Zollverein (German for "customs union") or German Customs Union was formed between the 39 states of the German Confederation in 1834 during the Industrial Revolution to remove internal custom barriers, although upholding a protectionist tariff system with foreign trade partners. The main ideological contributor behind the customs union was Friedrich List, an economist holding mercantilist and protectionist views. The Zollverein totally excluded Austria because of its highly protected industry; this would later intensify Austro-Prussian conflict. The Zollverein was effectively ended in 1866 with the advent of the Austro-Prussian War; a new organization with the same name was brought about in 1867 when peace was restored. [1] [2] The new Zollverein was stronger, in that no individual state had a veto. A customs union is a free trade area with a Common External Tariff. ... The German Confederation (German: Deutscher Bund) was the association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to organize the surviving states of the Holy Roman Empire, which had been abolished in 1806. ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... A Watt steam engine in Madrid. ... Friedrich List (August 6, 1789 - November 30, 1846) was a leading 19th Century German economist who believed in the National System. // He was born at Reutlingen, Württemberg. ... A painting of a French seaport from 1638, at the height of mercantilism. ... Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between nations, through methods such as high tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, a variety of restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports, and anti-dumping laws in an attempt to protect domestic industries in a particular nation from foreign take-over... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Combatants Austria, Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, Hanover and some minor German States (formerly as the German Confederation) Prussia, Italy and some minor German States Strength 600,000 Austrians and German allies 500,000 Prussians and German allies 300,000 Italians Casualties 40,000+ dead or wounded 37,000 dead... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

The Zollverein had been originally established by Prussia early in the 19th century. At first it included only the close neighbours of Prussia, and was seen as a way to transport goods between the two non-contiguous parts of Prussia: Eastern Prussia and Western Prussia. The greater customs union of 38 states was the fruit of a continuous effort by Prussian bureaucrats over several decades. Its gradual inception was made against the more modest efforts of the Austrian bureaucracy to establish their own customs union with neighbouring states. Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 Prussia (German: ; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Lithuanian: ; Polish: ; Old Prussian: Prūsa) was, most recently, a historic state originating in East Prussia, an area which for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. ...

Some economic historians such as Helmut Böhme use the Zollverein to dispute the general view of Bismarck as the unifier of Germany. They point out that, firstly, Prussia's economic dominance made unification inevitable. Economic dominance led to political and military control and once that was achieved unification was only a matter of time. Secondly, the Zollverein established an anti-Austrian tradition among the Prussians. Bismarck cannot be said to have revolutionized Prussian politics when the Zollverein had been working actively against Austria for about 30 years before he came along. Alternate meanings: See Bismarck (disambiguation). ...

Content

(1) The custom associations ... form one confederation, united by a common system of trade and customs.

(4) Similar laws relative to imports, exports and transite duties shall prevail.

(6) The Customs Union guarantees freedom of trade and commerce.

(22) The amount of duties which are to become common property shall be divided among the contracting states according to the population of each state.

(33) A congress (Zollparlament), at which each of the governments of the union shall appoint a person, shall be held annualy ... for the purpose of general discussion.

Timeline

Zollverein and German Unification

1818 Prussia establishes an internal customs union throughout their state. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (996x1516, 284 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Zollverein ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (996x1516, 284 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Zollverein ...

1821 Anhalt joined. Anhalt is a historical region of Germany, which is now included in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. ...

1826 Mecklenburg Schwerin joined.

1828 Original customs convention between Prussia and the Grand Duchy of Hesse. Hesse-Darmstadt joined. Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 Prussia (German: ; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Lithuanian: ; Polish: ; Old Prussian: Prūsa) was, most recently, a historic state originating in East Prussia, an area which for centuries had substantial influence on German and European history. ... Hesse (German: Hessen) is a state of Germany with an area of 21,110 km² and just over six million inhabitants. ... The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt came into existence in 1568, as the portion of George, youngest of the four sons of Landgrave Philipp of Hesse. ...

1831 Hesse-Cassel, Saxony joined. Hesse-Kassel (Hessen-Kassel) was a German principality that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1568 upon the death of Landgrave Philip of Hesse and his eldest son Wilhelm IV inherited the northern portion and established his capital in Kassel. ... The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen; Sorbian: Swobodny Stat Sakska) is a federal state of Germany. ...

1833 Thuringian States, Bavarian Palatinate joined. The Republic of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen) lies in central Germany and is among the smaller of the countrys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), being eleventh in size with an area of 16,200 km² and twelfth most populous with 2. ...

1835 Nassau joined. // Nassau may mean the following: Place names: Nassau, Germany: a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, after which all the following are named: Nassau, Bahamas: the capital of the Bahamas Burg Nassau: Nassau Castle, ancestral seat of the House of Nassau Nassau (duchy): an extinct German duchy Hesse-Nassau: the Prussian province...

1834 Bavaria, Württemberg joined. The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Arms of the Kingdom of Württemberg The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Wuerttemberg. ...

1835 Baden joined. gay ...

1841 Brunswick joined. Braunschweig may also refer to the administrative region of Germany. ...

1851 Hanover joined. Hanover (German: Hannover []), on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany. ...

1852 Oldenburg joined. Oldenburg (Low German: Ollnborg) is an Independent City in Lower Saxony, Germany. ...

1868 Schleswig-Holstein, Kausenburg, Mecklenburg. Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 Bundesländer in Germany. ... The coat of arms of Mecklenburg-Western-Pommerania Mecklenburg is a geographical area located in Northern Germany. ...

1871 Alsace-Lorraine joined (after being acquired by Germany following the Franco-Prussian war). Imperial Province of Elsaß-Lothringen Alsace-Lorraine (French: Alsace-Lorraine; German: Elsaß-Lothringen) was a territory that used to be disputed between France and Germany, but is currently a part of France and has been since World War II. The territory, composed of Alsace and parts of Lorraine, belonged to... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with south German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III Helmuth von Moltke Strength 500,000[citation needed] 550,000[citation needed] Casualties 150,000 dead or wounded 284,000 captured 350,000 civilian [citation needed] 100,000 dead or wounded 200...