O Pan-Germanism was an ideology and a movement that originated in the Pan-German League, in 1895, aiming to expand the German Empire. To this end, it would annex lands where Germanic peoples from Central Europe were located. Pan-Germanism was responsible for Germany's entry into the First World War, as the German ruler at the time, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was an adherent of the ideology, as well as an expansionist.
Read too: Summary with the main facts about the First World War
Topics in this article
- 1 - Summary about Pan-Germanism
- 2 - Historical context of Pan-Germanism
- 3 - What was Pan-Germanism?
- 4 - Characteristics of pan-Germanism
- 5 - Pan-Germanism and the First World War
- 6 - Differences and similarities between Pan-Germanism and Pan-Slavism
Summary about Pan-Germanism
- Pan-Germanism was an ideology and a nationalist movement which promoted German unity and expansion.
- Its historical context concerns the periods before the First World War.
- It was fundamental in triggering the First World War, due to friction with pan-Slavism.
- Just as Pan-Germanism existed, Pan-Slavism existed. The first tried to unify Slavic peoples, and the second, the Germans, but, in the end, these were expansionist desires of the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
- Pan-Germanism differed from Pan-Slavism, as the former sought to unify Germans and the latter, the people of the Balkan region. Both were nationalists.
Historical context of Pan-Germanism
The historical context of pan-Germanism concerns the late 19th century period, when European countries formed true economic powers and exercised their hegemony. In this context, England stood out, with many colonies and a strong army, which lasted until the beginning of the 20th century.
Seeking to break this English supremacy, Italy and Germany organized themselves, especially after the division of Asian and African countries, when they felt wronged and demanded another division. Another country, outside of Europe, that also aimed to break English hegemony was the USA, which stood out industrially producing steel and iron.
Meanwhile, the old continent was experiencing political instability promoted by nationalist movements that began to emerge after the examples of unification set by Germany and Italy.
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The countries that sought independence were: Ireland, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. Thus, the antagonisms were clear and increasingly accentuated. The French had been defeated in the Franco-Prussian War, losing Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, which awakened revanchism in them, opening the way for another war to happen.
Meanwhile, Germans isolated France and made alliances with several countries in military and political terms. That alliance policy was designed by Otto Von Bismarck, a German statesman, in 1873, when a pact was sought for the constitution and development of the League of Three Emperors or Pan-Germanic League.
This concordat intended to organize the interests of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia and, of course, Germany, which was not possible, as the Russians differed regarding Austrian predominance in the Balkans. Thus, the league was made impossible and, in 1878, ended.
Later, in 1882, the Germans tried again to develop another agreement and thus created the Triple Alliance, made up of Italy, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which, in turn, had many interests in common with Germany, especially economic ones. The novelty in this new pact was Italy, which was looking for elements capable of stimulating the market and, consequently, expanding land.
Continuously, the movements of these powers made Europeans pay more attention, worrying, above all, about England, with the vigorous industrial advance in Germany and with its warlike objectives of establishing squadrons nautical. These aspects made it clear that, economically and militarily, the Germans would support their expansionist projects.
Another nation that was concerned and was willing to reinforce opposition to Germany was France., as it had been won in the Franco-Prussian War and lost control of Alsace and Lorraine. Initially, before the rapprochement between the French and English, France, in 1894, had already established pacts with Russia, which was also opposed to the occupation of the Balkans by the Austrians. Thus, England and France signed the Entente Cordiale, which would later give rise, in 1907, to the Triple Entente, including Russia.
In such a way, the disputes at the time were polarized by two military alliances, tensioning an imminent conflict. Which, in fact, happened in 1914, after the assassination of the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war against Serbia.
Read too: Causes of the First World War
What was Pan-Germanism?
Pan-Germanism originated in 1895, in the Pan-German League, and it was an ideology (set of ideas) but also a movement (set of practices). It aimed at unifying the Germanic peoples spread throughout Western Europe into the German Empire.
One of the figures who marked Pan-Germanism was Otto von Bismarck, also called the “Iron Chancellor”. In the 19th century, he was considered one of Germany's most important statesmen. He was the one who launched the Second Reich (1871-1918) or Second Empire, that is, the formation of a single national state with the Germanic countries.
His politics were not based on the current liberalism of the time. He was firm and used force to maintain his ideas, including against the Catholic Church (so-called Kulturkampf, which means “fight for culture”).
Otto Von Bismarck was Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1862 to 1890. He then became, from 1871 to 1890, first chancellor (1871-1890) of the German Empire, after armed conflicts that unified Germany.
Otto Von Bismarck was a monarchist, conservative and aristocrat, as well as a nationalist and militarist. He reprimanded workers' movements that demanded rights. It was through clashes with the Austrian Empire, Denmark and France that German unification was guaranteed and the authoritarian and militaristic regime became the rule.
Characteristics of Pan-Germanism
- Nationalist.
- It aimed to unite the Germanic peoples.
- Expansionist.
Pan-Germanism and the First World War
Pan-Germanism as well as Pan-Slavism were responsible for the start of the First World War, since they were nationalist ideologies and movements coming from two empires in constant disputes for expansion: the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Under Pan-Slavism, Francis Ferdinand, Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated, setting the trigger for the First War. He was visiting, with his wife, Bosnia, an Austrian territory, but inhabited by Slavic peoples.
Differences and similarities between Pan-Germanism and Pan-Slavism
Pan-Germanism and Pan-Slavism came together as ideologies and movements that contributed to the state of frequent war tension on the European continent. Nationalism was on the rise during the period and was used to persuade the people about the expansionist interests of those who governed. Thus, under the justification of uniting people, both movements promoted the territorial expansion of empires.
These nationalist movements had a strong influence on the First World War. Greater Serbia, a Serbian plan that aimed to unify its people and expand its territory, was an example of this influence, as it sought to extend Serbian authority to the Balkan region. To this end, a discourse of independence and autonomy in relation to empires was used, especially after the Serbian liberation from the Turkish Empire in 1878. As a result, the Balkan War arose, which lasted from 1912 to 1913.
On the other hand, the nationalism of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was also heightened in the region. In this sense, pan-Slavism emerged, a policy aimed at expanding the Russian Empire in the dispute for the Balkan region.
As a result of the dispute between Pan-Germanism and Pan-Slavism, the First World War broke out.
Sources:
HOBSBAWM, Eric. The age of revolutions: 1789-1848. Rio de Janeiro: Paz & Terra, 2014.
______. The era of capital: 1848-1875. Rio de Janeiro: Paz & Terra, 2014.
______. The age of empires: 1875-1914. Rio de Janeiro: Paz & Terra, 2014.
VICENTINO, Claudio. DORIGO, Gianpaolo. General and Brazilian History. Scipione. São Paulo: 2011.
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
BARBOSA, Mariana de Oliveira Lopes. "Pangermanism"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/pangermanismo.htm. Accessed September 21, 2023.
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