Foreign trade of Russia and the German states in 1815-1837 in the context of customs reforms

Abstract

The object of this research is the trade relations between Russia and the German states after the Congress of Vienna, established in the conditions of the large-scale customs reforms. Such changes were substantiated by the provisions of the Final Act and the need for renewal of trade systems in accordance with the relevant requirements. The article examines the stages of trade relations prior to the creation of the German Customs Union, which led to fundamental changes in trade situation in the German space. The author also analyzes trade in the initial years of existence of the German Customs Union for assessing its effectiveness and role in foreign trade relations between the German states and Russia. The main conclusion consists in confirmation of the thesis on sustainable trade relations with Prussia as the key trade partner of Russia in the German space. This conclusion was made due to the absence of evidence in the available sources and historiography on trade relations with other German states, except scarce information on the trade with Hanseatic League. After the establishment of the German Customs Union, Prussia is still in the picture of the Russian foreign trade statistics, which testifies to its crucial role in the new union and international disregard of the German Customs Union in the initial years of its existence. The article may be valuable for the audience studying the economic history of Russia and the German states in the first half of the XIX century.