History ETDs

Publication Date

4-30-1970

Abstract

The Schleswig-Holstein Question has rightly been called one of the most complicated questions in European history. It dates from the Middle Ages and for many centuries was nothing more than a continuing dynastic quarrel between the royal families of Denmark. In the nineteenth century, however, it became involved with the forces of liberalism and nationalism and ultimately with the revolutions of 1848-49, and the fate of German unification. In March of 1848, revolutions broke out more or less simultaneously in Germany, Denmark, and the duchies. The Danish revolutionaries planned to annex the duchy of Schleswig. To prevent this, the ducal revolutionaries appealed to and received military assistance from the revolutionary governments of Germany. The result was a war between Denmark and the German Confederation over the final disposition of the duchies.

Once the German revolution took up the ducal cause, it hesitated to give it up, even at the insistence of several of the great powers, such as Russia and Great Britain, who considered their interests threatened by the war and the German penetration into Jutland. Great Britain also believed the war threatened the general peace of Europe. To prevent the outbreak of a large war, the British government, under the direction of the Foreign Secretary, lord Palmerston, entered the dispute as mediator and assisted by Russia and Sweden, eventually secured an armistice and an agreement to negotiate a final settlement. Later developments, however, delayed the start of negotiations until the spring of 1849, and by this time, relations between Denmark and Germany had deteriorated to the point where the war was resumed in April, 1849. British mediation was eventually successful in ending the fighting a second time, and after protracted negotiatio11s, it secured a temporary settlement, which solved the Schleswig-Holstein Question for the time being.

Up until the outbreak of the first war in the spring of 1848, the German revolutionarie51 had the sympathy and passive support of the British government in their efforts to liberalize and unite Germany. The refusal of Germany, however, to disinterest itself in the affairs of the duchies, produced a definite chill in Anglo-German relations and gradually turned he British government against the revolutionary government in Frankfurt am Main. In the meantime, German intervention in the ducal revolution had prevented the successful culmination of the revolution inside Germany. The counterrevolution was not suppressed in time, and after the end of the first Schleswig-Holstein war, the revolution fought a losing battle against a resurging reaction. During this period, the Frankfurt government appealed to Great Britain for diplomatic recognition and support, believing it might make the difference in the struggle, but Lord Palmerston, having been alienated by the Schleswig-Holstein affair, refused to give it. Although he continued to favor German unification, he believed it to be impossible under a revolutionary government.

The second Schleswig-Holstein war only aggravated the deteriorating relations between London and Frankfurt, while strengthening those between London and Perlin. After the collapse of the Assembly--an event the Britiish government did not lament-­Palmerston endorsed German unification under Prussian leadership. But by now, the cohesion that the re elution had given Germany was gone, and Prussia would be as unsuccessful as Frankfurt had been in uniting Germany.

The Schleswig-Holstein question was the single most important reason for the failure of good relations between the National Assembly and Great Britain and e of the major reasons for the failure of the revolution itself. The tragedy for the revolution and for German unification is that the Schleswig-Holstein Question need not have played the important and destructive role that it did. It did so only because the liberals of Germany insisted upon tying their fate to that of the duchies. They tried to use one half­completed revolution to secure a second revolution and ultimately destroyed both.

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Degree Name

History

Department Name

History

First Committee Member (Chair)

Gunther Eric Rothenberg

Second Committee Member

Janet Roebuck

Third Committee Member

Robert William Kern

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

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