A Comprehensive Overview of Germany’s Rich and Complex History

Germany has a rich and complex history that spans over two millennia. The Germanic peoples, who spoke one of the Germanic languages, occupied much of the present-day territory of Germany in ancient times. The Proto-Germanic language emerged within the Indo-European language family, and the historical context of the shift is difficult to identify.

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The Roman expansion northward brought the Romans into contact with Germanic as well as Celtic peoples. Julius Caesar did cross the Rhine in 55 and 53 BCE, but the river formed the eastern boundary of the province of Gaul, which he created, and most Germanic tribes lived beyond it.

The German Empire was founded on January 18, 1871, in the aftermath of three successful wars by the North German state of Prussia. Within a seven-year period Denmark, the Habsburg monarchy, and France were vanquished in short, decisive conflicts.

In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and East and West Germany were reunited in 1990. Germany was one of the founding countries of the eurozone.

• The Germanic peoples, who spoke one of the Germanic languages, occupied much of the present-day territory of Germany in ancient times. The Proto-Germanic language emerged within the Indo-European language family, and the historical context of the shift is difficult to identify.
• The Roman expansion northward brought the Romans into contact with Germanic as well as Celtic peoples. Julius Caesar did cross the Rhine in 55 and 53 BCE, but the river formed the eastern boundary of the province of Gaul, which he created, and most Germanic tribes lived beyond it.
• The German Empire was founded on January 18, 1871, in the aftermath of three successful wars by the North German state of Prussia. Within a seven-year period Denmark, the Habsburg monarchy, and France were vanquished in short, decisive conflicts.
• In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, and East and West Germany were reunited in 1990. Germany was one of the founding countries of the eurozone.