Germany is a landlocked country in central Europe. It links the Eastern European countries to the Western. Germany is known for the beautiful black forrest, the Berlin Wall, the Holocaust, and for beginning the Christmas tradition of a Christmas tree. Lets explore a little of Germany's history.
Germany did not start out as the strong, unified nation it is today. For most of its history, Germany was actually a loose association of small empires that were categorized as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. It was not until 1871 when the German Reich formed where the country was actually an official country. But before the German Reich was established, a king or kaiser ruled over the many city-states that made up the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Most rulers, however, made clear that they did not want the emperor in Rome to have more power than they did. Some kings went as far as to say they were equal to the Pope, who at that time, was viewed as God's personal representative from Heaven. This created political turmoil. Finally, in 1495, Kaiser Maximilian I organized the government into three sections: the Reichstag (Imperial Diet), the Reichskreise (Imperial Counties), and the Reichskammergericht (Imperial Court Chamber). The king ruled supreme, but lower officials included electors, princes, and some towns who heavily influenced the legislative proceedings. After the new foundation of government, life continued smoothly in the Germanic Nations until October 31, 1517 when Martin Luther published his ninety-five theses against the Catholic Church. This created utter chaos between the people who supported Luther (now religiously called Lutherans-like me) and the Catholics who wanted the church to remain the same. In 1525, the first German Revolution took place, known as the Peasants' Revolt. After the reformation, princes cried for more power to govern their provinces. In the 1555 Peace of Augsburg, princes were given the right to determine the religion of their provinces, thus resulting in four-fifths of the nation converting to Protestantism. However, once Kaiser Charles V died, religious conflict rose again. The Catholic Church and the Protestants deepened their fight against one another, and eventually it led to the Thirty Years War between 1618 and 1648. For over a hundred years the shaky peace would last while Germany fought new ideas like Absolutism.
With the occurrence of the French Revolution, Emperor Franz II abdicated and the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation was no more. In the 1815 Congress of Vienna, after the French Revolution, a new German Confederation was born. Once again, it was a union of independent city-states and was run under the Federal Diet. Economic issues under the new government took hold, and in 1848, the princes were forced to withdraw their power and the first parliament in Germany was formed. In 1867 Germany adopted yet another government. This one was led by Chancellor Bismarck and was entitled the North German Confederation. Bismarck used to his power to create what he called a "smaller Germany". Eventually the southern Germanic city-states were rallying to joing, and in 1871, King William I of Prussia crowned Bismarck the official German emperor. The next emperor, King William II, did not lead his country with distinction. Tensions increased between the Catholics and Protestants, and between the liberals and the social democrats.
Finally, in the spring of 1914, Germany entered World War I. After the loss of the war, in November of 1918, King William II and lower princes were forced to abdicate their thrones and an unstable republic was formed. The Weimar Republic clawed its way through the 1920s. The economy was bad, and the middle class was becoming increasingly fragile. Internationally, the new republic was gaining notoriety by signing the Treaty of Locarno in 1925 and joining the League of Nations in 1926. By 1929, it was impossible to ignore the economic crisis that was developing. A man named Adolf Hitler emerged leading his National Socialist party into glory by winning over the German people and changing the tragic state of the economy. Once Hitler had convinced parliament to pass the "Enabling Act," granting him unlimited power, Hitler was unleashed. He pass new laws forbidding free rights and trade. No other political parties were permitted, except his own. He also spread his idea of the perfect race, a non-Jewish race. Jews were violently persecuted and their synagogues, businesses, and homes were destroyed. Eventually Jewish persecution led to horrific, inhumane killings at concentration camps; it is estimated that six million people were murdered in only a few years. However, most of the German public did not see this side of Hitler. Most only saw the good things he was accomplishing, like the rise in the economy, returning Sudetenland to Germany, and the annexation of Austria. Hitler's power and ego overcame his judgement. On September 1, 1939 he launched the planet into World War II by invading Poland. Germany fought the war ruthlessly; conquering whatever lands and armies laid in their path. Once the United States entered the war, the tables turned. Germany's defeat was eminent, and on April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide, thus ending Germany's darkest historical chapter. |
