3 The German Empire 1871–1890 Skills 1871 1890 M8 Prussia’s new coat of arms French caricature, 1871. How to analyse historical paintings coat of arms: Wappen Working vocabulary Political systems •to elect (wählen) •to appoint s.b. as s.th. (jmdn. zu etw. ernennen) •to dismiss s.b. (jmdn. (aus seinem politischen Amt) entlassen) •to convene a meeting of ministers (ein Ministertreffen einberufen) •to dissolve parliament (das Parlament auflösen) •to preside over a meeting/conference (einer Sitzung/Konferenz vorsitzen) •to approve of s.th. (etw. zustimmen) •to submit a bill (einen G esetzentwurf einbringen) •to reject an application (einen Antrag ablehnen) •to pass a law (ein Gesetz verabschie den) •to conduct negotiations (Verhandlungen führen) •to command (befehlen) M7 Bismarck is a despot 5 mined by the dumbest thing there is, Theodor Fontane (1819–1898) was an im- by parliamentary majorities2, then we portant German novelist. He wrote the wouldn’t even have a chancellor yet, and following letter to a German diplomat least of all a German Reich. On the other in France named Count Philipp zu Eu- 10 hand, it is certainly true that only delenburg-Hertefeld in 1881. pendent characters or figures of the secThe Chancellor [Bismarck] is a despot1; ond and third rank can serve under such but he has the right to be one, indeed, a despot, and that any free man would he must be one. If he were not a des- be well advised to resign3 in good time. pot, if he were an ideal parliamentar- 15 In doing so, the free man does what is ian who allowed his course to be deter- right for him; but the Chancellor also does what is right for him in not allowing himself to be swayed4 in his actions or inaction. 1. Analyse and explain the constitution of the German Empire (author’s text p. 46, M3). Which elements are authoritarian? Which are parliamentarian? 5. Outline and explain the role of Bismarck in the process of German unification (M1, M2, author’s text p. 44). Then comment on the view of Theodor Fontane (M7). 2. Describe what German contemporaries thought about the unification of the German Empire and its constitution (M4, M5, M6). Outline the differing opinions. 48 3. What does Bebel (M5) mean when he claims that ‘the sabre joined the birth of the “empire” as its obstetrician’? Analyse Bebel’s opinion on the foundation of the Empire and comment on it. 4. Explain how French contemporaries perceived the German unification (author’s text p. 46, M8). http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_ document.cfm?document_id=1836 (15/5/2009) 1 despot: Tyrann |2 parliamentary majorities: parlamentarische Mehrheiten |3 to resign: zurücktreten |4 to be swayed in s.th.: sich in etw. beirren lassen 6. Explain why the German Empire is described as being ‘founded from above’. Paintings are a special kind of historical source, since they portray events and situations of and in history. But the painters were not always interested in painting true to life1: most of the time they had to fulfil the wishes of their clients to show an event or a person in a certain way. And sometimes the artists were not even present at the events they had to paint. Thus they often painted pictures according to sketches2, memories, or reports. The historical value3 of each painting must therefore be closely examined, as the examples on pages 50 and 51 show. 1 true to life: lebensecht |2 sketch: Skizze |3 historic value: historischer Wert M1 Memories of the painter Anton King and his beaming4 son, the blond seemed in spite of 8 the great impres15 bearded Crown Prince. […] And then – sion its political significance must have von Werner Anton von Werner (1843–1915) was a without any pomp and glory and within 40 made – maybe more on the Germans successful German painter. He wit- the shortest time possible – the great than those present 9 – absolutely inadenessed the proclamation-ceremony of historic event took place, achieved by quate in its outer appearance compared the German Emperor on 18th January the previous war: the proclamation of to its inner value […] None of the fantastic lively10 gestures that a painter usu1871 in Versailles. Between 1877 and 20 the German Empire! […] 1885 he did three paintings, each one I heard King William saying some- 45 ally needs in such cases to express enshowing this historic event. In 1913 he thing and Earl Bismarck reading some- thusiasm was to be seen. published his memoires ‘Erlebnisse und thing with a wooden5 voice […] only to Hans-Günter Schmidt, ‘Historienmalerei als Eindrücke’: awake from deepening thought when Quelle’, in: Geschichte lernen, issue 5/1988, p. 63 I entered the palace [of Versailles] at 25 the grand duke of Baden stepped next (translated by M. Wicke for this book) eleven o’clock. […] All the entrances to King William to shout loudly into the 1 aisle: Gang |2 in earnest solemn succession: in were filled with officers from all hall: ‘Long live His Majesty Emperor Wil- ernster und feierlicher Abfolge |3 prince: (hier) branches of service and in the great liam the victorious!’ Three thundering Fürst |4 to beam: strahlen |5 wooden: hölzern, steif |6 to embrace: umarmen |7 defiliercour: ein 5 mirror gallery they stood head-to-head, cheers followed under the clanging of feierliches Vorbeiziehen (Hofritus im 19. Jahrhunonly in the centre a narrow aisle1 re- 30 the weapons. […] I saw the Emperor dert) |8 in spite of: trotz |9 those present: die mained clear. There must have been embracing6 the Crown Prince and the Anwesenden |10 lively: lebhaft 600 to 800 officers or more. Under the surrounding sovereigns congratulatsounds of a psalm then approached ing him. A planned defiliercour7 of the officers present failed, […] I saw the 10 in earnest solemn succession2, without pose or ceremony, quite simply the 35 Emperor stride down the steps of the German princes3 and military leaders, podium, past Bismarck, whom he did at the head the white bearded heroic not seem to notice. The whole event Analysing step by step 1 Description/Analysis 2 Contextualisation 3 Interpretation/Evaluation • Describe your first impressions. • Describewhoandwhatyoucansee in the painting. • Describe the positions, the body postures,andthefacialexpressions ofthepeopleshowninthepainting. • Detect details (clothing, symbols, special items). • Analyse the overall composition, thepaintingtechnique,thepainter’s perspective,theselectionofcolours, and other remarkable elements. • Collectinformationonthehistorical background of the picture. • Collectinformationonthepainter, his client, where and to whom the paintingwaspresented,andwhyit was painted in the first place. • Clarifywhichelementsofthepicture mustberegardedascontemporary. • Articulatetheintendedeffectsofthe paintingoncontemporariesandthe methodswithwhichthiswassupposedtobeachieved.Compareyour results with your first impressions andquestions.Clarifysimilaritiesand differences. • Formulate the message of the painting. 49