this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2026
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Napoleon. Yes, it's a little oversimplified but that man really shaped Europe and Germany with it.
Napoleon the third to be specific. Bismarck helped. A little bit.
"France, under Emperor Napoleon III, viewed Prussia’s growing power with suspicion and sought to curb its influence.
The immediate catalyst for the Franco-Prussian War was the Ems Dispatch, a diplomatic communication edited by Bismarck to provoke French ire. The altered message made it seem as though the Prussian King Wilhelm I had insulted the French ambassador, leading to public outrage in France and a declaration of war on July 19, 1870."
"The Franco-Prussian War had profound consequences for both France and Germany, as well as for the broader European political landscape.
The most significant outcome of the war was the unification of Germany. On January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, King Wilhelm I of Prussia was proclaimed Emperor of the German Empire. This unification shifted the balance of power in Europe, establishing Germany as a major continental power."
That's not what OP meant. Napoleon I occupied the German states and brought a lot of reforms including the abolition of feudalism, legal reforms, and administrative efficiency including centralized state governments. He completely reshaped German state borders. As an example, this article (in German) explains how 250 independent territories were merged into 3 territories (which nowadays are one state).
Which ironically kinda makes him a founding father in a weird way.
France already knows that Germany likes to take French rulers and claim them as founders of Germany. See: Charlemagne.
I recall that the crowning of Wilhelm was preceded by quite a discussion of whether he'd be called "Emperor of Germany" or "German Emperor"