The Holy Roman Empire: The First Reich
The Holy Roman Empire was formed after the fall of the Roman Empire. In 962 AD, Otto I, or Otto the Great, became emperor after conquering northern Italy. The Holy Roman Empire was mainly in Germany and remained a dominant global force until the mid 1600's. At this point, there were many internal conflicts. Catholics and non-Catholics fought against each other, in a bloody war. This war was eventually known as the Thirty Years' War and lasted from 1618-1648. With the emperor unable to resolve any issues, this internal conflict effectively brought the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Germany would not become a unified state again for more than two hundred years.
If you wished to learn more about the Holy Roman Empire, the first video of a five part documentary series is located below. The other four parts of the
documentary are available on youtube.com.
If you wished to learn more about the Holy Roman Empire, the first video of a five part documentary series is located below. The other four parts of the
documentary are available on youtube.com.
Germany and the Second Reich
In 1871, Germany officially became an independent country. Otto Von Bismarck, a Prussian, became chancellor of Germany and conquered a lot of land for the country. Kaiser, or emperor, Wilhelm I held most of the power in government, along with Bismarck. With Bismarck's leadership, Germany was a global military force. Bismarck demanded respect and ruled with the idea that citizens only had three responsibilities, "... to pay taxes, serve in the army, and keep their mouths shut". Needless to say, Bismarck ruled with an iron fist, earning him the nickname 'The Iron Chancellor '. When Wilhelm I was succeeded by Wilhelm II, Bismarck resigned from his position of power. With this shift in government, the German military lost some of its global influence. In fact, this may have been one of the major reasons for the start of WWI. Germany had played a peace keeping role in Europe, and with that factor gone, Europe soon faced war. Wilhelm II was eventually forced out of power, leaving Germany in shambles during the war.
Otto Von Bismarck
More information on the second Reich is available by clicking the button below.
A brief synopsis of World War I is available below.
The Weimar Republic
After the failure of the Second Reich, German leaders formed a parliamentary representative democracy in 1919. This system was henceforth called the Weimar Republic because the constitution was signed in Weimar, Germany. However, the Weimar Republic was never built for sustained rule. The constitution made economic change difficult, especially during the Great Depression, and granted the president powers equivalent to those of an emperor. This signing of the Treaty of Versailles angered German citizens, because until then, they had felt they had not lost WWI. Germany fell into extreme poverty, and the German people demanded change. This led people to look for any way to change their government. They found hope in a new rising extremist named Adolf Hitler.
To read Hedy O'Beil's article, The Weimar Republic: Doomed to Fail, click the button below.
To read Hedy O'Beil's article, The Weimar Republic: Doomed to Fail, click the button below.
Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich
Adolf Hitler gained political supporters by demanding that Germany should return to its status of a world power. He claimed that the Nationalist Socialist German Worker's Party, or the Nazi Party, would bring back a single ruler, and with it, dramatic political change. In 1933, Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany. From this point on, he removed any political competition, including members of his own party. He declared himself fuhrer, or dictator of Germany. Hitler's decision to invade Poland in 1939 started World War II. This war lasted until after his death in 1945. During this time, the Jewish holocaust took place. After the end of WWII, Germany fell into the hands of the allied powers. Its future would be decided by these four countries.
A brief video synopsis of WWII is available below.
Germany After World War II
After WWII ended, Germany was divided into four sectors, each belonging to one of the allied powers. The western allied powers (US, France, and Britain) controlled western Germany, and therefore, it became a democratic state. This section of Germany became known as the Federal Republic of Germany. Eastern Germany fell under Russian control and became a communist state ironically named, the German Democratic Republic. In an attempt to keep communism from spreading, the western allies spread their control to the western portion of Berlin. In response, Russia commissioned the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. This wall separated east and west Berlin. Western Germany flourished as a democratic state, while eastern Germany became destitute and lacked the technological advances of the modern world.
As the condition of eastern Germany continued to decline, the German people demanded for change. Western Germany's success convinced leaders of eastern Germany to reunite the country. The Berlin wall came down on October 3, 1990. This day is now celebrated as a national holiday. The country adopted the governmental system of Western Germany, and still uses it to this day.
As the condition of eastern Germany continued to decline, the German people demanded for change. Western Germany's success convinced leaders of eastern Germany to reunite the country. The Berlin wall came down on October 3, 1990. This day is now celebrated as a national holiday. The country adopted the governmental system of Western Germany, and still uses it to this day.
CNN's coverage of the reunification of Germany is available below.