The document provides a comprehensive history of Germany from early settlements over 500,000 years ago, through the rise of the Holy Roman Empire and the fragmentation into principalities during the Middle Ages, to the eventual unification under Otto von Bismarck in 1871. It discusses significant events such as the Reformation, the Thirty Years' War, the rise and fall of the Nazi regime, and the division of Germany during the Cold War, leading to the reunification in 1990. Overall, it highlights the complexities of German history shaped by social, political, and cultural transformations.

1. A brief history of Germany

2. Germany's founding myth
early settlements in what today is Germany can be dated back
more than 500,000 years; Germanic tribes migrating into the
territory from 750 BC until the time of Roman Emperor
Augustus; mixing with Celtic tribes
1st century BC: Caesar Augustus begins invading the barbarian
territories northeast of the Empire which later are called
"Germania" by historian Tacitus
AD 9: Three Roman legions led by General Varus are defeated
by Cheruscan tribe leader Arminius (Hermann) in the Battle of
the Teutoburg Forest
Roman occupation remains for another 250 years while tribes
become familiar with the Roman system of gov't, trade, warfare
3rd century sees emergence of large tribes (Alemanni, Bavari,
Franks, Saxons, Thuringii, Frisians, Sicambri) who around 260
break through the Limes into Roman lands
Germanic tribes conquer Rome in 410

4. Carolingian Empire
after the fall of Rome migration throughout Europe
fundamentally changes demographics and ethnic structure
Frankish King Karl the Great (Charlemagne/Karolus
Magnus) succeeds in unifying the tribes, converting pagans
to Christians, imposing order on the whole continent and
thereby establishing the Carolingian Empire
December 25, 800: Charlemagne is crowned Emperor of
the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III in Rome
=> foundation of Europe
843: Treaty of Verdun splits Charlemagne's empire into
three parts among his heirs: Western Franconian Kingdom,
Lotharingia and Eastern Franconian Kingdom under King
Ludwig Germanicus
=> Centuries of struggles over who is bestowed the
Emperor's crown and thereby executing secular powers
over the Vatican and the Church

5. Charlemagne
Charlemagne's coronation in Rome 800AD
Charlemagne's crown

8. Holy Roman
Empire of the
German Nation
East Franconian Kingdom is
referred to as "regnum
teutonicum" (lat. = kingdom
of the Teutonians) starting
with Emperor Otto I (962).
=> 1st mention of a
"German" nation
While the western kingdom
develops into a centralized
nation (France), the east
remains a loose
confederation of small
sovereign fiefdoms.

9. The Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages German feudal princes consolidate their
landholdings, which are granted by the Holy Roman Emperor
Gradually these principalities become more independent, uniting
only to elect one of their own as Emperor
By the 16th century the title had become hereditary and is
passed to a single dynasty, the Austrian House of Habsburg
The Thirty Years' War (1618-48) between Catholics and
Protestants greatly reduces the Emperor's powers
Thus "Germany" remaines a patchwork of small autonomous
principalities, duchies, kingdoms and free cities owing a loose
allegiance to the Emperor
this fragmentation of Germany lasts until 1806 when Napoleon
dissolves the Holy Roman Empire

10. Two Germans change the
world
Martin Luther
Johannes Gutenberg

11. Invention of the printing press
around 1439: Johannes
Gensfleisch zur Laden zum
Gutenberg, a goldsmith and
printer in Mainz, invents
movable type printing
introduction of a process for
mass-production of printed
works
prints the Bible ("Gutenberg
Bible" or "42-line Bible")
His technology is a key
factor in the European
Renaissance and a major
catalyst for the later
scientific revolution
helps a fellow German
spread his message ...

12. The Reformation
1517: Martin Luther
publicises his 95 theses,
challenging the practices of
the Church (indulgence
sales)
As a Priest and theology
professor, Luther teaches
that salvation is a free gift
of God and only received
through faith in Jesus
His theology challenges the
authority of the Pope
=> excommunication
His translation of the Bible
into German helps
standardise the language,
thus creating a common
German identity

13. 30 Years' War (1618-48)
war starts over religious
conflicts between Protestant
and Catholic states within the
Holy Roman Empire
gradually war develops into a
more general conflict involving
most European powers
one of the most destructive
conflicts in European history
entire regions destroyed by
foraging troops; famine and
deseases spread
war kills between 15-30% of
population in German states
leads to further balkanization
of Germany

14. Holy Roman Empire 1648

15. Peace of Westphalia
peace treaty signed in 1648 ends the 30 Years' War
Peace of Westphalia results from the first modern
diplomatic congress
initiates a new order in central Europe based on the
concept of state sovereignty
introduction of the principle "cuius regio, eius
religio" (lat. = "whose the region is, his the religion")
grants religious freedoms for the first time
consolidates territories, but NOT Germany

17. The rise of Prussia
1701: Kingdom forms as a poor Northeastern German territory
from 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Catholic Austrian
House of Habsburg and the Protestant Kingdom of Prussia
dominates German history
King Frederick II "the Great" defeats Austria after years of
struggle over territories and dynastic succession
Prussia gradually becomes the dominant state in the Holy
Roman Empire; strong martial tradition (Teutonic Knights;
"Junker" class) => discipline, militarism, efficiency, aristocratic
Protestant Prussian-German soldiers (mercenaries) fight
alongside British troops in American Revolutionary War, while
Baron von Steuben helps organize the American Army
Napoleon defeats Austria and in 1806 dissolves the Holy Roman
Empire
Battle of Waterloo 1815: Prussian troops under General Blücher
lead Allies to victory over nationalist France

19. German Confederation
1815: an association of 39 states fills the void left by the
destruction of the Holy Roman Empire
Prussia & Austria remain dominant forces
1848: German Revolution fails; liberal movement to create a
unified German nation stalls
1866: Prussia wins Austro-Prussian war => Confederation is
replaced by North German Federation
several Southern states gain independence for the first time since
10th century, among them: the Kingdom of Bavaria, Kingdom of
Württemberg, Grand Duchy of Baden, Grand Duchy of Hesse

20. The German
Confederation
1815 - 1866

21. German Empire (2nd Reich)
Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck manages to unite
German states after winning wars against Denmark (1864)
Austria (1866) and France (1870/71)
=> the first time Germany is incorporated into a modern
nation-state under Kaiser Wilhelm I
called the "small German solution" to the centuries long quest
to become a nation, because the German-speaking parts of
Austria are not included
The German Empire is proclaimed in Versailles (Paris) on
January 18, 1871. The Hohenzollern dynasty of Prussia rules
the country from the capital of Berlin
little experience of democracy, but great experience of
military organization and campaigning. Result: By 1900
German industrial output matched that of Britain and USA
Kaiser Wilhelm II sacks Bismarck and plays a major role in
triggering World War I

22. Coronation of Wilhelm I in Versailles (1871)

23. Imperial Germany 1871-1918

24. Former
Prussian
territories in
today's
Germany

25. The Weimar Republic (1919-1933)
After losing WWI, the German Revolution breaks out leading
to the abdication of Wilhelm II and all ruling princes
Peace treaty of Versailles (1919) is negotiated without the
defeated powers und declares Germany guilty of causing WWI
Versailles treaty imposes crippling reparation payments and
cuts back Germany to its pre-1914 borders
In 1919, the National Constituent Assembly meets in Weimar to
draw up a new constitution => first democracy in Germany
Young Republic doesn't stand much of a chance: Reparations,
Great Depression, sandwiched between an aggressive
Communist party (fueled by the Russian Revolution) and the
rise of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi)
Many cabinets fail due to stalemates between Communists and
Nazis in parliament
January 30, 1933: President Paul von Hindenburg appoints
Adolf Hitler as the new Chancellor of Germany
("Machtergreifung" - seizure of power by the Nazis)

27. The 3rd Reich - Nazi dictatorship

28. World
War II
(1939-45)

29. Holocaust

30. the end - total destruction

32. May 8, 1945
unconditional surrender ("Stunde null")
after six years of "total war" Germany is utterly defeated,
and economically and politically destroyed
during the Holocaust some 11 million people were
systematically eradicated (6 million Jews)
WWII and the crimes of the Nazis resulted in appr. 35
million premature deaths in Europe
expulsion of 15 million Germans from former Eastern
territories and other countries
the country is occupied by the four allied powers - the UK,
France, the Soviet Union and the United States
1948: tensions between the Western Allies and the Soviet
Union lead to a blockade on Berlin, cutting off all land
routes from the West
June 1948 - September 1949: Berlin Airlift (UK & US troops)

34. Formation of two German states
May 23, 1949: following the increasing tension between the
Western Allies and the Soviet Union, the French, British and
US-controlled sectors are unified to form the Federal
Republic of Germany (FDR / German: BRD = Bundesrepublik
Deutschland)
October 7, 1949: the Soviet sector becomes the German
Democratic Republic (GDR / German: DDR = Deutsche
Demokratische Republik)
1955: FDR joins the NATO, GDR enters the Warsaw Pact
=> Germany becomes the demarcation line of the Cold War
"Wirtschaftswunder" (= economic miracle): in a wise attempt
not to repeat the mistakes of Versailles 1919, the USA push
other Allies to accept helping West Germany get back up on
its feet => Marshall Plan lays foundation for recovery and
enables FDR to recreate its industrial base
GDR comes under socialist rule with command economy
August 13, 1961: GDR starts building Berlin Wall

35. Rebuilding a country from ruins

36. Devided
again
after only
78 years
of unity

37. Reunification
the 1949 preamble of FDR "constitution" (Basic Law) said that
"the entire German people remains invited to complete the unity
and the freedom of Germany"
the city of Bonn is made only the FDR's provisional capital
1989: mass demonstrations in East Germany claim more individual
and economic freedom
amid slow economic collapse of communist world and liberation
movement of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (Glasnost &
Perestroika), Hungary in the summer of 1989 decides to
dismantle the Iron Curtain and to open borders to Austria
thousands of East Germans leave their country to escape to the
West, GDR gov't thinks by opening the valve it can retain power
March 1990: demonstrations lead to first open & free elections in
GDR => new (and last) non-communist head of GDR opens
reunification talks with FDR
September 12, 1990: 4 occupying powers renounce their rights
October 3, 1990: Germany is formally reunited

38. a new beginning

39. the new Germany