Germany

Germany is historically one of the most important of all nations. Since emerging from its days as a Roman province, Germany (including Prussia) has had a central role in European affairs. It has reached the heights in art, music, literature and political power, yet it's also reached the depths in humiliating military defeat and partition. This presentation reviews the broad sweep of German history.

• 9 AD-Germanic tribesmen under Hermann destroy three Roman legions sent to conquer territory.
• 200-400--Roman Empire declines: Germanic tribes (Angles, Franks, Burgundians, Lombards) spread across Europe.
• ca 771-813-- Charlemagne conquers & unites Frankish lands; empire divided among grandsons, later becoming France & Germany.
• 962--Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (First Reich) begins as a collection of 1800 political entities.
• 1241--Beginning of Hansa, a medieval league of free towns in North Germany and adjoining countries. Gutenberg invents printing press (1450) and Protestant Reformation begins (1517) in Germany.
• 1618-1648--Thirty Years War between Catholics & Protestants. German population declines from 21 million to 13 million.
• 1740--Frederick the Great ascends Prussian throne; dawn of German Enlightenment.
• 1804--Napoleon forces Austrian Hapsburgs to relinquish title of Holy Roman Emperor; 900-year empire ends.
• 1815--German Confederation created as 39 sovereign states, led by Mettenhich as repressive police state.
• 1848--Revolution; first German parliament elected; government (and revolution) fails.
• 1862 --Bismarck appointed Chancellor of Prussia under King Wilhelm; "Realpolitik" policy launches wars against Denmark Austria, and France.
• 1871--Second Reich proclaimed (January 18) with Bismarck as Chancellor.
• 1880s --Bismarck creates the first welfare state.
• 1914-1918-- World War I. Kaiser abdicates and German Republic created, 1918.
• 1919-- Treaty of Versailles forces onerous settlement on humiliated Germany, Weimar Republic created, soon followed by runaway inflation
• 1919-1923--National Socialist German Worker's Party (Nazis) emerge in postwar German politics.
• 1923-- Munich Putsch (the Beerhall Putsch) fails to empower Nazis.
• 1933-- Hitler appointed as Fuhrer Chancellor. Federal Republic ceases as Hitler accumulates dictatorial powers.
• 1938-- Invasion of Austria begins Anschluss (March). Hitler appeased at peace conference (September).
• 1939 -- Germany invades Czechoslovakia (March) and Poland (September 1). World War II begins.
• 1945 -- Hitler commits suicide (April 30). Germany surrenders unconditionally to Allies (May 7). Potsdam conference divides Germany into four occupied zones and grants German territory to Poland and Germany.
• 1949 --...