Maybe it was because of the mention of Princess Sissi's name that the extremely angry king calmed down a little, but he was still very excited.
The young king clenched his fists tightly, and his knuckles were already white. He said in a trembling voice, "How to face Prussia? This is a really good question. I have been thinking about it for a long time, and now I can give it to you." Your clear answer!”
"From the beginning to the end, I do not agree with the model of German unification proposed by Bismarck. In my eyes, the German Empire should include Austria to form a large German Federation!"
"Rather than the small-scale German Empire that Bismarck built, Germany must not abandon Austria if it wants to unify!"
"This is my bottom line and the bottom line of countless German people!"
Xiao Letian let out a long sigh in his heart. Despite the fight, the core of the problem is still here. In the final analysis, everyone has completely different ideas about the model of German reunification!
First of all, the concept of the German nation is too broad. This nation originated from the ancient Germans and has its own unique language, culture and life traditions!
If language is an important indicator to distinguish ethnic groups, then the vast areas of Bavaria, Heisen, Prussia, Austria, etc. are basically inhabited by German-speaking ethnic groups, and the people living here are also They all admit that they are Germans!
Throughout history, there have always been many national elites who hoped that all German-speaking lands could be unified to form a greater German Empire, which was also known as the Holy Roman Empire in the past!
Among the German nation, the vast majority of people maintain this ideal!
The only exception is Bismarck. Bismarck is a very practical politician. He does not have so much time to dream about illusory dreams. What he admires is feasibility, execution, and dominance. It’s not the halo of fake great void!
The German reunification plan proposed by Bismarck completely left Austria out. Although both countries are German-speaking areas and both identify themselves as the same nation, the influence of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty is too high. !
The Prime Minister is very clear that if the future Germany includes Austria, then he will have to face the problem of decentralization of power. Should Prussia be the main one or Austria? Is there going to be a two-king rotation system?
This uncertainty is destined to cause great internal friction in Germany's national power. If a centralized state cannot be formed, national resources cannot be effectively unified.
By that time, I’m afraid it will be one Germany in name only! But privately, each kingdom still goes its own way and formulates its own policies. Everyone's strength cannot be brought together at all, and even if they are strong enough, they cannot be unified!
So Bismarck wants to kick Austria out, he wants to establish an emerging Germany dominated by Prussia, he wants William I to ascend the throne of emperor, and make all the kingdoms below surrender to Berlin!
The military power, diplomatic power, financial power of all kingdoms... are all handed over to Berlin. In this way, the entire German state machine can be coordinated. Only by concentrating power can we better carry out the industrial revolution and do more big things!
That was Bismarck's plan, but it made many kings of the German Confederation uneasy, such as Ludwig II.
Although he is a fairy tale king, he is not stupid. He understands that once Bismarck's ideal is realized and Bavaria is annexed under the banner of Berlin, then he will become a king with little actual power. .
Diplomacy, military, finance... and other rights have to be handed over. I can only retain the position of nominal king of Bavaria, and then have a little bit of financial power.
What does it mean to be a king in name only? So he still hopes to bring Austria in and develop the concept of a Greater German Empire.
If Austria can be brought in, Prussia will no longer be able to centralize power in Germany. In this way, the kings of these small states can still continue to leisurely live the wonderful life of feudal lords in the Middle Ages!
All the contradictions and conflicts are here. Ludwig II's words once again verified Xiao Letian's guess.
Xiao Letian smiled bitterly and shook his head, and some memories from his previous life resurfaced in his mind.
“The Holy Roman Empire, commonly known as the First German Empire by historians, was founded in 962 AD and was crowned emperor by the Roman Pope. At its peak, the empire’s territory included modern Germany, Austria, northern and central Italy, Czechoslovakia, Eastern France, the Netherlands and Switzerland.”
"As for the Second German Empire, it had to wait until the end of the Franco-Prussian War, and William I officially ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor in the Palace of Versailles. It was not until the end of the First World War that the Second Empire collapsed."
"Then there is the German Third Reich that Hitler created. That Third Reich is the real territory of the empire that people like Ludwig II dreamed of!"
“Hitler annexed Austria, completely incorporating the German-speaking areas of Europe into the territory of the Third Reich, and rapidly expanded outward, reaching the most powerful stage in the history of the German nation. Although it only lasted a few years, We can also see the powerful destructive power of this nation!”
"What are you talking about, first, second and third, are you humiliating me?" Ludwig II looked at Xiao Letian muttering there and couldn't help but feel angry.
"Sorry, dear Your Majesty, I'm really sorry. I was a little distracted just now because your words made me think deeply!"
"I can understand your feelings. The Kingdom of Bavaria has been established for a hundred years. If you include the period when your family ruled this land as a principality, it has a history of thousands of years!"
"For such a long time, you and your family have had extremely deep feelings for this land and its people!"
"You want to maintain your sovereignty and the independence of your country. I can understand your sentiments."
"But you should also see the trend of the times now. Nationalism has risen, and no one can resist this trend!"
"Don't you think what Prime Minister Bismarck said is wrong? In this world of jungle, if a nation cannot unite to form a unified country and form a joint force, how can it compete with other nations? He How can we develop more interests in this country?”
"Look at the British and the French. They have established their own independent capitalist countries. How far have their national powers developed over the past few hundred years? But Germany is still full of states. , you go your own way, I sing my tune, such loose power has delayed your national destiny for hundreds of years!"
"What Bismarck wants is just to hope that you can unite and not delay any longer. I hope that you can unite and at least leave a unified and centralized country to future generations!"
"Because being dispersed means being weak! And being weak means being bullied! This is the truth behind the competition between countries!"
