^ This very much.

King of Prussia, King in Prussia, German Emperor, Emperor in Germany

you can say it’s a more organised version of the Holy Roman Empire

@@IllyrianMapper not really, it was much more centralised and worked in cohesion

@@micahistory yeah that’s what I mean, it was one country not a collection of one the German empire was still split up in states and stuff, but they were unified, if you see maps you will still see Prussia as some sort of entity along with others I’m saying that it’s sort of like the HRE, most of these entities (I forgot what they were actually called) used to be separate kingdoms so you can say it’s the HRE but WAY more organised, and as one nation

Well, we came so late the the "Unified country" party (all the cool kids come late, ya know) we had to speedrun history.

August von Mackensen, German Field Marshal in WW1, lived from 1849 to 1945, thus witnessing the rise and fall of his country.

While it’s wild, it is not as crazy as it may sounds to us, as the last 80ish years (starting from 1945) were very “static” compared to the previous ones. For example the first French Revolution started in 1789, Napoleon III sized power after the second revolution in 1851. People who where kids during French absolutism lived trough absolutism, revolution and first republic, napoleonic empire, restoration of absolute monarchy, a second revolution and a second republic, then a second empire. People born in 1780 where in their 70s during the second empire. A similar political turmoil can be seen in Italy too, during the napoleonic wars, in 1805 Napoleon created the kingdom of Italy as a vassals state, which was dissolved with his defeat. The peninsula is mostly controlled by foreign countries until 1861, when the unification happens, and it’s a constitutional monarchy, in 1920 the fascists rise to power and rule for over 20 years. Even if we count only the unification, in 80 years (a lifetime) they lived through foreign domination (mostly Austria and Spain) / a small local ruler / a theocracy (the papal states), then a mildly liberal-conservative monarchy, a fascists dictatorship, the occupation by the American and the first republic.

Human history is amazing and scary at the same time

Same as Japanese citizen who was a child during the Meiji Industrialisation, witnessed the Russo and Sino-Japanese wars, WW1, Taishō democracy, Fascism, WW2, American occupation, Korean War and economic miracle after Or a German born in 1905-1995 Saw the German Empire, Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, East and West Germany and the Bundesrepublik Holy shit

It's funny that the German empire wasn't even a decade old and Meji regime was like ya they seem to know what they're doing

Isn't it more like the English one?

@@SchmulKrieger the current post war Constitution is a Westminster system, but the pre WW2 Meiji Constitution from 1880 was structured similar to the German Empire.

​​​@@frozenflame5858 And that how they got into WW2. I mean the Taisho Democracy proven that. I wouldn't want to be the Prime Minister. Man can you imagine you was ensuring your country peace but then the some crazy navy officer came in and shoot you. Then the other civilian government offcials got assasinated because the Army wanted not to be outdone by the Navy. Heck even to the point plan to capture the Emperor.

Rise tahk

@Vandole Sure, but as proved in a previous comment this is not the case. Just say "Rise tahk". It's still not the same, but way more true to the original pronunciation

It's a weird pronunciation, indeed! I've heard it be pronounced "Rike's Tag" in English, and then a different way in German (with the ch being pronounced like the ch in Scottish "loch"), but never "Reishtag"! Thanks for the comment!

The ch in Reich is pronounced like Charly without the -arly part.

Not at all. It is pronounced like the ch in loch. @@12tanuha21

Grape time

What

Thanks. You're right we'll never know, but I'm with you on Frederick being considerably more liberal than his father, and probably more sensible than his son.

@@LookBackHistory If Frederick had lived, it's very possible that Britain would be on good terms with Germany and Britain might not have entered WW1 at all. Then again, it's also possible that Frederick would have made the empire a constitutional one and there's no telling how the Reichstag's foreign policies would be. Although Germany might be much less interested in colonies and a huge navy and more interested in economic dominion.

More liberal = less freedom = more power to rich people

@@GoldsteinShekelbergSwartz "freedom is when big authority"

You mean III* II*, II*, and III*?

wonderfull, you find another sneaky mistake, well done. ( the other i notice is the border to belgium)

Not Nazi Germany but NS Germany. Nazi Germany is a degoratory term for German Empire and retroactive term used by allies. Such a childish official name by allies.

@@magicman6381 ...no? Nobody has ever referred to the German Empire as Nazi Germany before. That is a name exclusively used for the 3rd Reich. And I'm sorry, why are we concerned about the sensitivities of f*cking Nazis?

Like Fredrick the Great

It wasn’t a dictatorship

Thanks!

Possibly!

Basically the Drake and similarly-formatted memes. The Germans when: Any true centralized authority. *_No._* A nightmarishly-confusing confederation. *_Yes._*

"Nightmare confederation is the superior government form, fuck right off Brandenburg" *-this post was brought to you by the Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland Pfalz gang*

Fun Fact: germany reformed itself to absoulte central authorian State under 1 Person for a short time between 1933 and 1945. However after some advise from outside, it was decided that that might could be dangerous unbalanced.

Thanks, doing pretty well atm!

however in war time, they had to send their army to the the Reich, without controll for the time.

@@thelastprussian6491 interesting flag, I’m guessing being proud to be Prussian and proud of our traditions yet open and welcoming towards European unity and liberal views, exactly how I see things for myself.

@@prussianangler yeah almost, i also see Prussia as an sucesfull example for it's time and hope for the EU as well. ,,where are we from=-where will we go?'' Not because Prussia was ,,better'' than our present day germany, but becaue it was victorius and teaching in it's downfall. And finally, without the EU i was to often connected to right-wing politics.

@@thelastprussian6491 wirklich schade, dass die Preußische Flagge sowie die Wirmer-Flagge von Rechtsextremisten so missbraucht werden. Preußen(gerade unter den Alten Fritz) war unglaublich tolerant für die Zeit, und stand für Fortschritt und Wissenschaft.

England didn't rule over the other countries of the UK either

The German upper house was a bit like a fusion of the American House of Representatives and pre-17th amendment Senate, but more authoritarian.

That’s true. I’ve never thought of it that way.

@@user-qi5jw2hg1c *Ireland has entered the chat*

Except Germany had its own king Unlike Scotland Wales which rule by personal union under English King ( yeah i know, Stuart was from Scotland being ask by England nobles to become English king after previous King die without heir, aka it was Scotland rule over England in theory not the other way)

A little bit, lol.

@@LookBackHistory Ηappy to see the channel thriving again, after those long breaks and low numbers I thought you were gonna quit, but I'm very glad you didn't

You'll appreciate some upcoming videos!

@@LookBackHistory okay dude im subscribed

@@moumouhigi5837 Literally just finished a script on Frederick the Great.

@@LookBackHistory looking forward to see that

You can't lump the HRE which existed over a millenia into a single governance system. Wether you start with the Carolingian or Ottonian dynasty it was actually the most centralized state in western Europe. The emperorship was also inherited by the sons. The Ottonian dynasty did much to consolidate the imperial power and bind the church as its bureaucratic arm and reduce the priveliges of the stem dukes. It was the struggle with the papacy that gave the dukes a chance to weaken the emperor's power and authority. Its is also ironic that the final nail into the emperors any vestiges of central authority was the 30 years war, a war waged by the emperor in behalf of the pope to whon through centuries worked to weakened the emperors powers

Had some slight audio trouble on this one. Sorry about that!

Like this but with a President

Exactly. In theory the parliament had way more power. In practice the president ruled via emergency decrees because no working government could be formed due to the extremely fractioned parliament.

In short: Proportional Representation, angry people, and a weak constitution that allows for an effective Presidential Dictatorship (Articles 48 and 25 most of all).

Under Bismarck? Pretty much.

Yes. Long live the Kaiser

Well Willy’s views and foreign policies stirred up trouble, for example the Morocco Crisis of 1905, caused the British to ally with their long time enemy France and ofc his obsession of having the strongest Navy causing an arms race with Britain. These were some of the main factors for WW1. Also being as impulsive as he was, he said things in ways he didn’t mean. Just listen to the “Hunnenrede”, where he drastically exaggerated his message and was used later on as allied propaganda. He came over as aggressive and war-mongering, although he tried to prevent WW1 once it started. A highly complex character, but his actions did escalate indirectly and directly into WW1.

@@prussianangler Morocco crisis was caused by the French trying to take over a sovereign nation which had trading relationships with Germany. They staged a coup trying to overthrow the sultan. The naval race was a race only to the British who were paranoid and nonsensical. Germany didn't try to compete, they wanted to protect their growing trade in times where piracy was still common. Even dummer they were since Wilhelm expressed his desire to cooperate with the British many times (which caused backlash at home for being too friendly). He wanted his navy to be a worthy ally, not competitor. It was mainly Edward who was jealous of Wilhelm's relationships with queen Victoria, early ascention to the throne and a competent rule. I would put the blame on Edward's blinding hate and envy for breakdown in German-English relations and ultimately the ww1. But I am glad that you at least recognize the complexity of Wilhelm's character.

@@nilsmadej9091 I have always seen Willy as the tragic villain/ misunderstood leader. The Morocco crisis and the arms race are complex topics, just like the whole of Europe at the time. It didn’t matter who had the right intentions, but in the end his decisions to intervene in Morocco did make the British and French put their differences aside, and he did have an outrageous obsession with the Navy, which in the end didn’t help Germany at all. I always see Germany and Britain to be very similar countries at that time, and if Germany would have won Germany nowadays would be comparable to Britain today. If the international relations were properly managed and not acted upon Willy’s impulses(no matter the intention), it would’ve been the British and Germans with Austria Hungary and the Ottoman Empire( and maybe even the Italians) against France, Russia, and Serbia if the war still would’ve broken out(very likely). This would’ve avoided the dreaded Versailles Treaty and extremists and the evil national socialists wouldn’t even have a chance to rise to power. Contrary to popular beliefs, the German Empire was becoming more liberal and also was already more liberal than most other European nations(as the video mentions).

​@@prussiananglerIf anything my friend the Moroccan Crisis work best for Britian when the French decide they sell all of their share of Egypt Suez to Britian which mean Egypt Suez completely under Britain. French already got thing smooth over quickly.

​@@prussiananglerThe naval arm race with Germany is what i call stupid of overeating on Britain part . I mean even in the long run Germany can't beat British in not navy it did cause concern but to the point of overacting like this. Especially it more hyperactive i don't see them do anything or have any power to stop the USA from expanding it navy which to the it on pair with the Royal Navy by the end of WW1. Come on Britain if want to keep your navy the best in the world why don't they try anything to stop USA from expanding it navy as well. But when Germany do it they complain and worry. That why i said Britain overreacted to German Navy who even less worth then the USA navy.

Good point! Furthermore, I've never heard the "ch" in _Reichstag_ be pronounced _that_ way! Thanks for commenting!

Yep. Bismarck would turn over in his grave if he knew what happened to Germany after his death.

You're right for sure. The only problem at the time was the mass mobilization of the great powers which forced war.

@Vandole Bismark wasn't a German as much as he was a Prussian.

@@kersacoft what an absurd counter"argument". Bismarcks greatest achievements were the foundation of germany and healthcare/social insurance - his achievements are still arround

His ideas still remain

@@konsumkind99 Don't forget the purpose behind those achivements. Bismark opposed the unification under any terms that didn't result on Prussia's supremacy over the rest of the states, he didn't care for a German Empire but for a Prussian Empire, and that he most definetively lost. Same with his social insurance, he didn't created it for it's own sake but as a necessary compromise to ensure the security of the aristocratic order. What others have made with the scraps of his work is less relevant, Bismark fought for Prussia and it's ruling class, and none of that is still arround.

@@kersacoft you know, the possitions and motives of people change during their lifetime, so there are a lot of different oppinions bismarck held how a united germany should be. Bismarck as a chancelor was aware of his duty and ofc wanted Prussia to be the leading state of the empire, but if u read on his personal letters to Ludwig II of Bavaria, you suddenly see a different Bismarck, more open to other concepts of an united germany. Sure, the social insurance was a compromise to lessen the influence of the SPD etc., but he could have also chosen a different policy for that. He also saw the benefits a healthy population has on the production efficiency and ammount of recruitable soldiers for example. Peoples choices are seldom monocausal. So lets look at two of your statements: 1. „Not even a lifetime after his legacy was achived, it's as if he didn't achived anything at all.“ 2. "What others have made with the scraps of his work is less relevant, Bismark fought for Prussia and it's ruling class, and none of that is still arround." So, if others used bismarck as a foundation, his actions are still relevant and ist not like he didnt achieve anything. Bismarck is also not a cartoon character whos only driven by abstract concepts like „Prussia“ or „the ruling class“ (and ist not like those two things didnt change during his rule). If you look at the ammount of receptions and biographies written about him, its hard to argue his legacy is nonexistent. If you dont agree on that, the rest of the argument is basically a question of your worldview and how nihilistic you want to be. Does anything really matter? Is there smth as a legacy or is legacy gone, the moment smth changes? Do we have a free will, or are we only driven by the satisfaction of basic needs? But i have to ask you, if you dont see any legacy in the action of long dead people, why are you watching history videos on youtube?

Well, kinda also a confederacy of Kingdoms and so on, while mostly dominated by the Habsburg Empire instead of Prussia up until the unity wars.

The HRE worked very different depending on which Year we are talking about, the HRE existed for almost 1 Thousand Years

Definitely part of it.

A good way of summarizing Wilhelm II!

?

fake news

@@Fummy007 Correct, Bavaria is fake news. Don't get fooled.

I remember some Austrian dude in the 1920s said something similar. Wonder how that worked out

Yeah no, that's bullshit. You're only seeing things black and white. I'm from Germany and it's still kinda German today, idk what you meant with that xD

Yeah I miss when my country was a military dictatorship ruled by mentally unstable emperors and despotic chancellors, now we have that dirty democracy and are a federation of equal states, truly horrible. /s

@@bastian182 Back in the good old times where the government suppressed minorties, did genocides in Africa while fostering nationalism (and of course antisemitism as well. Truly the pinnacle

@@lepartius2403 least self hating german