North German Confederation
North German Federation (in
German,
Norddeutscher Bund), came into existence in 1867, following the dissolution of the
German Confederation. Formed by 22
states of northern
Germany, it was effectively a transitional grouping, lasting only until the founding of the
German Empire in 1871. However, it cemented
Prussian control over
northern Germany, and emanated that same control via the
Zollverein (Customs Union) and secret peace treaties (agreed with the southern states the day before the peace of Prague) into southern Germany. Notably, the Confederation excluded both
Austria and
Bavaria. Although it ceased to exist after the creation of the German empire, 1871, it was the building block for the German constitution of 1871. This constitution gave huge powers to the new Chancellor,
Bismarck who was appointed by the President of the Bundersrat (Prussia). This was because, the constitution made the chancellor 'responsible' however not accountable to the Reichstag. This therefore allowed him the benefit of being the link between the Emperor and the people. The constitution however bar universal was relatively conservative. The Chancellor retained powers over the military budget, after the constitutional crisis that engulfed
Wilhelm I in 1862. Laws also prevented certain civil servants becoming members of the Reichstag, those who were Bismarck's main opposition in the 1860's.
The Federation came into being after Prussia defeated
Austria in the
Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
Otto von Bismarck created the
constitution, which came into force on
1 July,
1867, with the
King of Prussia,
Wilhelm I, as its President, and Bismarck as
Chancellor. The states were represented in the
Bundesrat (Federal Council) with 43 seats (of which Prussia held 17). Most notably, Bismarck introduced universal manhood suffrage into the confederation for elections to the
Reichstag. The Bundersrat membership was extended prior to 1871 with the creation of the
Zollverein Parliament in 1867, an attempt to create closer unity with the southern states by permitting representatives to be sent to the Bundersrat.
Following Prussia's defeat of
France in the
Franco-Prussian War of 1871,
Bavaria,
Württemberg, and
Baden (together with parts of the Grand Duchy of Hesse which had not originally joined the Federation), now grouped together with the various states of the Federation to form the
German Empire, with Wilhelm I taking the new title of
German Emperor.
One of the functions of the Federation was to handle the
mail and issue
postage stamps, which it began doing on
1 January 1868. To accommodate the different
monetary systems in use by the various states, it issued a series valued in
groschen for the Northern District, and another using
kreuzer for the Southern District, distinguishing them by framing the value number in a circle for the groschen stamps, and in an oval for the kreuzers. All of these stamps were inscribed "NORDDEUTSCHER POSTBEZIRK".
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Flag of North German Confederation, 1867-1871 |
In addition, there was a special quarter-
schilling stamp for
Hamburg, with the additional inscription "STADTPOSTBRIEF HAMBURG".
Early in 1869 the stamps were issued with
perforations, the previous issues having been
rouletted. On
1 March, 10 gr and 30 gr values were issued, notable for being printed on
goldbeater's skin, a scheme to prevent reuse of these high-value stamps.
Federation stamps were superseded on
1 January 1872 by the first issues of the German Empire.
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Map of the North German Confederation |
*
Prussia (incl.
Lauenburg)
*
Saxony*
Mecklenburg-Schwerin*
Saxe-Weimar*
Mecklenburg-Strelitz*
Oldenburg*
Brunswick*
Saxe-Meiningen*
Saxe-Altenburg*
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha*
Anhalt*
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt*
Schwarzburg-Sondershausen*
Waldeck*
Reuss (Elder Line)*
Reuss (Younger Line)*
Schaumburg-Lippe*
Lippe*
Lübeck*
Bremen*
Hamburg*the part of the Grand Duchy of
Hesse that was north of the River
Main (province of Upper Hesse,
"Oberhessen")
*
North German Constitution*
Former countries in Europe after 1815
