern
Heinrich_von_Gagern.jpg


Reichsminister der Justiz und des Innern: Eduard von Simson

4586_x.jpg

Prussian judge, Parliamenterian of the Nationalversammlung and part of the Kaiserdeputation. Under Wilhelm he assumes two departments: Justice and Inner affairs. Born from jewish parents von Simson and his secretarys strive to create a code of law for the complete Empire.



Reichsminister der auswärtigen Angelegenheiten: August Jochmus

jochmus-august-giacomo-2721808-1491881-german-general-and-politician-ddrnec.jpg

The austrian Officer Jochmus spend his life in the service of nearly all greater european powers of the time. He already served as Foreign Minister under Johann von Österreich and was appointed on his recommendation.



Reichsminister des Krieges: Eduard von Peucker

170px-Eduard_von_Peucker.jpg

Von Peucker continued his services as War Minster, he already had this position under Gagern. As Prussian Generalmajor he knows the ways of war.

Reichsminister der Finanzen: Ernst Merck

220px-Ernst_Merck_ca1860.jpg

One of Hamburgs three Parlianmentarians, Part of the Kaiserdeputation and business man.

Reichsminister des Handels: Arnold Duckwitz

220px-Arnold_Duckwitz.jpg

Originated in Bremen and a seasoned politician (senator in Bremen, Trade Minister in all three previous Cabinetts). Took major steps in the creation of the Reichsflotte (Marine). Marine Minister until the 25. April when Wilhelm was able to talk his cousin back in.



Reichsminister der Marine: Adalbert von Preußen

220px-Adalbert_von_Preu%C3%9Fen.jpg

Cousin of the Emporer. Known Expert on the Marine. Worked with Duckwitz to build the Reichsflotte in 1848, but abandoned the project in february 1849. In April Wilhelm is able to appoint him as minister (to the dislike of the republicans)

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Like the other two first posts this was mostly set-up. Since this is done, (longer) timeline posts will soon follow. :) (Takes bit more work than the set up)
 
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@Mikestone8 I have to admit i don't know the term "sixtifor". But this is not the Wilhelm of our timeline. As you can see in the premise wie was educatet by Wilhelm von Humboldt, the father of german liberalism. He has his problem with parts of the constitution, but there will be no changes in the first time (mostly because of the ongoing war with Denmark). A "Fürstentag" like you suggested could be possible in the Future.

"Sixtifor" is a word I came across in an sf story by H Beam Piper - it derives from "$64,000 question".

My basic point was that the Constitution will survive as long as the Princes, and the King of Prussia in particular, choose to let it. The peasant soldiers all obey their officers, and the officers obey their kings, etc, not a piece of paper drawn up by some lawyers. And Wilhelm, whatever tutors he may have had, will be an army man first and foremost - that's inevitable for a Hohenzollern - so will ensure that the army remains under himself, not under any written constitution.

I'm thinking of what happened in France a couple of years later. Learned men had worked tirelessly to draw up a Constitution, but when the chips were down the soldiers ignored it and obeyed Louis Napoleon. Bang - no more Second Republic. That, I fear, would be the fate of the Frankfurt Constitution.
 
Okay, i understand your point ( but, for example Friedrich I. wasn't really the military type ;)). The Consitution will stand in its current form as long as it supports Wilhelm.
What i meant was that TTL Wilhelm is more comparable to Friedrich II. or Karl-August von Sachsen-Weimar than to OTL Wilhelm. He is a military type, but he ist also enlightened (maybe wrong term) and admits the change in the world. He will support and defend a constitution, that support his power as emporer (what the paulskrichen one does) but probably fight any changes in the areas he as emporer controll (at least at the start).
Plus 1849 the March Movement is still pretty strong and his acceptance of the titel further boosted.

I hope you understand what i mean :). It may reads a bit bewildered.
 
Subscribed.

And, could Wilhelm try to make more and more amendments getting Germany in a more conservative direction? And how things are going in Austria?
 
Great premise and good timeline so far. Always love the concept of a Greater Deustchland especially under Prussia. Looking forward to more. By the way if your interested in another 1848 Germany timeline, in my current timeline "Lone Star Republic" Germany is starting to unify under Prussian leadership in 1846. The process of German umification is still underway but the German Empire is officially born in my TL.
 
Hi there,
There is something that interest me for quite some time now. I have read Marios "Austria Inside" and started wondering what could have happened if the german unification suceeded already in 1848. After i did some Research, i concluded that there are no good (in my opinion) timelines (that i found) about that topic.
I find the lack of such timelines disturbing.
Therefore i tried to create my own.
Nice. I've also searched for such a timeline in the past and was disappointed that there seemed to be little written about the Crown from the Gutter scenario. Good luck and have fun.
 
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