Central German Commercial Union (original) (raw)

The Central German Commercial Union (German: mitteldeutsche Handelsverein) was a customs union created in 1828 by several small states within the German Confederation. It was formed in response to the creation of the Prussian-Hessian Customs Union, and was intended as an alternative to a union dominated by the Kingdom of Prussia. The key proponent of the union was the Kingdom of Saxony and most of the smaller states of Northern Germany were initially members, but the union failed to implement any concrete measures and was a dead letter by 1833. Most members joined the Prussian-led German Zollverein in 1834.