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Johann Gustav Droysen: Speech to the Frankfurt Assembly
Merging Prussia and Germany would create a powerful ruling house -
Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia: Proclamation of 1849
Fredrich rejected the crown of the national assembly in Frankfurt because the assembly didn't have the right to bestow him the crown. Another reason was because they only offered him the crown under the condition that he would accept a constitution which couldn't be reconciled -
Otto von Bismarck: Letter to Minister von Manteuffel
Bismarck believed that the relationship between Austria and Germany could go either way, Austria could either be permently be lost or gained -
Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke
The war, according to Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, started because Prussia felt the need to take leadership of the German races -
Otto von Bismarck
In order to remove the possiblity of Austria wanting revenge Bismarck had to avoid wounding Austria too severely. Instead of fighting he wanted to reserve the idea of becoming friends with Austria again -
The Imperial Proclamation
German princes and the freed german cities called upon Wilhelm I to assume the position of emperor. He is well aware of his duties, such as, protecting the rights of the people and protecting the independence of Germany