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Visions of the Teuton: Perceptions of Germany and the German in mid-nineteenth century England Tai Teng Zhou A dissertation submitted to the University of Bristol in accordance with the requirements for award of the degree of PhD in the Faculty of Arts, Department of Historical Studies, 2/6/19 78,007 words 1 Abstract This thesis examines mid-nineteenth century perceptions of Germany in the minds of English thinkers, writers, and journalists. At the time, Germany received increasing attention from the English, in no small part due to an exploration of their own national character. This exploration led them to the shared Anglo-Saxon heritage in order to explain their own understanding of the peculiarities and nuances of the English national character. By examining reactions to the myriad events that took place in the burgeoning German nation, the thesis aims to provide insight into the role of national character in shaping perceptions of other nations. It will also observe the change in attitudes towards Germany as the nineteenth century progressed, and Germany became an ascendant Great Power, capable of challenging France in terms of military might, and England in terms of industrial capability. It further aims to demonstrate that the Anglo-German antagonism started some decades prior to the fin de siècle, but that, alongside a growing suspicion of German, and particularly Prussian, expansionism, there remained an admiration for German culture, in this thesis, focusing on the sphere of German literature. Via these observations, the thesis will aim to shed more light on the importance of national character and nationhood to mid-nineteenth century English thinkers. 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr James Thompson, and Professor Hugh Pemberton, whose kindness, guidance, and inexhaustible patience made this work possible. My parents, of course, for the unstinting encouragement they have given me. And lastly, my stepmother, who has been my example of what it means to be a good person. 3 I declare that the work in this dissertation was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the University's Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes and that it has not been submitted for any other academic award. Except where indicated by specific reference in the text, the work is the candidate's own work. Work done in collaboration with, or with the assistance of, others, is indicated as such. Any views expressed in the dissertation are those of the author. SIGNED: ............................................................. DATE: .......................... 4 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Chapter One: The Uniqueness of Germany 3. Chapter Two: English views of the German literary world 4. Chapter Three: 1848, Germany, and the English Press 5. Chapter Four: Views on Germany’s mid-nineteenth century wars 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography 5 Introduction Prior to 1848, it would not be inaccurate to say that there was no German nation-state. There had, of course, been manifestations of German nationalism, the first signs of which were seen after the defeat of Prussia and Austria at the Battles of Jena-Auerstedt, and physically manifested in the Hambach Festival in 1832. The Zollverein too, may be seen as an early manifestation of German unity. This custom union, formed with the intent of managing tariffs and economic policies, served as a means with which to bind the disparate German states to one another. Nonetheless, Germany the nation-state remained a dream of nationalists and patriots. Though the Frankfurt Assembly, and later the Frankfurt Parliament, established at Paulskirche during the revolution of 1848 claimed to be a federal government, it amounted to little, and the revolution was quickly stamped out by the pre-existing German governments. Some few decades later, the German Empire had emerged, from the moment of its inception, as one of the Great Powers of Europe. In 1866, under the Prussian lead, the North German states had excised the ancient Hapsburg Empire from German affairs, and creating the Norddeustcher Bund, the North German Confederation which was the German federal state. Four years later, Bismarck goaded France into war, and, in short order, Germany had beaten, and dispelled the illusion of, the military might of the French Empire, stunning foreign witnesses with its magnificent victory over Louis Napoleon, who proved himself unequal to his uncle at the Battle of Sedan. With the formation of the German Empire at Versailles, and the incorporation of those German states which had declined to join the preceding Norddeutscher Bund, the young nation took its place amongst the Great Powers, and set itself upon a course that would dramatically alter the next century. Some miles away, England went from strength to strength, its colonial empire, particularly after the incorporation of British India, growing to titanic proportions. Its military might not have been on equal parity with those of the continental nations, but the Royal Navy 6 was indisputably the strongest. Industrially too, England was without equal, though, when the dust had settled after the American Civil War, the United States began to rapidly close the gap. This upstart nation, however, was on the far side of the Atlantic, and thus outside of immediate concern, if only by dint of its spatial distance. Though France would, after its defeat, turn most of its attention away from Europe towards its overseas possessions, and though Russia would, in the closing decades of the nineteenth century, challenge English hegemony in the Near and Far East, the primary challenge to English supremacy came from the invigorated Germany; for the first time, England found its steel production and naval (in terms of sheer tonnage) lead seriously jeopardized. What effect these changed circumstances had on Anglo-German relations has been well documented; the general conclusion is that it led to increasing tension and ‘antagonism’.1 The tensions that arose during the fin de siècle, and the culmination of this antagonism, would colour opinions on Germany through the twentieth century. However, for much of the period before German Unification, there existed a sort of paternal pride on the part of the English for their German cousins. The development of thoughts on what made a nation, and concepts of national character, in England, led many writers to think on their Anglo-Saxon heritage. Peter Mandler has written on this historical perspective to be in response to the fact that ‘the agonized lubrications of the ethnologists and social scientists had only limited appeal; they offered few clear answers and little enlightenment.’2 Indeed, Ulrike Kirchberger explained that the language of race was often employed by both English and German scholars to explain the nature of the Anglo-German 1 See for example, Paul M. Kennedy, The rise of the Anglo-German antagonism, 1860 – 1914 (London, Allen & Unwin, 1980); also, Richard Scully, British Images of Germany: Admiration, Antagonism and Ambivalence, 1860 – 1914 (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012). 2 Peter Mandler, The English National Character: the History of an Idea, from Edmund Burke to Tony Blair (New Haven, 2006), p. 86 – 7. 7 collaboration that persisted from the Napoleonic Wars through the long nineteenth century.3 He explained that ‘at a time when scholars were very interested in categorizing peoples according to racial criteria,’ constructing an idea of a ‘brotherhood of the Anglo-Saxon peoples’ allowed these scholars to aid in establishing, and explaining the unique nature of the Anglo-German relationship.4 However, these racial theories and pseudo-science proved unsatisfying, and unable to explain what the English perceived as the uniqueness of their own national character, and thus, attempting to explain their own character, minds were cast back to the misty forests of the ancient Teuton, from which the modern English derived their love of liberty, and of the peculiarly Anglo-Saxon constitution. This increasing fascination with Germany, particularly the shared historical past was what Matthew Arnold described as, with no small amount of sardonicism, ‘Teutomania.’5 Teutomania was essentially the reverence for the English past which could be traced back through time to Tacitus’ Germania and its ancient tribes. Apparently, these proud folk were supposed to have embodied certain traits with which contemporary English were most strongly identified: the ‘Ancient Constitution’ and a love of liberty. This trend was manifested in writings on history; the most ambitious of these various projects was John Mitchell Kemble’s The Saxons in England, originally published in 1849.6 He was not a lonely figure, however; Thomas H.