First fundamental law of the German Confederation, part of the Vienna Treaty
Established the German Confederation of 39 states from the remnants of the Holy Roman Empire, defining German political order until 1866.
Key Facts
- Date of Effect
- 8 June 1815
- Member States
- 39 states
- Former HRE States Consolidated
- 360 states of the Holy Roman Empire
- Presiding Power
- Emperor of Austria
- Constitution Expanded
- 8 June 1820
- Dissolution Year
- 1866, after Austro-Prussian War
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The collapse of the Holy Roman Empire and the upheaval of the Napoleonic Wars left the German-speaking lands fragmented among hundreds of states. The Congress of Vienna sought to impose a new political order in Europe, requiring a framework to organize and stabilize these territories under collective governance.
On 8 June 1815, the German Federal Act came into force as part of the Final Act of the Congress of Vienna, creating a confederation of 39 German states under Austrian presidency. Each state pledged mutual defense and was required to adopt its own constitution. The act was later expanded in 1820 to entrench monarchical authority and permit intervention against internal unrest.
The Confederation provided a conservative political framework that suppressed liberal and nationalist movements throughout the mid-nineteenth century. It endured until 1866, when Prussia's victory in the Austro-Prussian War dissolved it and led to the formation of the North German Confederation, shifting the dominant power in German affairs from Austria to Prussia.
Political Outcome
Formation of the German Confederation of 39 states under Austrian presidency, with mutual defense obligations and a requirement for member states to adopt constitutions.
360 fragmented states of the dissolved Holy Roman Empire
Unified German Confederation of 39 states under Austrian presidency