Britain and the German Question: Perceptions of Nationalism and Political Reform, 1830–63

281 Pages·2002·1.241 MB·English

by  Frank Lorenz Müller (auth.)

Britain and the German Question

Britain and the German
Question
Perceptions of Nationalism and Political
Reform, 1830–63
Frank Lorenz Müller
Stevenson Junior Research Fellow
University College
Oxford
© Frank Lorenz Müller 2002
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2002 978-0-333-96615-0
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Müller,Frank Lorenz,1970–
Britain and the German question:perceptions of nationalism
and political reform,1830–63 / Frank Lorenz Müller.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1.Great Britain—Foreign relations—Germany.2.Great Britain–
–Foreign relations—19th century.3.Germany—Foreign relations–
–Great Britain.4.Germany—Foreign relations—1789–1900.I.Title.
DA47.2.M85 2001
327.41043’09’034—dc21
2001035428
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02
für Hedi und Erhard

Contents
Acknowledgements ix
List of Abbreviations xi
Introduction 1
1 British Perceptions of Vormärz Germany, 1830–47 9
Subversion and Reaction in the Wake of the July
Revolution, 1830–3 9
Reforms and no Reform Movement, 1834–47 30
2 British Perceptions of Revolutionary Germany, 1848–9 56
Reform, Revolution and Reaction in the German States 58
Revolution, Constitution and Nationalism in the
Frankfurt Centre 76
3 British Perceptions of the Austro-Prussian Struggle for
Supremacy, 1848–51 108
The Project of a Prussian-led Kleindeutschland,
May 1848–April 1850 109
Austria’s Campaign to Recover her Role in Germany,
1848–51 131
4 British Perceptions of the ‘Reaction’ and the Struggle for
Federal Reform, 1851–63 157
Suggesting Prussian Leadership: Perceptions of Germany,
1858–61 163
Spanners in the Prussian Works: Adversaries, Reaction and
Conflict, 1859–63 182
Conclusion 201
Appendix: Long-standing British Diplomats in the German
Confederation (1830–63) 209
Notes 212
Manuscript Sources and Bibliography 247
Index 262
vii

Acknowledgements
During the writing of this book, I was very fortunate in the generous
support I received from numerous individuals and institutions. I am
delighted to use this opportunity to record my gratitude and indebted-
ness to them.
Merton and University Colleges, Oxford, have been my academic
homes since 1996. Throughout this time, I have greatly benefited from
being part of such learned, generous and caring communities. For that
I would like to thank the Warden and Fellows of Merton, its Middle
Common Room and domestic staff, as well as the Master, Fellows and
staff of ‘Univ’.
Without the financial support I received from the Rhodes Trust I could
not have undertaken my research. I would therefore like to express my
gratitude to the Rhodes Trustees and the friendly people at Rhodes
House. I would also like to thank Hugh and Catherine Stevenson whose
generosity enabled me to complete this study.
In the course of my work I was greatly assisted by archivists and librar-
ians. I am particularly grateful to the staff at the Public Record Office,
but also to the staff of Southampton University Library, Balliol College
Library, the Bodleian Library, the British Library and the County Record
Offices in Northampton, Winchester and Hertford. For their permission
to consult and quote from archival material I would like to register my
gratitude to the Earl of Clarendon, the Trustees of the Broadlands
Archives, the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, the British
Library and the Hampshire Record Office.
My doctoral supervisor, Professor Hartmut Pogge von Strandmann,
first taught me in 1993, then encouraged me to return to Oxford in 1996,
and has since helped me in many kind ways. This study owes much
to his keen interest, judgement and experience. I am also grateful to
Professor Timothy Blanning, Professor Robert Evans, Peter Ghosh, Philip
Waller and Dr Leslie Mitchell for their advice and encouragement.
My friends and colleagues Dr Dominik Geppert and Dr Benjamin
Novick, my mother-in-law, Susan Chesters, and Cameron Laux of Pal-
grave Publishers proof-read all or parts of the manuscript. Thanks to
their efforts many opaque phrases and infelicities of style have been
weeded out. What blemishes remain result from my stubbornness.
Celia, my wife, helped me tremendously during the writing of this
ix