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Germans

society Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Germans are people from Germany or people with German roots. Most Germans speak the German language. This language is a key way people feel they belong to the nation. Today, there are about 100 million Germans in the world. Most of them live in the country of Germany in Central Europe.

Berlin reichstag west panorama 2
Berlin reichstag west panorama 2

History shows how many different groups became one people. Long ago, the Roman leader Julius Caesar wrote about Germanic peoples. He saw the Rhine river as a border for these groups. Later, many groups like the Franks and Saxons lived in the area. They spoke different dialects of the same West Germanic languages. These groups lived under the Holy Roman Empire for many centuries.

Germania romana
Germania romana

The Holy Roman Empire was not a single, unified country. It was divided into many small parts like cities and princedoms. In the 10th century, the Ottonian dynasty helped form a core kingdom. This kingdom eventually became the center of the empire. Over time, many Germans moved further east into new lands. This movement was known as the Ostsiedlung.

Bevölkerung Mitteleuropas um 895
Bevölkerung Mitteleuropas um 895

In the 1800s, the idea of a single German nation grew strong. The Kingdom of Prussia helped form the German Empire in 1871. However, the 20th century brought very difficult and dark times. A dictator named Adolf Hitler led Nazi Germany. His government caused World War II and the Holocaust. This was a period of great harm and loss.

Mass Grave at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp - Fritz Klein - IWM BU4260
Mass Grave at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp - Fritz Klein - IWM BU4260

After World War II, Germany was split into different parts. Millions of people were forced to leave their homes in the east. Eventually, West Germany and East Germany joined back together in 1990.

Thefalloftheberlinwall1989
Thefalloftheberlinwall1989

Modern Germany is made up of sixteen different states called Länder. It is a place where people value arts and sciences. Many Germans have even won Nobel prizes for their work.

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🖼️ Images & Media (11)
File:Berlin reichstag west panorama 2.jpg
Berlin reichstag west panorama 2.jpg
File:Germania romana.jpg
Germania romana.jpg
File:HRR 10Jh.jpg
HRR 10Jh.jpg
File:Bevölkerung Mitteleuropas um 895.jpg
Bevölkerung Mitteleuropas um 895.jpg
File:Holy Roman Empire 1648.svg
Holy Roman Empire 1648.svg
File:Deutscher Bund.png
Deutscher Bund.png
File:Mass Grave at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp - Fritz Klein - IWM BU4260.jpg
Mass Grave at Bergen-Belsen concentration...
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2003-0703-500, Rückführung deutscher Kinder aus Polen.jpg
Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2003-0703-500,...
File:Thefalloftheberlinwall1989.JPG
Thefalloftheberlinwall1989.JPG
File:Legal statuses of German in Europe.svg
Legal statuses of German in Europe.svg
File:Holocaust Memorial Berlin.JPG
Holocaust Memorial Berlin.JPG
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