Großdeutschland

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Großdeutschland (German "Greater Germany"), was the colloquial name of Germany as of March 1938.

[edit] Background

An overview map of Großdeutschland.

Stamp issued by the "Greater German Reich"

The concept of Großdeutschland featured strongly in the 19th Century debates over the Unification of Germany. The question of whether Austria, which contained a German speaking population and was historically considered integral to 'Germany', should be included in a unified German state, was the central issue, along with other considerations of German-speaking areas, such as Schleswig-Holstein and Alsace-Lorraine. Chancellor Bismarck decided against including Austria, fearing that this would foster the dominance of Catholics in Germany, and necessitate the inclusion of the non-German populations of the Habsburg Empire. After World War I, the Austrian National Assembly and the German National Assembly supported the re-unification of Germany and Austria, but this was prohibited by the Allies. In 1938 Nazi-Germany annexed Austria (Anschluss). In a reference to the 19th. century concept of the Großdeutsche Lösung (greater German solution), the enlarged state was (first informally and, from 1943, formally) renamed to (Großdeutsches Reich) (Greater German Empire), colloquially "Großdeutschland" (Greater Germany).

[edit] Legacy

Because of its association with Nazi Germany there are no mainstream political groups in Austria or Germany that endorse the concept of Greater Germany today, and those that do are often regarded as Fascist or Neo-Nazi.

[edit] See also

• Germania
• Frankfurt National Assembly of 1848

[edit] References