Government

Country Name (conventional long form): Federal Republic of Germany
Country Name (conventional short form): Germany
Country Name (local long form): Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Country Name (local short form): Deutschland
Country Name (former): German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
Government Type: federal republic
Capital City: Berlin
Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, a
National Holiday: Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 3 October 1990
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legal System: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

European Countries

Even though this is a German class, it is important to know that Germany is also a part of Europe and because European countries are so close to on another they also influence German culture. Germany is a multicultural country and therefore it is important to know about the neighboring countries and where they are located. This
activity can help you!
Click here to see where all the countries of Europe are located

Click here to test your knowledge

Learn the European Countries in German

Current Events

Click here for Germany's current events

Timeline

9 a.d. Hermann (Arminius) of the tribe Cherusci defeats the Roman governor Varus and 3 Roman legions in the Teutoburg Forest

870 a.d. Formation of the duchies of Franconia, Saxony, Bavaria and Lorraine

919 a.d. The Saxon dynasty rule Germany

962 a.d. Otto I -- first emperor of the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" crowned in Rome

1039 a.d. Salian dynasty

1096 a.d. The first Crusade

1138 a.d. The Hohenstaufen dynasty

1273 a.d. Rudolf of Hapsburg crowned king of Germany

1348 a.d. The Plague ("black death")

1648 a.d. Peace of Westphalia

1740 a.d. The War of Austrian Succession

1814 a.d. The Congress of Vienna established the German Confederation of 39 independent German states

1864 a.d. War: Prussia and Austria vs. Denmark

1866 a.d. War: Prussia vs. Austria

1890 a.d. Young William (Wilhelm) II dismisses Bismarck

1914 a.d. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina provoking WWI

1918 a.d. Following the flight of Emperor Wilhelm II from Germany, a republic was proclaimed (later known as the Weimar Republic)

1918 a.d. Aarmistice ending World War

1918 a.d. The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I and the Rhineland was placed under Allied occupation for 15 years

1918 a.d. Germany was declared a republic

1933 a.d. Adolf Hitler appointed chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg

1933 a.d. The Third Reich

1936 a.d. Reoccupation of the Rhineland

1936 a.d. Summer Olympic Games in Berlin

1938 a.d. Annexation of Austria

1938 a.d. Sudetenland (largely German-speaking) portion of Czechoslovakia occupied

1939 a.d. Germany occupies Czechoslovakia

1939 a.d. Invasion of Poland and the beginning of World War II in Europe (two days later)

1955 a.d. West Germany obtains independence

1961 a.d. The Berlin Wall was built

1989 a.d. The Berlin Wall was demolished and Communist East Germans were able to travel to the West

1990 a.d. East and West Germany was reunited

The German States