The History of Germany

After conquering the majority of northern Italy, Otto I, otherwise known as Otto the Great, was named king of the Roman empire. Under his rule, this empire would eventually become the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). The foundation for this empire would be centered within Germany. For this reason, the HRE is considered the first of three reichs throughout Germany's history.

The Thirty Years' War was a war between the Catholics and other Christain denominations. From 1618 to 1648, This war harshly affected the Holy Roman Empire. The damages rivaled those of a civil war. The extensive internal conflict made it extremely difficult for the HRE to thrive as it once did. In essence, many people turned on their own people. This war caused the decline and failure of the first German reich.

In 1807, Napolean and his army controlled most of Germany. He was the one who officially declared the abolition of Germany's first reich. After Napolean's defeat, Germany was still divided

Germany is finally united as a country by Prussian Otto Van Bismarck. Germany becomes an empire, yet again, but an elected national parliament is established. Kaiser Wilhelm I takes power, while Bismarck rules as Chancellor.

During this time, Bismarck led Germany's military and expanded the country's borders. When Kaiser Wilhelm II came to power, Bismarck resigned. This happened right around the time of the beginning of WWI. Wilhelm II left office, leaving the country in shambles during the war.

WWI caused havoc and chaos all throughout Europe. The unstable German government caused problems for the country during the war.

After the failure and decline of the second Reich, German leaders desperately attempted to bring political stability to the country. The Weimar Republic was formed as a parliamentary system in 1918. However, the Weimar Republic was built without a stable constitution to support it. Germany fell into poverty and people demanded change.

The signing of this treaty ended the war between Germany and the Allied Powers. Germany was forced to pay for damages of the war. This treaty was one of the main reasons that German citizens rejected the Weimar Republic and started to agree with Adolf Hitler's rising popularity

After people rejected the failing system that was the Weimar Republic, they supported a new political up-comer, Adolf Hitler, and his Nazi party. Hitler was elected Chancellor in 1933 and soon after eliminated all other political competition and named himself Fuhrer. The third Reich ended with the end of WWII

The war began with Germany's invasion of Poland. The Allied Powers rose to help the invaded country. Years of deadly war and the Jewish Holocaust resulted in an extremely large amount of deaths. The war ended with German's unconditional surrender in May, but the Japanese did not surrender until after the nuclear bombings.