Complex sentence: Following the founding of the nation-state German Empire in 1871 without Austria and the Austrian Germans, and along with the events of World War II and Nazism, Austrians have developed their "own" distinct national identity.
Split into simpler sentences: Following the founding of the nation-state German Empire in 1871 without Austria and the Austrian Germans. Along with the events of World War II and Nazism, Austrians have developed their "own" distinct national identity.