Frankfurt National Assembly

Frankfurt National Assembly, German national parliament (May 1848–June 1849) that tried and failed to create a united German state during the liberal Revolutions of 1848.

A preliminary parliament (Vorparlament) met in Frankfurt am Main in March 1848 at the instigation of liberal leaders from all the German states (including Austria), and it called for the election of a national assembly (Nationalversammlung). The elections were duly held, though the electoral laws and methods varied considerably from state to state, and on May 18 the national assembly met in the Church of St. Paul (Paulskirche) in Frankfurt. Moderate liberals held a majority in the assembly, though the entire political spectrum was represented among its deputies. The liberal Heinrich von Gagern was elected president of the parliament.

The Frankfurt National Assembly spent much time debating various plans for a unified Germany, but it also had to decide on immediate practical problems, such as the nature of the executive power and Germany’s territorial extent. Archduke John of Austria, a comparatively liberal uncle of the Austrian emperor Ferdinand, was appointed regent of Germany and head of the assembly’s (putative) executive power on June 29. Yet it soon became clear that the executive appointed by the assembly had no power except such as was granted to it by the governments of the individual states. The Frankfurt National Assembly attempted to take over the conduct of a war with Denmark concerning the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, but Prussia, ignoring the assembly, abruptly concluded the war in August. By this time, Prussia’s Frederick William IV had lost all patience with the liberals and had turned increasingly toward ultraconservative advisers. In Austria the emperor Ferdinand had abdicated in favour of his nephew Francis Joseph, who likewise relied on conservative ministers.

The Frankfurt National Assembly was finally able to adopt a proposed constitution for Germany on March 28, 1849. This document provided for universal suffrage, parliamentary government, and a hereditary emperor. Germany was to have a unified monetary and customs system but would maintain the internal autonomy of the constituent German states.

But in the meantime, Austria had proclaimed a new constitution (March 4, 1849), which mandated that either the entire Austrian Empire or none of it would enter the new Germany. This was a blow to those liberals who had hoped for a Germany that would include Austria, or at least its German-speaking provinces. The initiative thus passed to those who wanted to exclude Austria from a Germany that would be under the leadership of Prussia. Accordingly, when the election of an emperor took place in the national assembly on March 28, 290 votes were cast for Frederick William of Prussia against 248 abstentions. On April 3 the king received a deputation from the assembly that came to offer him the crown. The offer was refused. Frederick William was too deeply conservative to receive a German imperial crown from any hands except those of the other German princes. Prussia also rejected the proposed constitution.

Without the support of either Prussia or Austria, the Frankfurt National Assembly could not now survive. By May, Gagern’s ministry had broken up, and the majority of the deputies were ordered home by the governments of their respective states. The rump that remained was forced to move to Stuttgart and was finally dispersed on June 18 by Württemberg troops and police. The Frankfurt National Assembly and the revolutions that had inspired it were over.