What countries were in the German Empire?

Question

On wikipedia it says Saxony, Bavaria, Prussia, and Württemberg. What countries are these in now?

Juih · Answer

The German Empire also known as Imperial Germany, was the German nation state that .... Coins through one mark were also minted in the name of the empire, while higher-valued pieces were issued by the states.

Anonymous · Answer

Are you talking about the first German Empire, the Holy Roman Empire?
Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, parts of Poland and France

John P · Answer

The borders of "Germany" have changed four times since the unification of Germany in 1871. You would need to consult a good historical atlas to get a sense of which areas were within Germany at any particular time. Note also that two "departments" of France (Alsace and Lorraine) were incorporated into Germany in 1871, given back to France in 1919, taken over by Nazi Germany in 1940, and given back to France in 1945.

Historically, there have been many changes in the Germanic lands over the centuries. For many centuries, the Germanic lands formed the heartland of the Holy Roman Empire - no connection with the pope in Rome, and sometimes in verbal or physical conflict with the pope.

The most recent change in Germany was in 1989, when East and West Germany (split in 1945) were re-united. As I was learning German in the early 1960s, we knew of the "aspiration" for re-unification but also knew that nobody could see how it could happen, with eastern Germany being under a communist regime. Note also that Germany lost about 100 miles of territory to Poland at that time, and that Poland lost about 100 miles of territory to Russia at that time - basically, Poland moved about 100 miles westwards!  Thus the German capital, Berlin, is now very much towards the east of Germany. In earlier times it was more central.

The above is a basic look at the political geography of Germanic central Europe over the last 1,000 years and more. And you thought that there was going to be a simple answer to your question!

Note also that the "countries" you mention were not countries in the sense that France or the UK or Russia were countries at that time.

Anonymous · Answer

Those regions were located mostly in what is present day Germany with some spill over into Austria, Czech Rep., and Poland.

Cousin · Answer

You probably mean the 2nd German Empire, the second Reich of the Hohenzollerns. They were Kings in Prussia who dominated as emperours as Kaisern the other 26 Germanic kings of Sachsen (Saxony), of Bayern (Bavaria), of Wuerttemberg and so on, now only States within whatever Republic or whatever they think they are now. As a Monarchist I just think they're idiots. But the First German Empire was far lol larger, including Czech (Bohemia) and Oestmarck (Austria) under the Habsburgs ruling the Heilige Roemische Reich until 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. You will be shocked if you study REAL history at the CRAP they have wasted your time teaching you, really only filling your head with their propaganda.

curtisports2 · Answer

They were small kingdoms. All are part of Germany today.

They Pelted Us With Rocks And Garbage · Answer

Which empire?

Gray Bold · Answer

The areas east of the Oder-Neisse line, mainly Eastern Prussia, Western Prussia, and Silesia, were ceded over to Poland in 1945 due to the Treaty of Potsdam.

regerugged · Answer

They all a part of Germany.

xyzzy · Answer

The German Empire consisted of 26 states, most of them ruled by royal families. They included four kingdoms, six grand duchies, five duchies (six before 1876), seven principalities, three free Hanseatic cities, and one imperial territory. Although Prussia was one of several kingdoms in the realm, it contained about two thirds of Germany's population and territory. Prussian dominance had also been established constitutionally.  Most of them are in present day Germany with small portions in France, Lithuania the Czech Republic and Poland

What countries were in the German Empire?

15 Answers