Germany__1) Nationalist feelings were widespread among middle-class Germans who in 1848 tried to unite the different region of the German confederation into a nation-state governed by an elected parliament. 2) This liberal initiative to nation-building was however repressed by the combined forces of the monarchy and the military supported by the large land owners (called Junkers)of Prussia.3) From then on Prussia took on the leadership of the movement for national unification. It's chief minister, Otto von Bismarck,was the architect of this process carried out with the help of the Prussian army & bureaucracy.4) Three wars over 7yrs with Austria, Denmark and France- ended in Prussian victory and completed the process of unification. In Jan 1871, the Prussian king, William I,was proclaimed German emperor in a ceremony held at Versailles.5)On the bitterly cold morning of 18jan 1871, an assembly comprising the princes of the German states, Representatives of the army, important Prussian ministers including the chief minister Otto von Bismarck gathered in the unheated Hall of mirrors in palace of Versailles to proclaim the new German empire heated by Kaiser William I of Prussia.6) The nation-building process in Germany had demonstrated the dominance of Prussian state power.7) The New state placed a strong emphasis on modernizing the currency, banking,legal and judicial system in Germany.

The Unification of Germany and Italy

Germany:
- The unification of Germany took place in 1871 under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck, the Chancellor of Prussia.
- Bismarck used a combination of diplomacy and military force to unite the German states under Prussian leadership.
- The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 played a crucial role in the unification process, as Prussia's victory over France helped to solidify German nationalism.

Italy:
- The unification of Italy was led by figures such as Giuseppe Garibaldi and Count Camillo di Cavour in the 19th century.
- Garibaldi's military campaigns in southern Italy played a significant role in the unification process, known as the Risorgimento.
- Cavour's diplomatic skills and alliances with other European powers also played a crucial role in the unification of Italy.

Similarities:
- Both Germany and Italy were fragmented into multiple states before unification.
- Nationalism played a key role in both processes, with a strong desire for unity among the people of these regions.
- The leadership of key figures such as Bismarck and Garibaldi was instrumental in driving the unification movements forward.