German society, namely in its capital city, was overflowing with the desire to prove its strength and supremacy. Even children were often dressed in military-like fashion and made to play as soldiers or marines. Military parades became increasingly frequent, and military outfits were more fashionable than ever. Militarism was on the rise in Germany, and this became part of everyday life. A so-called field kitchen in the streets of Berlin, between 1914-1918, via LeMO This approach to politics and desire for dominance is often considered one of the leading causes for World War I. The new German Emperor’s priority was to expand Germany’s overseas territories and affirm his country’s supremacy to the rest of Europe. Instead of continuing Bismarck’s pragmatic political line ( Realpolitik), Wilhelm II, focused on a Weltpolitik. After becoming emperor, Wilhelm II quickly disposed of Otto von Bismarck, mainly because of their different political approaches. By 1905, Berlin had 2 million inhabitants, making it the third-most populated city in Europe, following Paris and London.Ī major cultural shift that not only affected Berlin, but Germany as a whole, came when Wilhelm II rose to power. For this reason, the population of Berlin more than doubled in the thirty years following the formation of the German Empire. This resulted in a tendency towards urbanization, meaning that large masses of people moved to the city searching for work in Berlin’s booming industry. Berlin’s industry proliferated in the second half of the 19th century, continuously demanding workers for its industries. The first major change in Berlin after unification was population growth. Troops parading in Berlin, through the Mehringdamm (former Alliance-Straße), in 1910, via Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung This city also went through a major global conflict: World War I.

The Capital of the German Empire (1871-1918)Īs the capital city of the German Empire, Berlin experienced significant social, political, and economic change. Between 18, Berlin was the capital city of the German Empire.ġ.

After unification in 1871, Bismarck became Germany’s first chancellor, and Wilhelm I became its first emperor. It was Prussia that was primarily responsible for the efforts that would lead to a unified Germany. What all these states had in common was, of course, the German language.īefore the German unification, Berlin was the capital city of Prussia, Germany’s strongest and most industrialized state at the time. Until 1871, the German-speaking territory was fragmented and made up of several states with different rulers. It was only formed in 1871 under the rule of Otto von Bismarck and Emperor Wilhelm I. Germany, as we know it today, is a relatively recent country. Before Germany: Berlin as the Capital of Prussia Urbanization in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, 1900, via Handelsblatt

Berliner platz neu 1 answers