Essay about Imperial Germany: Social Divisions

Submitted By anikarora
Words: 688
Pages: 3
Open Document
Imperial Germany: social divisions
Population growth:
Pre-1914 Germany was in the throes of demographic and economic change.
During 1871-1914 Germany’s population increased by 40%.
Population growth contributed to people’s sense of living in a society in flux.
The expansion of German industry 1900-1914 was reflected in rapid increases in the population of its industrial towns and cities.
Social divisions:
Imperial Germany was divided by region, religion and social class.
Volker Berghahn (Modern Germany, 1982) describes early 20th-century German society as “full of tensions”.
Region:
Them German Empire formed in 1871 was a Prussia-led union of 25 states of varying size: four kingdoms (Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg), six grand duchies, five duchies, seven principalities and three free cities (Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck).
Each state had their own very distinctive histories, and their inhabitants identified with them strongly, thinking of themselves as Bavarians or Saxons or Prussians as much as they thought of themselves as Germans.
Prussia’s ascendancy in political life in Imperial Germany was a source of resentment among non-Prussians.
The German Empire had its national minorities: Danes, French (in Alsace- Lorraine) and three million Poles (mostly living in eastern Germany.
Religion:
Imperial Germany was preponderantly a Protestant state (62%) but it also cons aided a sizeable catholic minority (36%).
German catholics were concentrated in three main areas: Bavaria, the Rhineland and Silesia.
In the early years of the German Empire the Prussian ruling class viewed German Catholics with suspicion, believing they took their orders from the Vatican.
These suspicions gave rise to the so-called Kulturkampf of the 1870s - a campaign my the government to undermine the influence of the Catholic Church in Germany.
In response to Kulturkampf, Catholics formed their own political party, the Centre Party or Zentrum.
The Kulturkampf was abandoned in the late 1870s and religious tensions eased. anti-Catholic prejudice did not entirely disappear.
Social Class:
Social class was the biggest division in German society.
In early 20th-Century Germany was a sternly hierarchical society in which social mobility (movement between social classes) was limited.
At the top of the pyramid were the conservative elites: at the bottom were the industrial working class and agricultural labourers. Between them was a large and diversified middle class.
Germanys social structure, 1914
Conservative elites:
The core of the elite was the Prussian aristocracy, the Junkers, owners of wheat and rye-producing estates in eastern Germany.
Closely connected with the Junkers were the office corps of the German army and major industrialists, especially the coal and steel “barons” of the Ruhr.
Middle classes (the main sub-groups):
Prosperous merchants, industrialists and
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about Imperial Germany: Social Divisions

The Nature of European Society Essay

the greatest power and influence. 1880-1914 - around 25m migrated from Europe, mostly to the United States. Europe, like everywhere else, people’s experiences of life and their ways of thinking differed according to their sex, nationality, religion, social class, economic position and location. INDUSTRILISATION Led to the modern world -> globalisation – trade of goods between countries and continents (triggered by colonialism) Industrial revolution: the revolution in industry that first…

Words 961 - Pages 4

Modern Study notes Essay

system of social organisation in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.! • Decolonisation: The action of changing from colonial to independent status! • Democracy: government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.! • Feminism: the doctrine advocating social, political…

Words 3416 - Pages 14

Thirty Years War Essay

political and social ways. "The post-war period caused the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the subsequent fall of the Hapsburg powers." (Smith) The war also led to division in religion, moving the Lutherans further north and the Catholics to the south but more importantly it took the central power from the Catholic Church. Although most of the fighting happened in Germany, a majority of the powers in Europe was involved including: Bohemia, Spain, France, Denmark, Germany, and Sweden. The…

Words 1360 - Pages 6

World War II: The Road To War Test-Study Guide

__________ Date: ______________ World War II, The Road to War Test - Study Guide Tojo Hideki Hideki Tōjō (Kyūjitai: 東條 英機; Shinjitai: 東条 英機; [pic]Tōjō Hideki (help·info)) (30 December 1884 – 23 December 1948) was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II, from 17 October 1941 to 22 July 1944. As Prime Minister, he was directly responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor, which…

Words 2582 - Pages 11

Pat Southern's Works On The Roman Cavalry And The Late Roman Army

few observations before proceeding: because this history reflects both the availability of material and literary sources and the interests of the author, readers will note a temporal preference for the Empire and a geographic focus upon Britain, Germany, and the Danube. Second, there are considerable sections of the work that seem to this reader more encyclopedic than historical in the narrative sense. One can make good use of the structure and the detailed table of contents to look up particular…

Words 2069 - Pages 9

Essay on Fall of France in 1940

re-militarization of the Rhineland 12 months later). France’s leaders were aware, however, that she could not defeat Germany alone. Therefore, French foreign and defence policy in 1936–39 was heavily determined by a quest for a firm British commitment to underwrite French security. This, however, was not obtained until February 1939. Another problem was the French need to find a counterweight to Germany in Eastern Europe. This had traditionally been Russia (through the Franco-Russian alliance of 1894). That…

Words 2907 - Pages 12

Zara SnE Essay

Discuss how an individual (choose from: John Curtin (Australia), Adolf Hitler (Germany), Winston Churchill (U.K.), Franklin D. Roosevelt (U.S.A.), Hirohito (Japan)) can shape a countries future Today he is still regarded as one of Australia's most successful leaders and a great hero. In the darkest days of WWII John Curtin rose to become Australia's fourteenth prime minister. A Victorian by birth, he was the only Prime Minister to represent a Western Australian seat in the House of Representatives…

Words 4184 - Pages 17

Timeline and Journal Essay

University of Phoenix Material Reformation Time Line and Journal Entries Part 1: Time Line Complete the time line identifying events in history during the Reformation. Identify where the event occurred on the specified date Describe the event and its significance for each date identified on the time line. DATE: October 31, 1517 Example: DESCRIPTION: The 95 Thesis was Martin Luther's response to the indulgences. WHERE: The door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg DATE: May 25…

Words 1915 - Pages 8

Rwandan Genocide Essay

indirectly links the genocide to the colonial rule of Germany and Belgium. However, there are other direct factors that must be pondered. For this, a look at the effect of colonialism will begin first, followed by an assessment of the political events (domestically and internationally) leading up to the genocide. Rwanda is a state whose boundaries are a product of external European logic and fit terribly with regard to political, social and economic divisions. Going back the 18th century, Africa was carved…

Words 1809 - Pages 8

The Establishment Of The Third Republic 1870-1914

survived longer than any other regime since 1789. It was also a period of imperial expansion and scientific and artistic achievement. 1. The Paris Commune Commune = Town or local Council In September 1870 the Third Republic ( The French Third Republic (French: La Troisième République, sometimes written as La IIIe République) governed France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed, to 1940, when France's defeat by Nazi Germany led to the Vichy France government. )was proclaimed after the defeat…

Words 4867 - Pages 20