The Causes of the German Revolutions
Social/Economic
Germany’s population had doubled in size since 1748, and there was lots of internal and
external immigration.
Due to internal migration and urbanisation, workers in cities faced major problems such as
overworking, poor living, working and sanitary conditions, which encouraged the spread of
diseases like typhoid and cholera.
o The population of Berlin went from 172,000 people in 1800 to 400,000 in 1848.
The vast majority of Germans still lived and worked on the land as poverty-stricken
agricultural workers.
o In eastern Prussia, the land still belonged to the Junkers and was worked by landless
peasants.
o Even in parts of Germany where peasants had become tenant farmers, rents were
high and feudal injustices remained.
Industrialisation led to fear amongst the artisans and skilled craftsmen that they were going
to lose their jobs, leading to an increase in the number of strikes in this time period.
o In 1846, 97% of German looms were still operated by hand.
The potato blight in 1846-7 caused starvation in the countryside and rising prices and
unemployment in the towns.
Class consciousness and Marxist theory didn’t really play a role in the 1848 revolutions
because industrial workers only made up a small fraction of manual labour as most were
artisans or skilled craftsmen, and other classes such as the peasants and the middle classes
played an equally important role.
Political
All societal groups and classed had different grievances – they had nothing in common.
o The aristocracy – It was strongly opposed to the suggestions of the liberals who they
felt were violating sovereigns’ rights. They had no desire for a revolution or a change
in society.
o The middle classes were excluded from the higher ranks of the government and
army which were largely reserved for the aristocracy, and they wanted to establish
an elected parliamentary system and the guarantee of civil rights. They also wanted
the establishment of a German nation-state.
o The artisans – they feared industrialisation.
o The peasants – they faced famine and wanted better living and working conditions.
o The urban poor – better living and working conditions.
The 1848 Revolutions
What Happened?
In 1848, few people in Germany expected a revolution, as there had been improvements in
the economic situation and there was still widespread loyalty to the established dynasties.
Moreover, although there was still unrest, particularly in the cities, there was no unified
ideology or motive.
, France
In February 1848, King Louis Phillipe of France was overthrown, and a republic was
established under Napoleon’s nephew.
Baden
On the 1st of March, a deputation of liberals presented their liberal demands to the Grand
Duke of Baden.
This was accepted and he proceeded to form a new ministry which included liberal leaders.
The new government then began to implement the demands.
In April, radical republicans tried to lead a peasant and worker rising in Baden with 6,000
armed supporters, but this was put down easily by federal (mainly Prussian) troops.
Most liberals and some radicals denounced the rebels for betraying the revolutionary cause
by robbing it of its democratic legitimacy.
The Austrian Empire
The events in France sparked a revolution in Austria and there were mass demonstrations in
Vienna.
The situation quickly got out of hand and there was widespread looting in working class
areas.
Metternich fled and the city was left in the control of radical students and their working-
class supporters.
Metternich’s fall had a huge impact on Austria and Germany:
o Austrian rule came under attack in northern Italy, Hungary and Prague.
o Peasants attacked their landlords, seized their property and destroyed feudal
records.
o Artisans broke machinery that they saw as a threat to their livelihoods.
In May 1848, the Austrian emperor Ferdinand agreed to summon a constituent assembly
elected by universal suffrage in order to draw up a new constitution.
Faced with serious revolts in Italy, Hungary and Prague, Austria was too engrossed in its own
affairs in the spring and summer of 1848 to exert its customary influence on Germany.
Prussia
On the 13th of March 1848, workers’ demonstrations took place in the square in Berlin and
deputations of leading citizens called on King Frederick William IV to make political
concessions.
Violent fighting continued between protestors and troops for the next 2 days.
Although demonstrations had started off as protests for better pay and working conditions,
it quickly turned into the vague protest for ‘the maintenance of rights…that belonged to the
people’.
When news of Metternich’s fall and the Vienna protests reached Berlin, the situation
became even more intense.
The King accepted the idea of a new German constitution and agreed to recall the Untied
Diet and to end censorship.
However, shots were accidentally fired at protestors on March 18 th and so barricades were
set up by students and workers and fighting erupted.
