History of the German Reich: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox country|name=German Reich|native_name=Deutsches Reich|image_flag=Flag of Germany.svg|life_span= | {{Infobox country|name=German Reich|native_name=Deutsches Reich|image_flag=Flag of Germany.svg|life_span=1918–1947|image_flag2=[[File:German Nazi Flag.png]]|flag_caption=Left: Flag from 1918-1933<br>Right: Flag from 1933-1945|established_event1=[[First World War|Armistice of 11 November 1918]]|established_date1=1918|established_event2=[[November Revolution]]|established_date2=1918-1919|established_event3=[[Treaty of Versailles]]|established_date3=1919|established_event4=[[Occupation of the Ruhr]]|established_date4=1923-1925|established_event5=[[Beer Hall Putsch]]|established_date5=1923|established_event6=<i>Mein Kampf</i> published|established_date6=1925|established_event7=[[Wall Street Crash of 1929]]|established_date7=1929|established_event8=[[Adolf Hitler]] becomes [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]]|established_date8=1933|established_event9=[[Reichstag fire]] & [[Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State|Decree]]|established_date9=1933|established_event10=[[Enabling Act of 1933]]|established_date10=1933|established_event11=[[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] becomes a dictator, [[Nazi Germany]] is born|established_date11=1933|established_event12=[[Night of the Long Knives]]|established_date12=1934|established_event13=[[Remilitarization of the Rhineland]]|established_date13=1936|established_event14=<i>[[Anschluss]]</i>|established_date14=1938|established_event15=[[Munich Agreement]]|established_date15=1938|established_event16=[[Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945)|German invasion of Czechoslovakia]]|established_date16=1939|established_event17=[[Second World War]]|established_date17=1939-1945|established_event18=[[The Holocaust]]|established_date18=1941-1945|established_event19=[[German Instrument of Surrender]]|established_date19=1945|established_event20=Official abolition|established_date20=1947}} | ||
The '''history of the German Reich''' begins in 1918, following the end of the [[First World War]] and the establishment of the [[German Reich (1918–1933)|Weimar-based German Reich]]. In 1933, the German Reich was transformed into a [[Fascism|fascist]] [[state]] under the rule of the [[National Socialist German Workers' Party]] (NSDAP) known as [[Nazi Germany]]. The ''de facto'' end of the German Reich came on 9 May 1945 when the Nazi military commander [[Wilhelm Keitel]] officially surrendered to the [[United Nations]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4497947.stm 'I remember the German surrender']</ref> On 25 February 1947, the [[Free State of Prussia]] was officially abolished by [[Control Council Law No. 46]], marking the ''de jure'' end of the German Reich. With the end of the German Reich, [[Allied-occupied Germany]] existed with the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922–1991)|Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]] (USSR), [[French Republic]], [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]] (UK), and the [[United States of America]] (USA) all having occupation zones in [[Germany]]. | The '''history of the German Reich''' begins in 1918, following the end of the [[First World War]] and the establishment of the [[German Reich (1918–1933)|Weimar-based German Reich]]. In 1933, the German Reich was transformed into a [[Fascism|fascist]] [[state]] under the rule of the [[National Socialist German Workers' Party]] (NSDAP) known as [[Nazi Germany]]. The ''de facto'' end of the German Reich came on 9 May 1945 when the Nazi military commander [[Wilhelm Keitel]] officially surrendered to the [[United Nations]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4497947.stm 'I remember the German surrender']</ref> On 25 February 1947, the [[Free State of Prussia]] was officially abolished by [[Control Council Law No. 46]], marking the ''de jure'' end of the German Reich. With the end of the German Reich, [[Allied-occupied Germany]] existed with the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922–1991)|Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]] (USSR), [[French Republic]], [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]] (UK), and the [[United States of America]] (USA) all having occupation zones in [[Germany]]. | ||
== Background == | |||
=== Rise of the Second Reich (1870-1914) === | |||
{{Main article|German Empire (1871–1918)}} | |||
Following the defeat of the [[French Republic]] and preceeding [[French Empire (1852–1870)|French Empire]] by the [[North German Confederation (1867–1871)|North German Confederation]] and their allied German states in the 1870-1871 [[Franco-Prussian War]], the various German states united to form the [[German Empire (1871–1918)|German Empire]], also called the Second Reich. This was the final resolution to the [[German national question]]. The main engineer of the formation of the new German Empire was [[Otto von Bismarck]], a major [[Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918)|Prussian]] political figure who had worked to orchestrate the entire war with France. The French started the war by declaring war on Germany in 1870, causing the southern German states outside of the North German Confederation to side with the Prussians against the French, creating a sense of unity among the German states. The German coalition managed to completely defeat the [[Emperor of the French]] [[Napoleon III]] in battle, capturing the Emperor and starting the [[Siege of Paris (1870–1871)|Siege of Paris]]. The French defeat at Paris led to [[Wilhelm I]] being crowned the first [[Emperor of Germany]] in 1871.<ref name=":0">[https://www.counterfire.org/a-marxist-history-of-the-world/15458-a-marxist-history-of-the-world-part-59-the-franco-prussian-war- A Marxist History of the World part 59: The Franco-Prussian War]</ref> The humilation of France in the Franco-Prussian War also contributed to the establishment of the [[Paris Commune]], history's first [[dictatorship of the proletariat]].<ref>[https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1871/civil-war-france/index.htm The Civil War in France]</ref> | |||
The formation of the German Empire was followed by a massive industrialization of the German state, effectively transitioning the German economy from a [[Feudalism|feudal]] one into a [[capitalist]] one, completing a [[bourgeois revolution]] and establishing a [[dictatorship of the bourgeoisie]].<ref name=":0" /> This allowed for Germany to become a major power on the world stage as the young nation began participating in global [[imperialism]] and establishing several [[Colonialism|colonies]] in [[Asia]] and [[Africa]].<ref>[https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/german_colonial_empire German colonial empire]</ref> | |||
=== First World War (1914-1918) === | |||
{{Main article|First World War}} | |||
=== Collapse of the Second Reich (1918-1919) === | |||
{{Main article|November Revolution}} | |||
== Early Weimar Republic (1919-1925) == | |||
== Republic in crisis (1925-1929) == | |||
== Rise of Adolf Hitler (1929-1933) == | |||
{{Main article|Adolf Hitler}} | |||
== Consolidation of Nazi Germany (1933-1936) == | |||
== Expansion of the Reich (1936-1939) == | |||
== Second World War (1939-1945) == | |||
{{Main article|Second World War}} | |||
== End of the Reich (1945-1947) == | |||
{{Main article|Allied-occupied Germany}} | |||
== Aftermath == | |||
=== Continued Allied occupation (1947-1949) === | |||
=== Division of Germany (1949-1990) === | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Latest revision as of 23:52, 7 July 2022
| German Reich Deutsches Reich | |
|---|---|
| 1918–1947 | |
  Left: Flag from 1918-1933 Right: Flag from 1933-1945 | |
| History | |
| 1918 | |
| 1918-1919 | |
| 1919 | |
| 1923-1925 | |
| 1923 | |
• Mein Kampf published | 1925 |
| 1929 | |
• Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor | 1933 |
• Reichstag fire & Decree | 1933 |
| 1933 | |
• Hitler becomes a dictator, Nazi Germany is born | 1933 |
| 1934 | |
| 1936 | |
| 1938 | |
| 1938 | |
| 1939 | |
| 1939-1945 | |
| 1941-1945 | |
| 1945 | |
• Official abolition | 1947 |
The history of the German Reich begins in 1918, following the end of the First World War and the establishment of the Weimar-based German Reich. In 1933, the German Reich was transformed into a fascist state under the rule of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) known as Nazi Germany. The de facto end of the German Reich came on 9 May 1945 when the Nazi military commander Wilhelm Keitel officially surrendered to the United Nations.[1] On 25 February 1947, the Free State of Prussia was officially abolished by Control Council Law No. 46, marking the de jure end of the German Reich. With the end of the German Reich, Allied-occupied Germany existed with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), French Republic, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), and the United States of America (USA) all having occupation zones in Germany.
Background
Rise of the Second Reich (1870-1914)
See main article: German Empire (1871–1918)
Following the defeat of the French Republic and preceeding French Empire by the North German Confederation and their allied German states in the 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian War, the various German states united to form the German Empire, also called the Second Reich. This was the final resolution to the German national question. The main engineer of the formation of the new German Empire was Otto von Bismarck, a major Prussian political figure who had worked to orchestrate the entire war with France. The French started the war by declaring war on Germany in 1870, causing the southern German states outside of the North German Confederation to side with the Prussians against the French, creating a sense of unity among the German states. The German coalition managed to completely defeat the Emperor of the French Napoleon III in battle, capturing the Emperor and starting the Siege of Paris. The French defeat at Paris led to Wilhelm I being crowned the first Emperor of Germany in 1871.[2] The humilation of France in the Franco-Prussian War also contributed to the establishment of the Paris Commune, history's first dictatorship of the proletariat.[3]
The formation of the German Empire was followed by a massive industrialization of the German state, effectively transitioning the German economy from a feudal one into a capitalist one, completing a bourgeois revolution and establishing a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.[2] This allowed for Germany to become a major power on the world stage as the young nation began participating in global imperialism and establishing several colonies in Asia and Africa.[4]
First World War (1914-1918)
See main article: First World War
Collapse of the Second Reich (1918-1919)
See main article: November Revolution
Early Weimar Republic (1919-1925)
Republic in crisis (1925-1929)
Rise of Adolf Hitler (1929-1933)
See main article: Adolf Hitler
Consolidation of Nazi Germany (1933-1936)
Expansion of the Reich (1936-1939)
Second World War (1939-1945)
See main article: Second World War
End of the Reich (1945-1947)
See main article: Allied-occupied Germany