ZOLLVEREIN, union”. The feeble German Confederation formed in 1815 failed in many respects to meet the desire for union among the German people, or even to satisfy their practical re quirements. The trade of Germany in particular suffered much from the obstructions caused by the different customs systems of so many petty states. In 1818 Prussia took the initiative of abolishing internal customs, but this policy ex cited much opposition among the other German states, and even on the part of the Bund itself, which was indeed to some extent justified by the coercive measures used by Prussia to en force the adoption of its policy on the smaller German states within its bounds. Prussia offered to admit the other German states within its union, but many of them preferred to set up rival and antagonistic associations. Thus Bavaria and Wurtemberg formed a customs league in 1827, and Hohenzollern joined these states in 1828. In the same year was fortned the Middle German Union, including Saxony, Han over, Hesse, Brunswick. Nassau, Oldenburg, Bremen, Frankfort-on-tbe-Main, etc., and In 1834 another union (Steuerverein) between Hanover, Brunswick, Schaumburg-Lippe, and which was joined by Oldenburg in 1836. But these hostile unions were not sufficiently ex tensive to have any great vitality, and they were gradually distinkgrated by the desertion of their individual members to join the Prussian union. Electoral Hesse joined in 1831; Bavaria, Wurttemberg. Saxony, and other states in 1833; Hesse-Homburg. Baden, and Nassau in 1835; Frankfort in 1836; Luxemburg in 1842; Han over, Oldenburg, etc, in 1851. During the treaty period of 1854-65 nearly all Germany. with the exception of Austria, the two Meek lenburgs and the Hansetowns, was included in the union. A difference of views between the various parties to the union began at this time to develop, which caused much tedious nego tiation. In general the north of Germany was in favor of imposing import duties on foreign trade for purposes of revenue only, while the south favored protective duties. As each mem
ber of the Zollverein had an equal voice in the direction of a common policy it was impossible to adjust these differences so as to satisfy the more powerful states, particularly Prussia. Aus tria also wished either to be included in the union or to break it up. Matters continued substantially in the same state after the re newal of the treaty from 1 Jan. 1866 to 31 Dec. 1867; but the war of 1866 put an end to this agreement and new arrangements were entered into according to the political combinations then formed, Prussia obtaining a preponder ating influence in the union of 1867, which in cluded the North German Bund, Bavaria, Wiir temberg. Baden, Hesse (south of the Main) and Luxemburg. It was directed by a Zoll bundesrath and a Zoll Parliament. The total number of votes in the Zollbundesrath was 58, of which Prussia had 17. This arrangement, formed for 12 years, was also brought to an end prematurely by the formation of the Ger man Empire. By article 33 of the constitution of the empire the territory included in the Zoll verein is to coincide with the territories of the empire, with a few exceptions noticed below. The powers of the Zollbundesrath and Zoll Parliament are transferred to the legislative bodies of the empire, and the affairs of the cen tral bureau of the Zollverein are transferred to committees formed by the Federal Council of the empire. The territories of the free ports of Hamburg and Bremen were for some time excluded from the Zollverein and some com munes of the grand duchy of Baden and a frag ment of Hamburg were still excluded from it; while Luxemburg and the Austrian commune of Jungholz were included in it up to the fall of the empire in November 1918. Consult Ash ley, W. L. 'Modern Tariff History: Germany, United States, France' (2d ed., London 'Cambridge Modern history' (Vols. X, XI, New York 1909); Dittmar, 'Der deutsche Zoll verein' (Leipzig 1A57); Worms, 'L'Aflemagne economique au histoire du Zollverein allemand' (Paris 1874). See GERMANY; WAR, EUROPEAN.