Deutscher Krieg

Deutscher Krieg, the war fought in 1866 between Prussia and Austria, in which states of the German Confederation also joined. Provoked by Bismarck through manipulation of the Schleswig-Holstein question (see Schleswig-Holsteinische Frage), it was in effect fought to decide hegemony in Germany. It lasted approximately six weeks, the critical point being the decisive defeat of the Austrians at Sadowa (see Königgrätz) in Bohemia on 3 July. The smaller North German states, except Hanover and Hesse-Kassel, sided with Prussia, the southern and central states gave Austria lukewarm support.

In the Mainfeldzug the Prussians, after an initial Hanoverian success at Langensalza (27 June), defeated their enemies and occupied Frankfurt and Würzburg by 31 July. Though the King of Prussia and his generals wished to exploit the success against Austria, Bismarck, for reasons of future policy, insisted on a lenient settlement.

The consequences of the war were the exclusion of Austria from Germany, the foundation of the North German Confederation (see Norddeutscher Bund), and the annexation of Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Nassau, the Free City of Frankfurt, and Schleswig-Holstein by Prussia. It represents a decisive step in Bismarck's policy of achieving a strong German state dominated by Prussia. Italy joined in the war in order to acquire Venice and the province of Venetia, in which it was successful, in spite of suffering military and naval defeat.