Conflict between Otto von Bismarck and the Roman Catholic Church

Between 1871 and 1877, a series of conflict, commonly known as the ***Kulturkampf*** ("culture war"), happened between German Empire's chancellor Otto von Bismarck and the Roman Catholic Church over the perceived extent of its influence on German society.

## Origin

The word _Kulturkampf_ was reportedly invented by the liberal Prussian statesman Rudolf Virchow, who classified the conflict between the German state and the Catholic Church as having "the character of a great struggle in the interest of humanity".

## Background

Bismarck was known for his negative views about the German Catholics, whose loyalty was doubted by him, especially after the Vatican declared the doctrine of papal infallibility. Back then, the German Catholics mostly supported the Centre Party (German: _Zentrumspartei_).

The conflict happened at a time when the values of the Enlightenment, nationalism, liberalism, secularism and scientific realism had replaced the Catholic Church in the political and intellectual domains of European societies. Those values were condemned as "false" by the Catholic Church, which angered liberals and secularists across Europe.

The separation of church and state had become a norm in several Western countries, which greatly reduced Catholic Church's influence over Europeans. Opposition to religious authority and anti-Catholic views were common, especially in the majority Protestant German Empire.

### 1871

Historians believed that the conflict started in 1871 when Bismarck restricted priests from voicing political views and cancelled the Roman Catholic bureau in the Prussian Ministry of Culture.

### 1872

In March 1872, all religious schools came under state control. In June 1872, all religious teachers could no longer work at state schools, with the dissolution of the Jesuit order in Germany and the end of diplomatic ties with the Vatican in December.

### 1873

Prussian minister of culture Adalbert Falk announced the May Laws to put church appointments and religious training under state control.

### 1874

The German Catholic Centre Party doubled their seats in the Reichstag (Imperial German Parliament). Bismarck started to walk back on his policies as he formed the perception that he could not dominate over the Catholics. Bismarck also wanted to gain Catholic support for his struggle against the Social Democrats.

### 1875

Dioceses (areas overseen by bishops) that did not comply with the May Laws were denied state aid. Clergy were also exiled for resistance. The year is seen by some historians as the climax of the _Kulturkampf_.

### 1878

It is said that only three of eight Prussian dioceses still had bishops, about 1,125 of 4,600 parishes became vacant, and 1,800 priests were either sent to jail or driven into exile, along with thousands of commoners who allegedly helped them evade the laws. German jurist and diplomat Friedrich Heinrich Geffcken (1830–1896) commented on Bismarck's policies:

### 1887

Pope Leo XIII declared the _Kulturkampf_ over, when most of the laws against the German Catholics had been cancelled. The decade-long conflict consolidated German Catholic support for the Centre Party and parliamentary democracy by which they voted the party into becoming the second-largest party in the German Parliament.

The Centre Party stayed as a powerful force in the following half a century until Germany fell under Nazi rule. Commenting on the impact of the _Kulturkampf_, American historian Margaret Lavina Anderson wrote:

## Related pages

- Pax Britannica
- East–West Schism
- History of Germany
- Protestant Reformation