The November Treaties concluded in November 1870 on the accession of the kingdoms of Bavaria and Württemberg and the grand duchies of Baden and Hesse to the North German Confederation. A new foundation was not envisaged but the North German Federation was to expand with the southern German states in order to form the German Empire.[1]
The November Treaties are detailed as follows:
As a result, the constitution of the North German Confederation had to be adapted. Many changes had already appeared in the constitution of the German Confederation of 1 January 1871, but Württemberg had already ratified the treaty, as a result of which the new constitution had already been overtaken. Bavaria did not follow the ratification until the end of January, but allowed the legal effect to start retroactively on 1 January.
On 18 January 1871, the Emperor's proclamation in Versailles followed, which, from a legal point of view, did not constitute the founding of the empire, but a commission. The Constitution of the German Empire was adopted on 16 April to make constitutional law appropriate to the latest situation.