History

Discover Germany's rich historical journey through the centuries.

German History Timeline

Explore Germany's fascinating journey from ancient Germanic tribes to the modern era. Click on any historical period below to learn more about key events, figures, and places.

Cultural Artifacts of History

Many of Germany's cultural symbols have their roots in specific historical periods. For example, the Gartenzwerg (garden gnome) first appeared in the 19th century in Thuringia, reflecting the era's romanticism and connection to folklore.

Medieval Period

Holy Roman Empire

962 - 1806

The Holy Roman Empire was a complex political entity that existed in Central Europe from 962 to 1806. It was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire in the traditional sense, but rather a decentralized collection of kingdoms, principalities, and free cities under the nominal authority of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Early Modern Period

Thirty Years' War

1618 - 1648

The Thirty Years' War was one of the most devastating conflicts in European history, fought primarily in the Holy Roman Empire. What began as a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics evolved into a broader European power struggle that reshaped the political landscape of Central Europe.

Modern Germany

German Empire

1871 - 1918

The German Empire was the unified German nation-state established in 1871 under Prussian leadership. Also known as the Second Reich, it was a federal monarchy that transformed Germany into a major European power and industrial nation before its collapse at the end of World War I.

World Wars & Division

German Revolution

1918 - 1919

The November Revolution that overthrew the German Empire and established the Weimar Republic, marking Germany's transformation from monarchy to democracy through worker and soldier uprisings.

Weimar Republic

1919 - 1933

The Weimar Republic was Germany's first democratic government, established after World War I. Named after the city of Weimar where the new constitution was written, it was a period of significant cultural and artistic flourishing, but also economic instability and political upheaval that ultimately led to the rise of the Nazi Party.

Bauhaus Movement

1919 - 1933

Revolutionary German art school and design movement founded by Walter Gropius that unified arts and crafts, fundamentally transforming modern architecture, design, and art education worldwide.

The Holocaust

1933 - 1945

The systematic persecution and murder of six million Jews and millions of other victims by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II.

German Reunification

1989 - 1990

German Reunification was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began with the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, and was completed on October 3, 1990. This marked the end of the Cold War division of Germany and the beginning of a new era in German and European history.

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