The Erfurt Union: A Brief History
Introduction
The Erfurt Union was a short-lived union of German states under a federation proposed by the Kingdom of Prussia.
A parliament for the Erfurt Union met in Erfurt for a little over a month in spring 1850.
Formation and Goals
The union was founded on May 26, 1849, and consisted of 29 states from the German Confederation.
Its primary goal was to create a unified German state under Prussian leadership.
The union's constitution provided for a bicameral legislature, a responsible ministry, and a federal army.
Collapse
The union began to break down when Austria and other German states refused to join.
In April 1850, the Prussian government withdrew from the union after failing to reach an agreement with Austria on the future of Germany.
The union was officially dissolved on November 15, 1850.
Legacy
The Erfurt Union's failure to achieve its goals had a lasting impact on German history.
It demonstrated the difficulty of unifying Germany under Prussian leadership.
It also contributed to the outbreak of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, which ultimately led to the unification of Germany under Prussian dominance.
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