King William's youth was far behind him. He had already spent a long
life (sixty-four years) and had never expected to occupy a throne. He
had not the brilliant qualities of his brother, he did not concern
himself much about science or letters; but he was profoundly impressed
with the responsibilities of his position; and it at once became
apparent that Prussia had a wise and sagacious King, who would make her
well-being his sole care and ambition.
His first act was a thorough reorganization of the army. Then he
looked about him for a man wise enough and strong enough for him to
lean upon. Baron Otto von Bismarck-Schoenhausen had just returned from
St. Petersburg, where he had been Prussian ambassador.
He was a conservative of the extreme type, hated and feared by the
liberal and national party no less than Metternich. But no man better
than he comprehended the policy of Austria, and all the complicated
threads composing the web of German politics.
The choice of this man for minister to the King augured ill for the
liberals. The outlook had never been darker than at this hour before
the dawn.
But great political storms, like storms of another sort, are full of
surprises. The ominous storm clouds we have feared roll away and
vanish in calm, and the little ones, not larger than a man's hand,
suddenly expand and darken our sky. A fateful storm was gathering for
Germany in the duchy of Schleswig-Holstein.
Of the nature of the Schleswig-Holstein entanglement someone (Was it
Beaconsfield?) wittily said that there were only two men in Europe who
understood it, himself and another; and the other was dead. But that
was a mistake. There was a man in Prussia who understood it, and who
lived to use it for his own far-reaching designs.
The principal threads in the tangled web were as follows:
The two adjacent dukedoms of Schleswig and Holstein, which constitute a
sort of natural bridge about 150 miles long and 50 miles wide, between
Denmark and Prussia, are, by the way, the land of nativity for the
Anglo-Saxon race, the Angles having inhabited Schleswig, and the Saxons
Holstein, at the time they so kindly protected the Britons from the
Picts and Scots.
So it is probable that every member of the Anglo-Saxon family has some
ancestral root running back to that fertile strip of pasture land.
It had for many years been under the Danish protectorate, the King of
Denmark being, by virtue of his position, also Duke of
Schleswig-Holstein, just as the German Emperor is now King of Prussia
by virtue of his imperial office.
But this little people was by no means merged with the Danish by this
arrangement; on the contrary, they preserved very jealously their own
traits and ancestral traditions. Among these was the exclusion of
women from the royal succession--the Salic law, framed by their Frank
ancestors centuries before on the banks of the river Saale, being part
of their constitution. Hence, when King Frederick VII. of Denmark died
in 1862 without male heir, and King Christian IX. became King, the
people of the two dukedoms hotly refused to recognize him as their
lawful ruler, but claimed their right of reversion to Duke Frederick
VIII., who was in the direct male line of succession.
Had the Salic law prevailed in Denmark, this Duke Frederick (father of
the present young Empress of Germany) would now be King of Denmark
instead of Christian IX. But it did not exist, so Christian, father of
the Dowager Empress of Russia--of the Princess of Wales--and of King
George of Greece--became, in 1862, lawful King of Denmark, with rights
unimpaired by female descent.
Schleswig-Holstein revolted against being held by a ruler who,
according to her constitution, was not the terminal of the royal line,
and insisted upon bestowing herself instead upon the German Duke
Frederick VIII. Denmark naturally resisted. Salic law or no Salic
law, the dukedoms were hers, and should stay. Of course Austria, as
the head of the German confederation, had to be consulted, and she
thought well of uniting with Prussia to compel the cession of the twin
dukedoms, which would have been quickly absorbed had not the European
powers intervened and forbidden this encroachment upon the rights of
Denmark.
It was just at this crisis that Bismarck was appointed prime minister
of Prussia, and commenced his series of brilliant moves upon the
European chessboard.
King Christian of Denmark, pleased with his success in retaining the
refractory states, determined to go still farther; that is, to adopt a
new constitution separating these Siamese twins, which should, in fact,
detach Schleswig from Holstein, incorporating it permanently with
Denmark.
This was in direct violation of the treaty with the Great Powers made
in London, 1852, and afforded the needed pretext for war.
The moment and the man had arrived. Bismarck, with the intuition of a
good player, saw his opportunity, pushed up the pawn,
Schieswig-Holstein, and said, "Check to your king."
The Prussian and Austrian troops poured into Denmark, and in a few
short weeks the blooming isthmus had ceased to be Danish and had become
German.
Austria generously said, "We will divide the prize. Schleswig shall be
Prussian, and Holstein Austrian."
Could anything be more odious to the Prussians? The long arm of
Austrian tyranny stretching way over their land, up to their northern
seaboard! It might better have become Danish. But all things come to
him who waits, and--Bismarck waited.
Neither Austria nor the German people had the slightest comprehension
of the Minister's deep-laid plans. When he said that the German
question could "only be settled by blood and steel," the people
construed it as the brutal utterance of despotism. And when it looked
as if they might be involved in a war with Austria over this paltry
Holstein affair they were stunned, and believed that a desperate man
was leading Prussia to her ruin for his own ambitious purposes. What
could they with their nineteen millions of people do against Austria,
with her fifty millions!
But Bismarck cared not and heeded not. He was too intent upon his
game. He knew what no one else seemed to know, that there was no
chance for Germany until she was emancipated from Austria.
Again he pushed up his useful little pawn and said "check," but this
time to the Emperor of Austria. Ah! here was a game worth watching.
Europe and America, too, were willing to let their morning coffee get
cold in studying the moves. Francis Joseph did not see as far into the
game as his astute adversary, whose keen eye was focused at long range
upon a renewed Germany, in which there should be no Austria.
The conflict was short (only seven weeks), but the preparation had been
thorough. The 3d of July will long be remembered by Germany. King
William was there; the Crown Prince was there, now become "Unser
Fritz," by his superb military achievements, the ideal prince and
soldier of modern Europe; and Koeniggraetz, like Waterloo, decided the
game. Francis Joseph was checkmated. A galling servitude to Austria
existed no more. What wonder that the people were glad, or that Unser
Fritz was their idol, and Bismarck became their demigod!
A great physician correctly diagnoses the disease before he treats it.
Bismarck knew why the attempts at a German union had been futile. He
knew such a union never could exist until Austria was eliminated from
it.
An overwhelming revulsion in sentiment followed. The man whom the
despotic element had leaned upon became the adored leader of the
liberal party. He had no sentimental theories about human rights. His
personal tendencies were toward despotism rather than freedom. But he
had the acuteness to recognize the advantages which would be derived
from a liberal policy and the ardent support of the _people_.
A new confederation of states was formed called the _North German
Union_, with a parliament elected by the people. It was composed of
all the states except Bavaria, Wurtemberg, and Baden.
The several states were united under a general Federal Government,
somewhat like that of the United States of America, of which the King
of Prussia was _President_, and Bismarck was _Chancellor_.
This new union was Protestant and Prussian, and forever separated from
all that was Catholic and Austrian. In five short years what a change!
Truly, "blood and iron" had proved a wonderful tonic for Germany!
In the year 1763 Prussia won the province of Silesia after a seven
years' war with Austria. Just one century later, in 1866, a war of
seven weeks with that same power placed her at the head of a firmly
consolidated German nation. A result so astonishing from a conflict so
brief must ever be a phenomenon in history; and had it been necessary,
seven years would not have been too long to struggle for such a reward.
And what of poor little Schleswig-Holstein, that land of our race
nativity? If she had indulged in any innocent expectation of benefit
from such brilliant espousal of her cause she was disappointed. And
she must have realized that she had been only the humble hinge upon
which the door of opportunity had swung open for Germany.