Prussian nationalism was thenationalism that asserted thatPrussians were anation and promoted the cultural unity of Prussians.[1] Prussian nationalism arose as a result of the state-building by theHohenzollern dynasty that was initiated with the merger ofBrandenburg withEast Prussia in the 16th century followed later by the incorporation ofWest Prussia,Pomerania,Silesia, and large portions of theRhineland andWestphalia by the 19th century.[1] Prussian nationalism has ceased with Prussia becoming non-existent in post-World War II period.
Prussian nationalism was influential in several military conflicts: theSecond Schleswig War in 1864, theAustro-Prussian War in 1866, and theFranco-Prussian War in 1870; with Prussian nationalist sentiment emphasizingProtestant triumphalism.[2] In 1871, Prussia led the unification ofGermany into theGerman Empire in which theGerman Emperor was also theKing of Prussia. The state of Germany as manifested in the German Empire created by the Prussian government ofOtto von Bismarck, drew criticisms byGerman nationalists likeKonstantin Franz who accused Bismarck of creating a federal state based on Prussian nationalist goals and a deviation from German nationalism.[3]