Zollverein

tsol'fe-rin, a union of North German states, 1818-1871, for the purpose of collecting customs. It was formed by Prussia to escape the many annoying customs collected by the petty states within its bounds. By 1865 nearly all Germany, outside of Austria, was included in the Union. A single set of custom officers collected customs at the outer border of the union, as is the case in the United States. The revenue was divided according to agreement. The Zollverein was supplanted practically by the formation of the German Empire at the conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War. In fact, the empire may be said to have grown, in part at least, out of the customs union.