History
Germany can be traced back to the Romans, who referred to the unconquered area east of the Rhine as Germania. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Franks conquered the other West Germanic Tribes. In 962 AD, Otto I became the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the medieval German state.
In the High Middle Ages, Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation against the Catholic Church after 1517, as the northern states became Protestant, while the southern states remained Catholic.
In the mid to late 1800's the Industrial Revolution modernized the German economy, led to the growth of cities and to the emergence of the Socialist movement in Germany. German universities became world-class centers for science and the humanities, while music and the arts flourished. Unification was established by the Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismark.
In the early 1900's, Germany led the Central Powers in the First World War (1914-1918) against Great Britain, France, Russia and by 1917 the United States.
In the early 1930's, the worldwide Great Depression hit Germany hard, and most people lost confidence in the government. In 1933, the Nazis came to power. The agressive Nazi government took control of Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia, and its invasion of Poland initiated the Second World War. The systematic genocide program known as the Holocaust killed six million Jews as well as five million Poles, Romanies, Slavs, Soviets, and others. After the United States entered the war, Germany was pushed back on all fronts until the final collapse in May 1945.
The occupation of the allies resulted in the division of the democratic West Germany and the communist East Germany.
In 1989, the Berlin Wall was destroyed, and East Germany was reunited with West Germany in 1990.
In the High Middle Ages, Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation against the Catholic Church after 1517, as the northern states became Protestant, while the southern states remained Catholic.
In the mid to late 1800's the Industrial Revolution modernized the German economy, led to the growth of cities and to the emergence of the Socialist movement in Germany. German universities became world-class centers for science and the humanities, while music and the arts flourished. Unification was established by the Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismark.
In the early 1900's, Germany led the Central Powers in the First World War (1914-1918) against Great Britain, France, Russia and by 1917 the United States.
In the early 1930's, the worldwide Great Depression hit Germany hard, and most people lost confidence in the government. In 1933, the Nazis came to power. The agressive Nazi government took control of Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia, and its invasion of Poland initiated the Second World War. The systematic genocide program known as the Holocaust killed six million Jews as well as five million Poles, Romanies, Slavs, Soviets, and others. After the United States entered the war, Germany was pushed back on all fronts until the final collapse in May 1945.
The occupation of the allies resulted in the division of the democratic West Germany and the communist East Germany.
In 1989, the Berlin Wall was destroyed, and East Germany was reunited with West Germany in 1990.