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by Noah S. Hutto (Author)
This work re-examines the role of Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, in the unification of Germany. After a review of existing historiography, the author shows that Frederick's actions as the King of Prussia were instrumental in establishing the very foundation for a unified Germany. Unfortunately, his achievements, as applied to this end, are outshined by the historiography that paints Otto von Bismarck as the true unifier of the individual German states. The author concentrates on the timelines of war and peace of both men, and then more specifically on the actions they took domestically and diplomatically to demonstrate that it is Frederick, not Bismarck, that should bear the title of "Father of Germany," especially in light of what Germany has become post-World Wars. During this compare and contrast of Frederick and Bismarck, their actions, as captured in their own hand, their contemporaries, and modern historians, serve in answering the following: Outside of military prowess, what exactly were their domestic and foreign policies? Within the context of these policies, where does Frederick serve as the greater visionary for Prussia's role in Central Europe? How does shifting credit for unification of Germany under Frederick's ideals and policies impact modern German historiography? This work presents a strong case that Frederick's policies were the true baseline of a unified Germany, and that its progressive thinking established roots that Bismarck either completed or perverted, ultimately forcing Germany's complete transformation to Frederick's initial ideals.
