Deutscher Bund

Deutscher Bund, the German Confederation unifying Germany in a loose confederation of states by the Federal Act (8 June 1815) of the Congress of Vienna (see Wiener Kongress), and by the Final Act (Wiener Schlußakte, 15 May 1820). Its thirty-nine members included foreign powers representing German states over which they were sovereigns (Denmark for Holstein and Lauenburg, England for Hanover, and the Netherlands for Luxemburg and Limburg), and four Free Cities (Hamburg, Lübeck, Bremen, and Frankfurt). Austria and Prussia were the two leading member-states. The appointed location for the Federal Diet (Bundestag) was Frankfurt. Metternich was the chief architect of the Confederation, and through his influence Austria assumed its presidency. The Federal Act, though making provision for the introduction of constitutional government in the various states, purposely aimed at a decentralization of national power, thus enabling Metternich to exercise considerable control (see Karlsbader Beschlüsse).

National and liberal aspirations for reform culminated in the 1848 revolutions (see Revolutionen 1848-9), and led to the formation of the Frankfurt Parliament (see Frankfurter Nationalversammlung). Its failure to reach an agreement led to the revival of the Confederation, a triumph of Austrian policy under Schwarzenberg over Prussia (see Olmützer Punktation). When Austria ordered Federal execution (Bundesexekution) against Prussia as a result of Prussia's Schleswig-Holstein policy, which culminated in the War of 1866 (see Deutscher Krieg), Prussia withdrew its membership. In the Peace of Prague (23 August 1866) Austria recognized the dissolution of the Bund. (See also Schleswig-Holsteinische Frage.)