In the 1800s, nationalist feelings were strong in the hearts of the
middle-class Germans. They united in 1848 to create a nation state out of the
numerous German States. But the monarchy
and the military got together to repress them and they gained
support from the landowners of Prussia (the Junkers) too.
Prussia soon became the leader of German unification
movement. Its Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck was the
architect of the process with support from Prussian army and
Prussian bureaucracy. The unification process was completed
after Prussia won wars with Austria, Denmark and France over
seven years time. In January 1871, the Prussian king, William I,
was proclaimed the German Emperor in a ceremony held at
Versailles.
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