This article is about the historical name for the German nation state. For the Third Reich, see Nazi Germany. For its use in a narrower sense for the period 1871–1933, see German Empire and Weimar Republic.
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German Reich (lit. German Realm, German Empire, from German: Deutsches Reich, pronounced[ˌdɔʏtʃəsˈʁaɪç]ⓘ) was the constitutional name for the German nation state as it existed from 18 January 1871 (proclamation of the German Empire) to 30 April 1945 (death of Adolf Hitler).[1] The Reich became understood as deriving its authority and sovereignty entirely from a continuing unitary German Volk ("national people"), with that authority and sovereignty being exercised at any one time over a unitary German "state territory" with variable boundaries and extent. Although commonly translated as "German Empire", the word Reich here better translates as "realm" or territorial "reach", in that the term does not in itself have monarchical connotations.
The Federal Republic of Germany asserted, following its establishment on 23 May 1949, that within its boundaries it was the sole legal continuation of the German Reich, and consequently not a successor state. Nevertheless, the Federal Republic did not maintain the specific title German Reich, and so consistently replaced the prefix Reichs- in all official titles and designations with Bundes- ("Federal"). Hence, for instance, the Reichskanzler became the Bundeskanzler. Following German reunification on 3 October 1990, the expanded Federal Republic describes itself as "United Germany", emphasizing that it does not now recognize any territories once included in the former German Reich outside its boundaries as having a valid claim to be a part of Germany as a whole.
^Cite error: The named reference Hitler was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
GermanReich (lit. German Realm, German Empire, from German: Deutsches Reich, pronounced [ˌdɔʏtʃəs ˈʁaɪç] ) was the constitutional name for the German...
Nazi Germany, officially known as the GermanReich and later the Greater GermanReich, is a term used to describe the German state between 1933 and 1945...
German Empire (German: Deutsches Kaiserreich), also referred to as Imperial Germany, the Second Reich or simply Germany, was the period of the German...
"First" Reich (Erstes Reich, Reich meaning empire), with the German Empire as the "Second" Reich and what would eventually become Nazi Germany as the "Third"...
The Weimar Republic, officially known as the GermanReich, was a historical period of Germany from 9 November 1918 to 23 March 1933, during which it was...
Look up Reich or reich in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Reich (/ˈraɪk/; German: [ˈʁaɪç] ) is a German noun whose meaning is analogous to the English...
Germanic Reich (German: Großgermanisches Reich), fully styled the Greater Germanic Reich of the German Nation (German: Großgermanisches Reich deutscher...
GermanReich (Staatsgerichtshof für das Deutsche Reich), the Weimar Republic's constitutional court. Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany...
The flag of Nazi Germany, officially the flag of the GermanReich, featured a red background with a black swastika on a white disc. This flag came into...
Government of the GermanReich (11 April 1921). "Verordnung über die deutschen Flaggen" [Regulation on the German Flags]. documentArchiv.de (in German). Retrieved...
The Reich Chancellery (German: Reichskanzlei) was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany (then called Reichskanzler) in the period...
The Fourth Reich (German: Viertes Reich) is a hypothetical Nazi Reich that is the successor to Adolf Hitler's Third Reich (1933–1945). The term has also...
constitutionally by the Prussian king. Reich Chancellor of the GermanReich The German Empire was born out of the North German Confederation as result of the...
Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler (and others), Regulation concerning the design of the national emblem of the Reich of 7 March 1936 East Germany (German...
August 1934, the Law Concerning the Head of State of the GermanReich merged the offices of Reich President and Chancellor and conferred the position on...
State of the GermanReich (German: Gesetz über das Staatsoberhaupt des Deutschen Reichs) was a statute enacted by the government of Nazi Germany on 1 August...
for several coins; Reich (empire in English) comes from the official name for the German state from 1871 to 1945, Deutsches Reich. The Reichsmark was...
so-called "closed" or "forbidden" zone of German occupied France) was prepared to be annexed to the GermanReich as Reichsgau Burgund, with Nancy (Nanzig)...
the Constitution of the German Empire that preceded it. The German state's official name was GermanReich (German: Deutsches Reich) until the adoption of...
Greater GermanReich (German: Großdeutsches Reich) may refer to: Nazi Germany, the official state name of which was "Greater GermanReich" from 1943 to...
Jewish households; and the Reich Citizenship Law, which declared that only those of German or related blood were eligible to be Reich citizens. The remainder...
The Heim ins Reich (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪm ʔɪns ˈʁaɪç] ; meaning "back home to the Reich") was a foreign policy pursued by Adolf Hitler before and...
the North German Confederation, it would go on to be commonly used officially and unofficially under the nation-state of the GermanReich, which existed...
coats of arms of Germany, including those of the Second German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The same...
Germany since the collapse of the German Empire in 1918. The Weimar Constitution of August 1919 created the office of President of the Reich (German:...
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