Portal:Germany

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Welcome to the Germany Portal!
Willkommen im Deutschland-Portal!

Germany (German: Deutschland), officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central and Western Europe, lying between the Baltic and North Seas to the north and the Alps to the south. It borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France to the southwest, and Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west.

Germany includes 16 constituent states, covers an area of 357,578 square kilometres (138,062 sq mi) and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 83 million inhabitants, it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia, the most populous state lying entirely in Europe, as well as the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is a very decentralised country. Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin, while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country's busiest airport.

In 1871, Germany became a nation state when most of the German states unified into the Prussian-dominated German Empire. After World War I and the revolution of 1918–19, the Empire was replaced by the parliamentary Weimar Republic. The Nazi seizure of power in 1933 led to World War II, and the Holocaust. After the end of World War II in Europe and a period of Allied occupation, two new German states were founded: West Germany, formed from the American, British, and French occupation zones, and East Germany, formed from the western part of the Soviet occupation zone, reduced by the newly established Oder-Neisse line. Following the Revolutions of 1989 that ended communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe, the country was reunified on 3 October 1990.

Today, Germany is a federal parliamentary republic led by a chancellor. It is a great power with a strong economy. The Federal Republic of Germany was a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1957 and the European Union in 1993. Read more...

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The Göttingen Seven (German: Göttinger Sieben) were a group of seven liberal professors from Göttingen. In 1837, they protested against the abolition or alteration of the constitution of the Kingdom of Hanover by its new ruler, King Ernest Augustus, and refused to swear an oath to the king. The company of seven was led by historian Friedrich Christoph Dahlmann, who himself was one of the key advocates of the unadulterated constitution. The other six were the Germanist brothers Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm (famed fairy tale and folk tale writers and storytellers, known together as the Brothers Grimm), jurist Wilhelm Eduard Albrecht, historian Georg Gottfried Gervinus, physicist Wilhelm Eduard Weber, and theologian and orientalist Heinrich Georg August Ewald. (Full article...)

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Skyline of Frankfurt at night
Image credit: Nicolas17

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Europe
European Union

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History

Holy Roman Empire (900–1806)
German Empire (1871–1918)
East Germany (1949–1990)

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Military of Germany

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Anniversaries for June 23

1775 – Death of adventurer and writer Karl Ludwig, Freiherr von Pöllnitz
1804 – Birth of businessman August Borsig
1891 – Death of physicist Wilhelm Eduard Weber
1928 – Birth of politician Klaus von Dohnanyi

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Did you know...

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... that the Theater am Aegi, which opened in Hannover in 1953 as "Germany's most modern theatre" and served mostly as a cinema, is now a venue for a wide range of performances?
... that George Balanchine's ballet Kammermusik No. 2 was referred as "Kammer-computer" by ballerina Karin von Aroldingen because it is "speedy"?
... that the Philippine embassy in Berlin was once purportedly located above a supermarket, with frankfurters visible from the windows?
... that former Basketball Bundesliga player Dennis Tinnon worked at a slaughterhouse before he was recruited to play college basketball?
... that Catherine Sourbut Groves, who experienced the fall of the Berlin Wall as a student, became an archdeacon in the Church of England via Zoom?
... that German swimmer Lisa Höpink won two medals at the 2019 Summer Universiade and qualified for two events at the 2020 Summer Olympics?
... that "Segne du, Maria", requesting Mary to bless her child in life and death, was written by Cordula Wöhler in 1870 and finally included in the common Gotteslob hymnal in 2013?
... that the Alte Handelsbörse, now an event venue in Leipzig, began as the trade-fair city's first bourse?

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Königsberg marzipan is a type of marzipan traditionally produced in the former German city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia). Königsberg's first marzipan production was established by the Pomatti brothers in 1809, who became confectioners of the Royal Prussian Court. They were joined by Sterkau, Petschliess, Liedtke, Siegel, Steiner, Gehlhaar, Plouda in Kneiphof, as well as Wald in Berlin and Schwermer in Bad Wörishofen. Königsberg marzipan is known for its flamed surface, which results in a golden-brown finish. It contains rose water and is often filled with jam. These characteristics distinguish it from the more common Lübeck Marzipan, which also frequently comes in more elaborate forms. (Full article...)