What if Congress of Princes reformed the German Confederation in 1860s

raharris1973

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The German Confederation in OTL called a Congress of Princes for 1863 or 1864 I do not remember exactly. It was to reform the German Confederation. In OTL, Bismarck had Prussia boycott the conference thus removing a vital player astride northern Germany and undermining the gathering’s potential for legitimacy.

If Prussia participated in a non-obstructionist manner (perhaps Bismarck not in power or having been fired), what potential reforms to the German Confederation system and Constitution could have occurred.

If the result were a more empowered Confederation, how would it’s constitution be different from OTL’s federal constitution for the Prussian-led 2nd Reich of OTL?
 
I think by this time, there were conflicting loyalties, and traditions that made an eventual reform of the German Confederation unlikely to succeed regardless of Prussian presence or not.

There was a division of many of the Northern Germans nations who by this time were looking to the Prussians as their political and or economic leader coming on the heels of the Zollverein which excluded Austria. The Southern and or Catholic leaning German nations continued to look towards Austria as the traditional leader of Germany. As for the whole of Germany, the failure of Austria to come to the aid of Russia in the Crimean War so soon after Russian aid in putting down revolutions in 1848 in Germany, as well as preserving Hungary for the Austrians, put a stain on the prestige of many Germans. The idea of a "Germany" unified from it when so much of the Austrian Empire included a majority of multi-ethnicities (non-Germans) also plays a role.

Who is empowered, be it Austria or Prussia, the other German kingdoms and or principalities, Grand Duchies and duchies, still has to address the question if the leader will be the traditionally Austrians with 65% of is empire populated by non-Germans, or Prussia who had maybe 15% of its population being non-German. (These numbers are just guesses)

Ultimately, the nations/peoples of Germany were going to have to decide whether it was preferable to be led by Prussia and its minimal ethnic/non-German populations to the exclusion of a large portion of Germans residing in Austria so as not to include the large populations of non-Germans in that Empire
 
There was a division of many of the Northern Germans nations who by this time were looking to the Prussians as their political and or economic leader coming on the heels of the Zollverein which excluded Austria. The Southern and or Catholic leaning German nations continued to look towards Austria as the traditional leader of Germany.


Actually, all the middling States, Catholic and Protestant alike, voted (and as far as they were able, fought) on the Austrian side in 1866. The only ones to side with Prussia were little "Tom Tiddlers" which were on Prussia's border and totally at her mercy.

The smaller states had everything to gain by keeping both Austria and Prussia in the Confederation, since they could expect to hold the balance of power in any German Assembly.
 

raharris1973

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Actually, all the middling States, Catholic and Protestant alike, voted (and as far as they were able, fought) on the Austrian side in 1866. The only ones to side with Prussia were little "Tom Tiddlers" which were on Prussia's border and totally at her mercy.

The smaller states had everything to gain by keeping both Austria and Prussia in the Confederation, since they could expect to hold the balance of power in any German Assembly.

So Mike, what would have been the plausible range of outcomes and constitutional reforms if, as I suggest in the OP, the Prussians, participated in conference?
 
So Mike, what would have been the plausible range of outcomes and constitutional reforms if, as I suggest in the OP, the Prussians, participated in conference?

Austria favoured a Lower Chamber of 300 members to be added to the Federal Diet. These were to be chosen indirectly by the legislatures of the various states, and in the case of bicameral ones its Lower House should choose two-thirds and the Upper House one-third. OTL, Bismarck called for a Chamber directly elected by universal suffrage. W/o him Prussia might still have supported direct election, but probably on a limited franchise.

The Austrian proposal would have retained the existing Diet as the Upper House of a German legislature, but Austria and Prussia to have three votes each, thus increasing its size from 17 members to 21. Executive power would have been by a Directory of six members with Austria, Prussia and Bavaria to have permanent seats, a fourth to be held in rotation by the Kingdoms of Hanover, Saxony and Wurttemberg, and the others chosen by the smaller states.

One more specific point. I suspect the final version of the scheme would have provided for a common military service law. If this (not by coincidence) happened to be set at three years, as King Wilhelm was insisting on in Prussia, this would have neatly got him off the hook with his Parliament, since it could not have opted out of a Federal law.


See http://www.diadumenian.com/Congressofprinces/Congress%20summary.html There is also a German-language version at https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurter_Reformakte
 
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Big fan of Austria but their policies in the 1850/60s were obnoxious and boomeranged back on itself.

Re Prussia, the opposition to the Erfurt Union, the pushing of the Customs Union and then the proposed re-org werrr each a challenge to Prussian power...or attempts to render it a constituent member of an Austrian led union. No wonder Prussia challenged and resisted this.

I have read many times that all Prussia really wanted was “federal command north of the Main. What was the significance of this command? Was it worth conceding to obtain other advantages for Austria. Support in Italy perhaps? A sphere of influence in Bavaria?

What would the Great Power reaction be to Prussian command in the North?
 

raharris1973

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Austria favoured a Lower Chamber of 300 members to be added to the Federal Diet. These were to be chosen indirectly by the legislatures of the various states, and in the case of bicameral ones its Lower House should choose two-thirds and the Upper House one-third. OTL, Bismarck called for a Chamber directly elected by universal suffrage. W/o him Prussia might still have supported direct election, but probably on a limited franchise.

The Austrian proposal would have retained the existing Diet as the Upper House of a German legislature, but Austria and Prussia to have three votes each, thus increasing its size from 17 members to 21. Executive power would have been by a Directory of six members with Austria, Prussia and Bavaria to have permanent seats, a fourth to be held in rotation by the Kingdoms of Hanover, Saxony and Wurttemberg, and the others chosen by the smaller states.

One more specific point. I suspect the final version of the scheme would have provided for a common military service law. If this (not by coincidence) happened to be set at three years, as King Wilhelm was insisting on in Prussia, this would have neatly got him off the hook with his Parliament, since it could not have opted out of a Federal law.


See http://www.diadumenian.com/Congressofprinces/Congress%20summary.html There is also a German-language version at https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurter_Reformakte

Would the new structure give the Confederation any capabilities domestically or internationally that the Confederation or preceding HRE did not possess?

Would the whole thing be in one customs union? That would be impressive.
 
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