Alternative History
Register
Advertisement
German Empire
Deutsches Reich (German)
Timeline: Rise of the South (Map Game)
OTL equivalent: German Empire
Flag of the German Empire Wappen Deutsches Reich - Reichsadler 1889
Coat of arms
Motto: 

Gott mit uns
"God with us"
Anthem: 

(none official)

"Heil dir im Siegerkranz" (Imperial)
"Deutschlandlied" (popular)

"Die Wacht am Rhein" (Unofficial)

German Empire 1914.svg
German Empire Map RTS
German Colonial Empire, with sovereign and core territory in black, sparsely settled colonies in grey, and claims in little grey.
CapitalBerlin
Official languages German
Unofficial minority languages Danish, French, Yiddish, Sorbian, Polish, Frisian, Lithuanian
Ethnic groups  German
Demonym German
Government Federal monarchy
 -  Emperor Frederick III
 -  Chancellor Otto von Bismarck
Legislature Reichstag
 -  Upper house Bundesrat
Establishment
 -  Unification of Germany 18 January 1871 
 -  Constitution adopted 16 April 1871 
Area
 -  Total 540,857.54 km2 
208,826 sq mi 
Population
 -  1910 estimate 64,925,993 
 -  Density 120/km2 
310.9/sq mi
Currency Vereinsthaler,

South German Gulden,
Bremen Thaler,
Hamburg Mark,
French Franc,
(until 1873, together)

German Goldmark,

The German Empire (German: Deutsches Reich or Deutsches Kaiserreich) is a nation located in central Europe. Officially known as the German Reich (literally: "German Realm"), the name designates the historical region of Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871. At its creation the nation of the German Empire consisted of twenty-seven constituent territories, with most of them ruled by royal families, with the legislative capital and largest city being centered in Berlin. The majority of Germany's population resided in the former Kingdom of Prussia, however Prussian leadership was later supplanted by German leaders.

Germany covers an area of 540,857.54 km² and has a largely temperate seasonal climate, while in parts of the south has a alpine climate. The nation of Germany is bordered by Denmark to the north, Poland and the Russian Empire to the east, Austria-Hungary to the southeast, Hungary, and Slovakia to the east, Italy, Croatia, and Switzerland to the south, and France, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. The nation is one of the most populous of all of Europe, and is one of the world's major powers. Germany is the major economic and political power of the European continent and a historic leader in many theoretical and technical fields.

The German Empire was born from the foundations of the numerous German states that resided and ruled over much of central Europe. On 18 January 1871 at the Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors in France, the independent nations of Germany were officially united to form the German Empire.

The region of Germania, inhabited by tribes of Germanic peoples north of the Roman Empire, was documented as early as the year 100 AD. During a a period of German history known as the Migration Period, the Germanic tribes expanded southward, into the former Roman provinces, establishing successor kingdoms throughout much of Europe. The German territories would form a central part of the Holy Roman Empire as early as the tenth century, formed from the empire of Charlemagne and the Frankish Empire. During the sixteenth century, northern German regions became the center of the Protestant Reformation while southern regions such as Bavaria and western parts remained dominated by Roman Catholic denominations. The two factions would clash in the Thirty Years' War, marking the beginning of the Catholic–Protestant divide that has characterized German society ever since. The northern states would eventually become dominated by the nation of Prussia, while the southern German states would become dominated by the nation of Austria. After the outcome of the Napoleonic Wars, the rise of Pan-Germanism inside the German Confederation resulted in the unification of most of the German states. In 1871 the nation of Prussia and several German states in its sphere of influence formed the German Empire, which controlled much of modern-day Germany, while excluding nation of Austria.

History[]

Background[]

See: Unification of Germany

Military[]

Colonial Empire[]

German Empire Map RTS

German Colonial Empire, with sovereign and core territory in black, sparsely settled colonies in grey, and claims in little grey.

The German Colonial Empire is the overseas territories of Imperial Germany, including settlements and colonies in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Following German unification in 1871 the nation of Germany begin a rapid development program toward the creation of a formidable military and trade navy, capable of supplying settlements around the world.

Organization[]

Colonies[]

Flag Name OTL Location Founded Population
Reichskolonialflagge German Colonial Empire (Africa)
Flaggenentwurf 7 Südwestafrika 1914 German South-West Africa Namibia
DWAG German West Africa Cameroon
Flag of the German East Africa Company German East Africa Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kenya
German Congo Flag German Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic
Reichskolonialflagge German Colonial Empire (Asia/Oceania)
German new guinea flag German New Guinea New Guinea
File:Flag of the German Empire.png German Samoa

Settlements[]

Flag Name OTL Location Founded Population
DWAG German West Africa
Flag of Deutsch-Kamerun German Cameroon Cameroon





Advertisement