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The history of the statehood of the Federal Gepublic of Germany since 1867 - administrative and territorial evolution from the point of view of the government (small terriotiral exchanges remain unconsidered)
The statehood of the actual state called "Federal Republic of Germany" existed since 1867 and is a union of, but not all, german states in central europe.
The name "Germany" formerly described only the area inhabitated by the german people but was not connected to a sepcial statehood. The name was introduced in the official name of statehood in 1949.
Following names applie to the statehood until now: since July 1st 1867: Northgerman Confederation since January 1st 1871: German Empire (internal also 2nd Reich, Weimar Republic, 3rd Reich)
since June 26th 1943 Greater German Empire (3rd Reich) since May 23rd 1949 Federal Republic of Germany (Bonn Republic, Berlin Republic)
During its extistence the state had different flags. Its first was the Flag of the Northgerman Confederation wich become the flag of the German Empire. Black-White-Red.
Black-White originated from the flag of Prussia wich originated from a black christian cross on white back from the Order of the Teutonic Knights. Red represents the hanseatic cities.
In 1919 the first German republic continue the usage of the flag of the Frakfurt parliamt of the German Confederation from 1848 wich stands for a unifed democratic Germany.
The colors refers to the uniform of the Lützow Free Corps from the Freedom Wars agains Napoleon and the colors of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (Black eagle with red elements on gold background).
Because many citiziens blame the new republic for loosing the first world war the color become unpolularized. After the NS-government went in office the flag was reverded to Black-White-Red in 1933.
But only till 1935 as the NS-Party declared their NSDAP party flag - the swastika flag - as flag of the German Empire.
After loosing the Secon World War the Allies ban Black-White-Red and Black-Red-Gold. Instead a international signal flag for the letter C for capitulation had to be in use by force of the Allies since 1946.
After many discussions for the flag of the new republic it was descided to use the flag of the first german republic. This should represent the continueity of the state and symbolize a unified and democratic Germany.
After the victory of Prussia and its allies over the German Confederation the Confederation was abolished and the new North German Confederation of the 22 northern German states under the rule of Prussia was created on July 1st 1867.
After the Fraco-Prussian war the southern German states of Bavaria, Würtemberg, Baden and Hesse-Darmstadt joined the North German Confederation wich was renamed in German Empire.
Alsace-Lorraine ceeded by France become part of the Empire as "imperial territory of Alsace-Lorraine".
In 1890 the Empire and the United Kingdom of Great Brittain exchanged areas in Africa and the island of Heligoland in the North Sea.
In aftermath of the First World War Germany ceeded many areas and some plebicites were held.
with out plebicite nearly the whole Province of Posen and West Prussia alson with parts of the province of Silesia was ceeded to Poland.
The Hultschin-County was transfered from Silesia to Czechoslovakia
From the Prussian Province of the Rhine the area of Eupen-Melmedy was ceeded to Belgium.
Alsace-Lorraine was ceeded to France.
The League of Nations created three new territories. The Sare-Area, the Free City of Danzig and the Memel Terriotry,
The Memel Territory was occupied by Lithuania in 1923
At the plebiscite in the Prussian Province of Sleswig-Holstein resulted in transfering the nothern area to Danmark.
In the Prussian Province of East Prussia two plepiscited were held. the citizins desiced with a overwelming majority of remaining part of the German Empire.
After multible violent confrontation beetween Pols and Germans in Upper Silesia a plebiscite was held in 1922.
A majority voted for Germany but area become devided by the Allies therefore Eastern Upper Silesian was transfered to Poland.
At the Sare-Plebiscite in 1935 a majority voted for the return to the German state.
The wish of Austria to become united with German state after the the First World War was denied by the Allies. Due to the agressive foreign policy by the NS-government the unification become reality in 1938.
By pressure of the NS-government the Czechoslovakia ceeded the German inhabitaded border areas called Sudetenland.
After the independence of Slovakia from Czechoslovakia the remaining Czech part become occupied by German troops and forcly joined the German Empire as autonomous state of "Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia".
By pressure of the NS-government Lithuania returned the Memel Territory to the German state.
On the first day of the Second World War the NS-government of the Free City of Danzig declared Danzig part of the German state.
The Repulic of Poland was devided beetween the Soviet Union, Slovakia and the German Empire. The western areas become occuied by the Empire over the border of 1918.