Editing German Confederation (section)

== Legacy ==
[[File:2008 ffm paulskirche marine.jpg|thumb|In Frankfurt at the Paulskirche, June 14, 2008: The German navy commemorates the 160th anniversary of the decision of the Frankfurt Parliament to create the ''Reichsflotte''.]]

The modern German nation state known as the Federal Republic is the continuation of the North German Confederation of 1867. This North German Confederation, a federal state, was a totally new creation: the law of the German Confederation ended, and new law came into existence. The German Confederation was, according to historian Kotulla, an association of states ''(Staatenbund)'' with some elements of a federal state ''(Bundesstaat)'', and the North German Confederation was a federal state with some elements of an association of states.<ref>Michael Kotulla: ''Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte. Vom Alten Reich bis Weimar (1495–1934)''. Springer, Berlin 2008, p. 505.</ref>

Still, the discussions and ideas of the period 1815–66 had a huge influence on the constitution of the North German Confederation. Most notably may be the Federal Council, the organ representing the member states. It is a certain copy of the 1815 Federal Convention of the German Confederation. The successor of that Federal Council of 1867 is the modern [[German Bundesrat|Bundesrat]] of the Federal Republic.<ref>Hans Boldt: ''Erfurter Unionsverfassung''. In: Gunther Mai (ed.): ''Die Erfurter Union und das Erfurter Unionsparlament 1850.'' Böhlau: Köln [et al.] 2000, pp. 417–431, here pp. 429/430.</ref>

The German Confederation does not play a very prominent role in German historiography and national culture. It is mainly seen negatively as an instrument to oppress the liberal, democratic and national movements of the period. On the contrary, the March revolution (1849/49) with its events and institutions attract much more attention and partially devotion. The most important memorial sites are the [[St. Paul's Church, Frankfurt am Main|Paulskirche]] in Frankfurt, which is now a cultural hall of national importance, and the [[Schloss Rastatt|Rastatt castle]] with the ''[[Erinnerungsstätte für die Freiheitsbewegungen in der deutschen Geschichte]]'' (a museum and memorial site for the freedom movements in the German history, not only the March revolution).

The remnants of the federal fortifications are certain tourists attractions at least regionally or for people interested in military history.