Thirty Years War

Depiction of Defenestration of Prague - Key event in triggering the war

The Thirty Year’s War was important in European history for many reasons. It was the first time that a country (France) had entered a war in opposition to their religious loyalties. However, for the German Lands of this era, the conflict to restore political order fractured the country, reducing it into territories that retained little power, which were ruled by princes hailing from various bodies within the Holy Roman Empire. The result of this war, along with various other events in later German history, has had a profound effect on the preservation of national identity within this country today. After the war, efforts to maintain the lack of power in this area commenced, preventing the German lands from solidifying into a cohesive nation. The purpose of this endeavor was to keep the “powerful nations on the periphery” such as Great Britain, France, and Sweden, at bay (Schluze 65). As Hagen Schluze explains, “If hostilities broke out, this central region would serve as their theater or war; in peacetime, it would offer strategic and diplomatic maneuvering room. “ (65) The German lands served as a buffer zone, rather than a unified realm, stunting the potential growth of a united country, along with the potential formation of a united culture.  People of this territory, therefore, felt more loyalty to their princes and the culture subscribed to in their specific area rather than focusing on cultivating a more nationalistic pride. Various periods of extreme turmoil, such as the Thirty Year’s War, prevented the culture and country of the German lands from fully unifying, thwarting the formation of a single German country for a substantial period of time.  This, along with various historical events including the divisions created by World War II, have fractured German culture, contributing to the lack of unity and resulting in a weaker, distinct, national identity as evidenced in Germany today.

Political boundaries after war