On Historical Origins Of Long-term Split In Modern Germany

When Holy Roman Empire was established, there were alienation factors and Duchies possessed great autonomy. By the 12th century, the emperor of Holy Roman Empire involved in the power struggle with the Pope, which continuously outspreads his power and drained the energy that emperors exercised their Holy Roman Empire's strategy. At the same time, new secular and ecclesiastical nobles took advantage of the opportunity and rose. All these factors weakened the imperial power but reinforced the power of feudal lords, which laid a good foundation for the Territorial States Imperial. The establishment of Territorial States Imperial is an important reason for the long-term split in Germany,which became the factor of split.The Territorial States Imperial continued for more than 600 years, whose long-term existence had greatly influenced on the German politics, economy and culture. Germanic rural communes based on blood relationship had the free and equal tradition and the private ownership could hardly invade into the inner rural commune, which had deep impression in the Germanic feudalization process. In the 13th century, the Hanseatic League, bearing the characteristics of Territorial States Imperial, set up its own Senate and the House of Representatives and could declare war outward (the Hanseatic War from 1367 to1370). The Hanseatic League solemnly became an independent separatist regime with a formidable centrifugal force. Though the Hanseatic League strengthened the economic relation between the northern Germany and the North Sea-Baltic Sea area in the history, in the long term, the economic dispersibility of Hanseatic League seriously hindered the political unification step of the Germany in Middle Age, which greatly delayed Germany social transition comparing with other countries of Western European mainland and became another reason that hindered the German unification.When some Western Europe mainland countries strived for the national unity and country transition in the 15th century, German broke out far-reaching Religious Reformation Movement. Without a strong dominant imperial power, German area formed two opposite religious groups with equal power, Protestantism and Catholicism, which also hindered the German unification process.After the 30 Years War, the national-states appeared universally. However, the German country suited at central Europe was still disintegrated, which had, to some extent, decidedthe existence and development of other mainland countries. Therefore, with the aim of hindering German unification, the other mainland countries delayed vigorously its process. So the external strength was also a factor that hindered Germany unification process. The thesis includes three parts, Preface, main body and conclusion. Part one introduces the research circumstances about the topic. Part two consists of five chapters: chapter 1,the establishment of German empire; chapter 2,the non-national route of German historical development; chapter 3,the backwardness of German feudalism; chapter 4,the aggravating disintegration since German Reformation; chapter 5, the Europe great Powers'hindrance to German unification. The conclusion is the summary of the full text and points that the German's split in long-term has its historical origins. In long historical years, the separation of ideology formed the restriction unified factors and the divided condition in German development hindered German's modernization. When the modern nation-state became the main competitive body, the trend of German disintegration already could not be able to meet the requirement of German historical development. German intelligent people then started to call for the unification of German nation-state, which was more and more formidable inspirational power. Finally, the Prussia Dynasty under the Bismarck's leadership unified Germany and the German disintegration of long-term was ended.