German Empire

German Reich
Deutsches Reich
1871–1918
Flag Coat of arms
Motto Gott mit uns "God with us"
Anthem Heil dir im Siegerkranz (official, imperial) "Hail to Thee in the Victor's Crown" Das Lied der Deutschen (unofficial, popular) "Song of the Germans" Die Wacht am Rhein (unofficial) "The Watch on the Rhine"
Germany on the eve of World War I
States of the German Empire (Prussia shown in blue).
Capital		Berlin 52°31′N 13°24′E / 52.517°N 13.400°E / 52.517; 13.400Coordinates: 52°31′N 13°24′E / 52.517°N 13.400°E / 52.517; 13.400
Languages		Official: German Unofficial:  Danish, French, Polish, Czech, Dutch, Sorbian, Low German, Bavarian, Frisian, Swabian and other Alemannic languages, Lithuanian
Religion		Whitaker's data for 1890 Majority: 62.8% Protestant (Lutheran, Reformed, Prussian United) Minorities:  35.8% Roman Catholic, 1.1% Jewish
Government		Federal constitutional monarchy (until October 1918) Federal Parliamentary constitutional monarchy (October 1918 to November 1918)
Emperor
•	1871–1888	Wilhelm I
•	1888	Frederick III
•	1888–1918	Wilhelm II
Chancellor
•	1871–1890	Otto von Bismarck (first)
•	1918	Friedrich Ebert (last)
Legislature		Reichstag
•	Federal Council	Bundesrat
Historical era		New Imperialism/First World War
•	Unification	18 January 1871
•	Constitution adopted	16 April 1871
•	First World War	28 July 1914
•	German Revolution	3 November 1918
•	Armistice declared	11 November 1918
•	Abdication of Wilhelm II	28 November 1918
•	Treaty of Versailles	28 June 1919
Area
•	1910	540,857.54 km² (208,826 sq mi)
Population
•	1871 est.	40,050,792
•	1910 est.	64,925,993
Density		120 /km²  (310.9 /sq mi)
Currency		Vereinsthaler, South German gulden, Bremen thaler, Hamburg mark, French franc, (until 1873, together) German gold mark, (1873–1914) German Papiermark (1914–1918)
Preceded by Succeeded by North German Confederation Kingdom of Bavaria Kingdom of Württemberg Grand Duchy of Baden Grand Duchy of Hesse Weimar Republic Second Polish Republic Saar Basin Free City of Danzig Republic of Lithuania
Today part of		Germany  Poland  France  Denmark  Russia  Belgium  Lithuania  Czech Republic  Netherlands
Area and population not including colonial possessions Area source: Population source:

The German Empire (German: Deutsches Kaiserreich, officially Deutsches Reich) was the historical German nation state that existed from the unification of Germany in 1871 to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in November 1918, when Germany became a federal republic (the Weimar Republic).

The German Empire consisted of 26 constituent territories, with most being ruled by royal families. This included four kingdoms, six grand duchies, five duchies (six before 1876), seven principalities, three free Hanseatic cities, and one imperial territory. Although the Kingdom of Prussia contained most of the Empire's population and territory, it played a lesser role. As Dwyer (2005) points out, Prussia's "political and cultural influence had diminished considerably" by the 1890s.

After 1850, the states of Germany had rapidly become industrialized, with particular strengths in coal, iron (and later steel), chemicals, and railways. In 1871 it had a population of 41 million people, and by 1913 this had increased to 68 million. A heavily rural collection of states in 1815, the united Germany became predominantly urban. During its 47 years of existence, the German Empire operated as an industrial, technological, and scientific giant, gaining more Nobel Prizes in science than any other country.