page_title: Territorial evolution of Germany
section_title: Formation of the German Empire
hierarchical_section_title: Territorial evolution of Germany / Formation of the German Empire
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of German Reich 1871–1918. Search terms (selection): Helgoland, Flensburg, Schleswig, Kiel, Provinz Schleswig Holstein, Old, Hansestadt Lübeck, Bremerhaven, Hansestadt Hambürg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Grhm. Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Schwerin, Stralsund, Kolberg, Pommern, Stettin, Ghm. M.Strelitz, Groningen, The Netherlands, Ems, Osnabrück, Weser, Hannover, Braunschweig, Prv. Sachsen, Magdeburg, Dessauch, Herzogtum Anhalt, Brandenburg, Berlin, Potsdam, Küstrin, Warthe, Oder, Frankfurt, Liegnitz, Schlesien, Kgr. Sachsen, Dresden, Chemnitz, Prag, Elbe, Provinz Westfalen, Fsm. Waldeck, Kassel, Göttingen, Hessen, Marburg, Wetzlar, Gießen, Hessen, Nassau, Main, Coburg, Meiningen, Gotha, Gera, Weimar, Düsseldorf, Köln, Bonn, Rhein, Koblenz, Wiesbaden, Mainz, Rheinprovinz, Belgium, Ghzm. Luxemburg, Posen, Breslau, Oppeln, Beuten, Königshütte, Gleiwitz, Kattowitz, Thorn, Graudenz, Russian Empore, Lodz, Warschau, Kraukau, Königkreich Bayern, Nürnberg, Regensburg, Isar, Donau, Augsburg, München, Darmstadt, Karlsruhe, Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen, Metz, Ghzm. Luxemburg, Kgr. Stuttgart, Württemberg, Ulm, Zürich, Inn, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz, Wien, Austrian Empire, Modau, Prag, Elbe, Brünn, Wien, Pressburg
context_page_description: The territorial changes of Germany include all changes in the borders and territory of Germany from its formation in 1871 to the present. Modern Germany was formed in 1871 when Otto von Bismarck unified most of the German states, with the notable exception of Austria, into the German Empire. After the First World War, Germany lost about 10% of its territory to its neighbours and the Weimar Republic was formed. This republic included territories to the east of today's German borders.
  The period of Nazi rule from the 1930s through the end of the Second World War brought significant territorial losses for the country. Nazi Germany initially expanded the country's territory dramatically and conquered most of Europe, though not all areas were added to Germany officially. The Nazis' fortunes changed after the failure of the invasion of Soviet Union. The Nazi regime eventually collapsed, and the Allies occupied Germany.
caption: States of the German Empire 1871–1918 (Prussia shown in blue)
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