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| The Encyclopedia of World History. 2001. |
| 1849, Jan | |
The Frankfurt Parliament completed the first reading of the new constitution. One of the major stumbling blocks would prove to be the gro deutsch versus kleindeutsch (greater Germany versus smaller Germany) issue. Delegates from the Habsburg states wanted provisions to include Austria (grodeutsch) in plans for a unified German state. This problem was resolved after the Austrian government established its own constitution, but the question remained an issue in German politics. The Frankfurt constitution (March 27) established a federal system with state governments represented in a parliamentary upper house. The constitution also recognized universal male suffrage and the secret ballot as a concession to the democrats, whose votes were necessary to ensure a liberal majority. Though never in effect, the constitution influenced later German statutes. | 1 |
| March 28 | |
| The Frankfurt Parliament elected Frederick William IV as emperor. Frederick William was offered the crown on April 3, but he declined it without refusing to head a German state. Frederick William feared acceptance would tie him to the principles and government of 1848. His move was reinforced when the Prussian government rejected the Frankfurt constitution on April 21. This marked the end of the Frankfurt Parliament. A rump parliament remained in Frankfurt until it was forced to Stuttgart and then dispersed (June 18). Radicals continued to stage risings, but the revolutions were over. (See Central Europe) | 2 |
| The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. Peter N. Stearns, general editor. Copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Maps by Mary Reilly, copyright © 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. | |
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