What methods did Otto Von Bismarck adopt to unify and integrate Germany?

Answer 1

Bismarck used Realpolitik, ruthless politics that puts the goals of the state ahead of any other concern (basically "ends justify the means" politics.) Specifically, in addition to ignoring Prussian law when he felt it necessary, he manipulated his way into wars--with Denmark, Austria, and France--to stir up German nationalism so he could accomplish unification. Bismarck also used the policy of Kulturkampf. This is a struggle for culture. He did so by attacking the Catholic Church, which creates a common enemy amung the North Germans. He eventually fails, but this common enemy helps to unify Germany. The Zollverein Trade and Tariff Union was an economic aid to Bismarck's unification of Germany. It brought down the barriers between states and helped to create an interdependence amung them. He emphasized a common history amung the Germans. He used Brothers Grimm, which were two brothers that wrote a collection of German fairytales including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, and Snow White, to show that even though the people of Germany may be different, they were still very much the same. They had the same customs, language, and traditions. The wars that Otto Von Bismarck manipulated his way into were also a way of unifying Germany. Win after win got the people of Germany stirring about their great army and navy. He removed the threat of Austria, then took land from the Danish, and beat out the French. Bismarck successfully conquered the European world and united Germany.