Translating Reich is problematic The word designates a state or group of states under one rule If ruled by an emperor Kaiser it is an empire Kaiserreich if ruled by a king K nig it is a kingdom K nigreich Reich can not easily be translated when it refers to a territory that is ruled by neither an emperor nor a king so the word has been adopted in English as a loan word Cf The Chambers Dictionary Reich the German state Germany as an empire the First Reich and Third Reich as a dictatorship under the Nazi regime