unification of Germany

The Unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent German states into one nation, and thus created the German Empire, from which all of the states since that time bearing the name of Germany descend. There is much debate surrounding whether or not the 'iron chancellor' had a masterplan to unify Germany or whether his aims were simply to expand Prussia.
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