The people of Germany were greatly dissatisfied with the provisions of Vienna settlement. They had tasted the fruits of nationality and democracy in the times of Napoleon and as such, they were not prepared to live under an autocratic and despotic system of administration which was to be directly controlled by Metternich.

Just after the declaration of Vienna Settlement, the people prepared themselves for the revolt against the declared system. They wanted that a constitution should be framed for each state and a parliament should be formed in each.

They desired unity, liberty and the abolition of absolutism. The main centres for the national agitation were the German Universities.

Professors, teachers and the students being discontented with the existing system, established their secret committees all over the country which were known as Burschenschaft.

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The branches of this committee were established in sixteen universities of Germany. Sybel, an eminent historian, has rightly expressed his opinion regarding the organization of the students:

“The young heroes returning from the war filled universities with their patriotic indignation; and by the founding of societies of the students Burschenschaften represented at all the universities.

They sought to fill all the educated youth of Germany with their enthusiasm for unity, justice and freedom. By moral elevation and patriotic inspiration they hoped to lead the state of the future to great goal of national unity.”

In order to strengthen the ideas of nationalism in the whole of Germany, a patriotic festival on Martin Luther was held on October 18, 1817 at Wartburg. This function was organized and celebrated by the students of the different universities of Germany.

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In this festival the patriots expressed their views in favour of liberalism and against the principle of reaction. The hearts of the patriots were full of abhorrence against Austria and Metternich.

Metternich was watching strictly over the events occurring in the German States. His aim was to ensure the propagation and assimilation of the same principles in Germany as prevailed in Austria.

The establishment of status quo in Europe was an integral part of the system of Metternich. In the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1818, he expressed his views before the diplomats of Europe in connection with the events of Germany and warned them to remain cautious of the probable danger to the existing system.

He felt the necessity of the suppression of revolutionary ideas in the continent. On March 23, 1819, a terrible event occurred in Germany. Kotzebue, a famous dramatist and press reporter was murdered by a student. He was hated by the Germans as a Russian spy.