British attitudes to the Schleswig-Holstein question, 1848-50

Abstract

British attitudes during the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1848 -50 were predominantly pro Danish. The invasion of Denmark and the Elbe Duchies by the Confederation of German States, led by Prussia, was looked upon as an attempt by a large and aggressive power to bully a smaller an inoffensive neighbour into surrendering a large part of her territory and excellent ports on the Baltic and North Seas. Besides the belief that Denmark had a legal right to the Duchies it was feared that should Germany gain control of this strategic area, she would in time build a merchant fleet and a navy which could offer Britain serious competition. In addition, should the Germans have their own way, the Duchies would probably become members of the Zollverein which already imposed high tariffs on British goods. Should the Duchies join this union, probably other north German areas would too, and perhaps even a good part of Scandinavia would be economically compelled to enter it. This danger helped to convince many Britons that the Helstat should remain intact.Many in Britain objected to the interference of the Frankfurt Parliament in the Schleswig-Holstein Question and held that this body was using the issue merely to rally support for itself in Germany. Moreover, the general contempt for the vacillations of the Parliament increased the respect felt in Britain for the more stable Danish government. German professors advocating Schleswig - Holsteinism and German students who volunteered to fight there were severely censured by the British: the German professors for sponsoring what English writers considered inadequate and misleading historical arguments to prove that Schleswig was German, and the students for being adventure- seeking, plundering youths rather than the freedom -loving emancipators which they claimed to be. British sources often praised the valour of the outnumbered Danes. They seldom condemned the Danish right to blockade German seaports, although it hurt many English industries, and Palmerston repeatedly stated in letters to memorialists and in addresses to Parliament that these blockades were legal.Only at Court was there a strong pro -German sentiment; Queen Victoria, influenced by the German -born Prince Albert, wished the Duchies to be included in a unified Germany. But, Palmerston in his desire to maintain British neutrality and the balance of power in Europe, constantly discouraged the expression of the Court's attitude on this question. A few British men -ofletters also assumed pro-German stands, but far more of them condemned the Diet's intrusion into the Helstat and spoke up ardently for the Danes. Denmark was censured by the British press for renewing the war in the spring of 1849 after the termination of the Malmö Truce, but other than during this brief interval, nearly every major British newspaper and periodical hoped for a Danish victory.