Discover the History of the First and Second Reichs 🇩🇪

Nazi Germany was also known as the Third Reich. This raises the question: what were the First and Second Reichs?
The First Reich is known as the Holy Roman Empire, which lasted from 962 to 1806. It encompassed a vast and complex collection of territories in Central Europe under a ruler known as the Holy Roman Emperor. This loose empire played a crucial role in European politics for centuries.
The Second Reich refers to the German Empire, established in 1871 following the unification of Germany orchestrated by Otto von Bismarck. This period saw Germany become a major industrial and military power under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm I and later Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Second Reich lasted until the end of World War I in 1918, when Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, and the Weimar Republic was established. The Third Reich, or Nazi Germany, followed in 1933 under Adolf Hitler's rule.