Germany

German people through time: A visual retrospective.

Located in Central Europe, Germany was unified as a nation-state in 1871 under Prussian leadership, forming the German Empire. Before unification, it was a collection of independent states within the Holy Roman Empire, which had dissolved in 1806.

Germany's rapid industrialization made it a major power, but its involvement in World War I led to defeat and the fall of the monarchy. The Weimar Republic followed but was unstable, leading to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime because of severe economic woes. Germany's aggression in World War II resulted in catastrophic destruction and division.

After World War II, Germany was split into West Germany and East Germany during the Cold War. Reunification occurred in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Germany has emerged as a leading democratic and economic power in Europe.