After listening to the presentation on the 18th Century Business and Industry of Germany, it brought to my mind something worth researching. I know that the 3 centuries that we were told to research are clearly posted on the website, but I believe that there is a topic that has been mentioned quite frequently, but not talked about in depth: The Hanseatic League. Hamburg was the German city that my group was assigned with researching and was part of the Hanseatic League (even considers itself today), among many other cities. Even though the Hanse was not created during the first Industrial revolution of Germany and Europe, I think it helped set the stage for European, and especially, German industrialization.
It was believed to have formed around late 12th century when merchants in Northern Europe, the Baltic region, and along rivers in those areas saw the benefits of mutual trade agreements. Germans eventually noticed the great advantages of this trade by sea, and in turn colonists began establishing trade cities that today are some of Germany's largest.
The Hanse League was among one of the first such agreements in human history. Even though its birth happened centuries before the advent of the industrial age, it may have had a direct impact towards the signing of existing free trade agreements like EFTA and NAFTA. This was quite possibly the very beginning of human globalization. Merchants saw the advantages of cooperation and gained the ability to fend off pirates, raiders, high tariffs, and bring home goods that would otherwise be extremely expensive or unattainable altogether. Germany was one of the lasting powers in the Hanseatic League but eventually due to enemies of the pact, multiple wars, and corruption, the League disbanded. Since Germany had grown immensely through this efficient trade system, it didn't want to let that history go and kept the name of the Hanse in several cities like Bremen, Hamburg, and Lubeck, where many historical landmarks are yet preserved and admired. I found an interesting historical fact about Lubeck's refusal to allow Hitler's party to campaign in the city and forced him to speak in a nearby town. Frankly, it pissed him off and the Nazi's took away their privilege of naming themselves a "Free Hanseatic State
Germany's pride in their history and economic growth through the Hanse League may have something to do with the way they have adapted and led the way in many different areas of industrialization. There is a reputation to be lived up to as a forerunner in adaptation and innovation. Their ability to inherit industries and technologies from other advanced nations and improve on them could have stemmed from their past achievements with the Hanse. Despite several devastating wars Germany has since then become an economic power house, boasting one of the top 5 largest economies in the world and remains an icon in technology, Pharmaceuticals, vehicle production, and trade. They essential carry the Euro in today's struggling economy.
I was not aware of the rich history of the Hanse or Germany's involvement. No history class that I have ever taken (that I can remember) covered the Hanseatic League. I think this subject should be, at the least, slightly covered in today's high school European/World history courses here in the U.S. I would think that these landmarks are something worth visiting some day and hope to myself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League
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