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Johann Gustav Droysen: Speech to the Frankfurt Assembly
The fact that the whole German question is a simple alternative between Prussia and Austria. In these states German life has its positive and negative poles--in the former, all the interests which are national and reformative, in the latter, all that are dynastic and destructive. The German question is not a constitutional question, but a question of power; and the Prussian monarchy is now wholly German, while that of Austria cannot be.We need a powerful ruling house. Austria's power meant -
Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia: Proclamation
They are not able to return a favorable reply to the offer of a crown on the part of the German National Assembly , because the Assembly has not the right, without the consent of the German governments, and moreover because they offered the crown upon condition that I would accept a constitution which could not be reconciled with the rights of the German states. -
Otto von Bismarck: Letter to Minister von Manteuffel, 1856
Because of the policy of Vienna [the Congress of Vienna, 1815], Germany is clearly too small for us both [Prussia and Austria]; as long as an honorable arrangement concerning the influence of each in Germany cannot be concluded and carried out, th will both plough the same disputed acre, and Austria will remain the only state to whom we can permanently lose or from whom we can permanently gain. They wish only to express my conviction that, in the not too distant future, we shall have to fight -
Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke: 1866
The war of 1866 [between Prussia and Austria] was entered on not because the existence of Prussia was threatened, nor was it caused by public opinion and the voice of the people; it was a struggle, long foreseen and calmly prepared for, recognized as a necessity by the Cabinet, not for territorial aggrandizement, for an extension of our domain, or for material advantage, but for an ideal end--the establishment of power. Not a foot of land was exacted from Austria, but she had to renounce all par -
Otto von Bismarck: 1866
We had to avoid wounding Austria too severely; we had to avoid leaving behind in her any unnecessary bitterness of feeling or desire for revenge; we ought rather to reserve the possibility of becoming friends again with our adversary of the moment, and in any case to regard the Austrian state as a piece on the European chessboard. If Austria were severely injured, she would become the ally of France and of every other opponent of ours; she would even sacrifice her anti-Russian interests for the -
The Imperial Proclamation, January 18, 1871
We, Wilhelm, by the grace of God King of Prussia, do herewith declare that we have considered it a duty to our common fatherland to answer the summons of the united German princes and cities and to accept the German imperial title. In consequence, we and our successors on the throne of Prussia will henceforth bear the imperial title in all our relations and in all the business of the German Empire, and we hope to God that the German nation will be granted the ability to fashion a propitious futu