History
The history of Germany is as ancient as the population of the European continent. Of course there are two histories. One of the land that makes up present day Germany, and one of the Germanic Peoples, who have inhabited lands much larger than present day Germany.
Germany’s earliest inhabitants were likely not Germanic people. These earliest inhabitants would have been pushed out by Germanic tribes slowly moving into the region. By 500 B.C. or so the Germanic peoples had likely firmly planted themselves in the region currently known as Germany. They likely migrated in from more Eastern regions near the Baltic, and northern regions such as Scandinavia.
The Romans came to know the Germanic tribes quite intimately. The Germanic peoples were a constant threat to the Roman Empire. The Romans faced similar threats from the Gauls and may have confused the two early on because they were a similar people. The Germans were a very warlike people who were at constant odds with the Romans. The Romans were able to keep the Germans at bay due to the presence of the Rhine River.
Early on the Romans saw the benefit of the warrior culture among the Germans. They would readily recruit Germans into the Roman Army. This strategy proved both useful to the Romans, and also to be the downfall of the Roman Empire. Many times the Romans would use German soldiers to fight the German people to supress the military power of the northern Germans.
By the 5th Century there are recognizably different tribes of German people who are at odds with the Roman Empire. Namely the Visigoths, Vandals, Franks, Ostrogoths, and the Burgundians. These tribes steadily and methodically migrated into Roman controlled territories throughout the centuries, making up the populations of areas of present day Italy, France, and Spain. In fact the names of many common terms are a result of these peoples. France is named for the Franks, and the term Goth comes from the Gothic tribes.
Rome was eventually subdued by the influx of German peoples. Shortly after the Germans became Christianized under the rule of the Franks. Eventually one of the rulers of the Frankish kingdom would rise and create his own Empire. This ruler would be known as Charlemagne. Charlemagne united the Franks and the Eastern Germans under his empire. This would become known as the First Reich.
Charlemagne, being the first Christian Emperor, goes to the aid of the pope in Rome, around 800 A.D.. After aiding the pope, he names Charlemagne the Emperor of the Roman Empire. This naming would result in the formation of the Holy Roman Empire.
After the death of Charlemagne’s son Louis, the empire was falling apart. The Treaty of Verdun split the empire into three parts to stabilize the regions. The split roughly resulted along the borders of present day Germany, France, and Italy. After this split the Germans in the Eastern region began to sprout its own small kingdoms that diminished the overall power of the Eastern Kingdom.
Eventually Charlemagne’s line died out in the East. The Germans there decided to elect their own King who was of their own culture, as Charlemagne and his descendants were from the Frankish line of the West. They elected Conrad I, who was then followed by another Eastern ruler. Henry, The Duke of Saxony became the next leader.Henry’s son Otto would inherit the throne and become known as Otto the Great. Otto eventually overtook the middle kingdom and with it the title of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
The following centuries would prove to be ones of increased German influence in the Church in Rome. Some Emperors would prove to be more interested in Roman Affairs than others.
Germany would go on to see the rise of the Hapsburgs, the home of the Protestant Reformation, and the end of Emperor-King rule in 1806. The Germans would prove helpful to Napolean in his efforts to expand his Empire. Many of the smaller German States aided Napolean against the Austrians and the Russians. In 1806, Napolean merged these smaller kingdoms into a larger single State.
Otto Von Bismark becomes the prime minister of Prussia, one of the members of the Confederacy of states created by Napoleon. Bismark’s goal becomes the unification of the German Empire. Bismark goes about consolidating states under Prussia by force and by skill as a Prime Minister. By 1871, the Prussian King is declared King of a Germany united. This would be known as the Second Reich to Modern Germans. Bismark would resign in 1890 after the death of the Emperor.
Germany would continue on the path set by Bismark until 1914. Five weeks before the outbreak of World War I, the heir to the Austrian throne is assasinated by a Serb. This act leads Austria to invade Serbia. This action leads Russia into the conflict against Austria, and Germany gets involved on the side of Austria. This side taking escalates into World War.
The events after the war and up to the second World War are well covered by recent History. Those events are also convered in other parts of this site.
