TheUnification of Germany occurred in the19th century. Until then, there had been many states inCentral Europe. Some of them were very small, possibly no more than5 miles (8.0km) from one border to the other. Many Germans wanted a nation that would be united, powerful and influential. The leaders ofGermany believed that they should be part of a new German Empire, which led to the strategicbattles and alliances that united Germany.
The unification of Germany had begun many years earlier, during theNapoleonic Wars. At theBattle of Leipzig in 1813, which is also called the Battle of Nations, many of the German states joinedRussia,Sweden andAustria to defeatNapoleon's army. In 1815, theCongress of Vienna ended the Napoleonic Wars. Austria remained the most politically powerful German state.Prussia emerged as Austria's political and diplomatic rival.
There were many problems in unifying the German states. Not all politicians wanted unification. Some feared that it would give Austria and Prussia too much power among the many states. There were also problems in deciding who would collecttaxes and how much they would be.
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Before the creation of the modern German State, there were hundreds of small duchies and kingdoms. Many of them were part of theHoly Roman Empire. In 800 AD,Pope Leo III madeFrankish KingCharlemagne the first Holy Roman Emperor.[1]
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