WI: Bismarck is asassinated in 1866

On May 7th 1866, Bismarck suffered a attempt on his life by Ferdinand Cohen Blind in a attempt to prevent civil war between the German states which was coming in the form of the Austro-Prussian War one month later. He was shot five times, three times while wrestling FCB to the ground after the first two shots. The shots struck Bismarck, but they either grazed him or bounced off his ribcage. It was a miracle that he survived.

The assassin was taken into custody, but committed suicide not long after.

Bismarck's scheming and plotting would result in Prussia acquiring Schleswig and Holstein in the war that FCB attempted to prevent. The peace that ended the war would exclude Austria from any future German state and leave Prussia as the strongest force in German politics.

But what if the bullets did not bounce off Bismarck's seemingly bulletproof body and instead, killed him?
 
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The Crown Prince would have continued to argue against war, and w/o Bismarck he might have prevailed. Also, the smaller states might have seen a chance for peace, and the vote of the Federal Diet for mobilisation against Prussia might have been defeated.

But if war does come the peace terms may be worse for Austria. She will lose Silesia and quite possibly Bohemia as well. OTOH. Hanover and the Hesses may not be annexed, though their current rulers will probably have to abdicate in favour of the heirs-apparent. Saxony may lose its share of Lusatia, while Hanover could lose East Friesland and perhaps a corridor on the Elbe linking Schleswig-Holstein to the main body of Prussia. Perhaps also Gottingen and her reversionary right to Brunswick, creating a similar link to the Rhine Provinces.
 
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One for won this you a.) Butterfly the 7-weeks war and b.) The unification of Germany or at list delay it and if i dose happen under a more liberal constitution

A interesting possibility is Germany Unfide under the austrean empire ( I think Austria was aming for at list German supremacy and had the diplomac advantage until Bismarck to over prussia)
 

Kaze

Banned
The wars would continue without Bismark at the helm, unification was inevitable - I would guess that Baron Ludwig von Windthorst heads the unification of Germany as the Chancellor.

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Side note:

Bismark once said, "Everyone has someone to love and someone to hate. I have my wife to love and Windthorst to hate."

So you can imagine what kind of man would have led the unification.
 
The wars would continue without Bismark at the helm, unification was inevitable - I would guess that Baron Ludwig von Windthorst heads the unification of Germany as the Chancellor
That change things if the war goes as OTL, as a lot of people of germany wanted a big prize from Austria, either Bohemia(Yes the old hasburg electoral seat) or moravia as reward but bismarck who wanted a stronng austria as ally relented, here they might push and that change everything
 
The wars would continue without Bismark at the helm, unification was inevitable - I would guess that Baron Ludwig von Windthorst heads the unification of Germany as the Chancellor.


When does he get in? He's a Hanoverian, not a Prussian.
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Side note:

Bismark once said, "Everyone has someone to love and someone to hate. I have my wife to love and Windthorst to hate."

So you can imagine what kind of man would have led the unification.

Rather a good one of the Wiki article can be believed.
 

Kaze

Banned
Hanover has an entangling treaty with Prussia - so he could have got in there.
 
Hanover has an entangling treaty with Prussia - so he could have got in there.

For that matter, assuming the Seven Weeks War goes more or less as OTL, Hanover gets annexed by Prussia in 1866.

I think it would be much more interesting, however, if in Bismarck's absence Prussia over plays its hand, gets yatchslapped by Austria, cut down to its Napoleonic borders minus Silesia, and expelled from the German Confederation. Who knows what might happen to German unification then.
 
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