What are some of German events in history?

Answer 1

Uhm... I'd recommend looking it up on Wikipedia, but a brief summary is as follows (I'm focusing on the modern history)...

Before 1871, you'll have to look yourself. Hint: look for "Holy Roman Empire".

Germany unified in 1871 out of a collection of smaller nations (most prominent being Prussia, Bavaria, Hesse and Saxony. This was accomplished by Bismarck, the "Iron Chancellor" - who set the tone for the next forty years (country under the rule of Wilhelm I and II, but Bismarck held much of the power Behind the Scenes).

That is, until Wilhelm gets power-hungry (meaning he wants to gain territorially), and fires Bismarck. Bismarck had kept in place a constant series of alliances, which allowed Germany to avoid war for much of it's initial forty years. The exception here was against France in 1870, when Prussia aided by a coalition of other German states defeated the French soundly.

1870 -1914 relatively stable, no wars, a few crises (small-scale stuff, but no major armies fighting each other), such as the Moroccan Crisis - Kaiser wanted to try and gain Morocco, French colony, but ended up retreating with his tail between his legs, and the Anglo-German naval race - they both try to build their fleets as fast as possible. Turned out they were useless in WWI.

1914-1918 - WWI, ending in German defeat. German people believed that they were winning the war up until the end (technically, they were - by the end they were just exhausted out, didn't have any more ammo, fuel, etc...).

1919 - Germany forced to sign "peace agreements" - creating the WEIMAR REPUBLIC (still Germany, don't worry). Kaiser kicked out and replaced by a "democratic government". Very unstable, streets full of Communists (KPD) and right-wing brawlers (FREIKORPS - Free Corps - the forerunners to the Nazis), trying to kill each other. KAPP PUTSCH (look this up) occurs in 1920, a bunch of right-wingers try to take over, thanks to quick action by KPD and SPD, this is prevented, massive strike means the new "government" collapses after less than a month.

1923 - Things have largely stabilized. A younger ADOLF HITLER tries to commit a "Putsch" (violent revolution) of his own - doesn't work. Get's thrown in jail, thanks to sympathy from locals let out after a year or so.

1923-9 - Age of prosperity. Germany borrows tons of money from US, and people start living the good life.

1929 - Great Depression. Germany falls into a pit, Americans want their money back, big disaster.

1933 - HITLER, largely because of Great Depression, popular support, and political skill becomes chancellor. He immediately sets about tearing up the constitution, and within the year has turned the country into a NAZI DICTATORSHIP.

1939 - A series of risky foreign policy moves (takeover of Austria and Sudetenland in 1938 and Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1939) ends in Germany being at war with France and Britain. Start of World War II.

1941 - Hitler commits his greatest mistake - invades Soviet Union, while declaring war against the Americans. Has now brought only two superpowers who could destroy him into war.

1945 - Germany defeated, in ruins. Five million German troops killed. Enormous atrocities in USSR (20-30 million killed, half of them civilians) and against non-Germans in occupied territory (Holocaust, 6 million Jews killed). HITLER commits suicide. Germany partitioned (divided into quarters, one each for France, UK, US, USSR).

After this, you have to start talking about "East Germany" and "West Germany" - East Germany was USSR (Communist) section, West Germany was remaining sections (Capitalist). Germany reunified in 1990.

I'd tell you more, but I'm out of time. Feel free to ask for clarifications!

Answer 2

When Adolf Hitler killed thpusands of jews.