Germany

Overview

From the high Alps in the South, the Bavarian plain, and the flowing hills of central Germany to the coast of the North and Baltic Sea: it all looks like a miniature train landscape packed with the nicest of old towns, medieval houses, gothic churches and small villages.

Thanks to the different regional princedoms, earldoms, monarchies and states Germany did not unite until the last centuries. Thus Germany has not one but many major cities. And each city has its own unique character, formed by its history and the surrounding region. Each is a whole new world unto itself in which you will experience not only different architectural styles and art treasures but also a very distinctive lifestyle. Local traditions and mentalities are clearly reflected everywhere - in the arts, the nightlife, the shops, the pubs and restaurants and the way people work and live.

To start in the north, spend some days in Hamburg, Bremen or Lübeck, those old "Hanse" cities, whose prosperity arose from the independent shipping trade. Berlin, the capital, is of course one of the top travel destinations in Germany - no matter if you are going there for business, cultural or political reasons, or just to enjoy yourself: Berlin has everything! Right in the centre Hannover is worth a visit. In the eastern part of Germany, you can find real jewels: Leipzig, Weimar, Schwerin and even Dresden , although it was bombed horribly, saved lots of their prewar architectural heritage, and the latter has just restored the famous...more

History

The rise of Prussian power in the 19th century supported by growing German nationalism eventually ended inter-state fighting and resulted in the formation of the German empire in 1871 under the chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck. Although The rise of Prussian power in the 19th century supported by growing German nationalism eventually ended inter-state fighting and resulted in the formation of the German empire in 1871 under the chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck. Fascism's rise and defeat

The postwar Weimar Republic (1919-33) was an attempt to establish a peaceful liberal democratic regime in Germany. This government was severely handicapped and eventually doomed by economic problems and the inherent weakness of the Weimar state. The inflation of the early 1920s the world depression of the 1930s and the social unrest stemming from the draconian conditions of the Versailles Treaty worked to destroy the Weimar government from inside and out.

The National Socialist (Nazi) Party led by Adolf Hitler stressed nationalist themes and promised to put the unemployed back to work. The party blamed many of Germany's ills on alleged Jewish conspiracies. Nazi support expanded rapidly in the early 1930s. Hitler was asked to form a government as Reich Chancellor in January 1933. After President Paul von Hindenburg died in 1934 Hitler assumed that office as well. Once in power Hitler and his party first undermined then abolished democratic institutions and opposition parties. The Nazi leadership attempted to remove or subjugate the Jewish population in Germany and later on in the occupied countries forced...more