1871 in Germany
Encyclopedia
National level
- KaiserKaiserKaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
(from 18 January) — William IWilliam I, German EmperorWilliam I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the... - ChancellorChancellor of GermanyThe Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
(from 21 March) - Otto von BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
Kingdoms
- King of BavariaKing of BavariaKing of Bavaria was a title held by the hereditary Wittelsbach rulers of Bavaria in the state known as the Kingdom of Bavaria from 1805 until 1918, when the kingdom was abolished...
— Ludwig II of BavariaLudwig II of BavariaLudwig II was King of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death. He is sometimes called the Swan King and der Märchenkönig, the Fairy tale King... - King of Prussia — Kaiser William I
- King of Saxony — John of Saxony
- King of Württemberg — Charles of Württemberg
Grand Duchies
- Grand Duke of Baden — Frederick I
- Grand Duke of Hesse — Louis IIILouis III, Grand Duke of HesseLouis III was Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine from 1848 until his death. He was succeeded by his nephew, Louis IV....
- Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-SchwerinMecklenburg-SchwerinMecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
— Frederick Francis II - Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz — Frederick William
- Grand Duke of Oldenburg — Peter IIPeter II, Grand Duke of OldenburgPeter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg was the ruler of Oldenburg from 1853 to 1900.-Family:Duke Nikolaus Friedrich Peter was the only son of Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg by his second wife Princess Ida of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym. He was born on 8 July 1827 in Oldenburg. In his youth, he...
- Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachSaxe-Weimar-EisenachThe Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. It was raised to a Grand duchy in 1815 by resolution of the Vienna Congress. In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony , but this name was...
— Charles AlexanderCharles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachKarl Alexander August Johann, Grand Duke of Saxony; 24 June 1818 – 5 January 1901) was the ruler of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach from 1853 until his death.-Biography:...
Principalities
- Schaumburg-LippeSchaumburg-LippeSchaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...
— Adolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-LippeAdolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-LippeAdolf I, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe was a ruler of the Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe.-Biography:He was born in Bückeburg to Georg Wilhelm, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Ida of Waldeck and Pyrmont .... - Schwarzburg-RudolstadtSchwarzburg-RudolstadtSchwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
— George Albert, Prince of Schwarzburg-RudolstadtGeorge Albert, Prince of Schwarzburg-RudolstadtGeorg Albert, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was the penultimate sovereign prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt.-Biography:... - Schwarzburg-SondershausenSchwarzburg-SondershausenSchwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
— Günther Friedrich Karl II, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen - Principality of LippePrincipality of LippeLippe was a historical state in Germany. It was located between the Weser River and the southeast part of the Teutoburg forest.-History:...
— Leopold III, Prince of LippeLeopold III, Prince of LippeLeopold III of Lippe was the sovereign of the Principality of Lippe reigning from 1851 until his death.-Early life and ascension:... - Reuss Elder LineReuss Elder LineThe Principality of Reuss Elder Line was a state in Germany, ruled by members of the House of Reuss. The Counts Reuss of Greiz, Lower- and Upper Greiz , were elevated to princely status in 1778. Its members bore the title Prince Reuss, Elder Line, or Prince Reuss of Greiz...
— Heinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of GreizHeinrich XXII, Prince Reuss of GreizPrince Heinrich XXII Reuss of Greiz was the reigning sovereign of Reuss, a small principality of the German states, from 1859 to his death in 1902.-Reign:... - Reuss Younger Line — Heinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger LineHeinrich XIV, Prince Reuss Younger Line-Early life:Heinrich XIV was born at Coburg, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, sixth child of Heinrich LXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line , and his wife, Princess Adelheid Reuss of Ebersdorf , .-Prince Reuss...
- Waldeck and PyrmontWaldeck (state)Waldeck was a sovereign principality in the German Empire and German Confederation and, until 1929, a constituent state of the Weimar Republic. It comprised territories in present-day Hesse and Lower Saxony, ....
— George Victor, Prince of Waldeck and PyrmontGeorge Victor, Prince of Waldeck and PyrmontGeorge Victor was the 3rd sovereign Prince of the German state of Waldeck and Pyrmont.He was born in Arolsen the son of George II, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont and his wife Princess Emma of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym...
Duchies
- Duke of Anhalt — Leopold IV, Duke of AnhaltLeopold IV, Duke of AnhaltLeopold IV Frederick, Duke of Anhalt was a German prince of the House of Ascania.From 1817 until 1853 he was ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Dessau and from 1847 until 1853 also ruler of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen...
to 22 May, then Frederick I, Duke of AnhaltFrederick I, Duke of AnhaltFrederick I was a German prince of the house of Ascania who ruled the Duchy of Anhalt from 1871 to 1904.-Early life:... - Duke of Brunswick — William, Duke of Brunswick
- Duke of Saxe-Altenburg — Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
- Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- Duke of Saxe-Meiningen — Georg II, Duke of Saxe-MeiningenGeorg II, Duke of Saxe-MeiningenGeorg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen , was the penultimate Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, reigning from 1866 to 1914.-Family and early life:...
Events
- 3 January — Battle of BapaumeBattle of Bapaume (1871)The Battle of Bapaume was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War which defeated French attempts to relieve the besieged city of Péronne. The battle was fought on January 3, 1871 near the town of Bapaume....
. Prussian victory in continuing Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. - 10 January — Besieged city of PéronnePéronnePéronne is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Péronne, Saône-et-Loire, in the Saône-et-Loire département* Péronne, Somme, in the Somme département* Péronne-en-Mélantois, in the Nord département...
surrenders to Prussian forces. - 10 January-12 January — Battle of Le MansBattle of Le MansThe Battle of Le Mans was a Prussian victory during the Franco-Prussian War which ended French resistance in western France.-Background:After the victory at the Battle of Orleans , Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia marched his army further to the west towards Le Mans. Antoine Chanzy had under his...
, ends French resistance in western France. - 15 January-17 January — Battle of the LisaineBattle of the LisaineThe Battle of the Lisaine was fought from 15 January to 17 January 1871 between Prussian and French forces. The French were led by Charles Denis Bourbaki, and were attempting to relieve the Siege of Belfort. Early in the morning the French forces under Bourbaki with only a few thousand men against...
. Prussian victory. - 18 January — The member-states of the North German Federation and the south German states unite into a single nation-stateNation-stateThe nation state is a state that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit. The state is a political and geopolitical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity...
known as the German EmpireGerman EmpireThe German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. The King of Prussia is declared the first German Emperor as Wilhelm I of Germany. - 19 January — Battle of St. QuentinBattle of St. Quentin (1871)The Battle of St. Quentin was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War in which Prussian forces defeated French attempts to relieve the besieged city of Paris....
. Prussian victory defeated French attempts to relieve the besieged city of ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. - 19 January-20 January — Battle of BuzenvalBattle of BuzenvalThe Battle of Buzenval, also known as the Battle of Mont Valerien, was part of the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. On January 19 1871, the day after Wilhelm I was proclaimed German Emperor, Louis Jules Trochu attacked the Germans west of Paris in Buzenval Park...
. Prussian victory. - 28 January — Siege of ParisSiege of ParisThe Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
ends, with the city falling to Prussian forces. - 15 February — Armistice signed between France and Prussia.
- 18 February — Siege of BelfortSiege of BelfortThe Siege of Belfort was a 103-day military assault and blockade of the city of Belfort, France by Prussian forces during the Franco-Prussian War...
ends with surrender of French garrison. - 26 February — Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles of 1871The Treaty of Versailles of 1871 ended the Franco-Prussian War and was signed by Adolphe Thiers, of the French Third Republic, and Otto von Bismarck, of the German Empire on February 26, 1871. This was a preliminary treaty used to solidify the initial armistice of January 27, 1871 between the two...
ends the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. - 21 March — Otto von BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
is appointed as the first Imperial ChancellorChancellor of GermanyThe Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
of the German Empire. - 10 May — Treaty of FrankfurtTreaty of Frankfurt (1871)The Treaty of Frankfurt was a peace treaty signed in Frankfurt on 10 May 1871, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.- Summary :The treaty did the following:...
is signed with confirming the frontiers between Germany and FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - 10 December — Otto von BismarckOtto von BismarckOtto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
tries to ban CatholicsRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
from the political stage by introducing harsh laws concerning the separation of church and stateSeparation of church and stateThe concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
.
Undated
- The provinces of AlsaceAlsaceAlsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and LorraineLorraine (province)The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
are transferred from France to Germany. - The Constitution of the German Empire abolishes all restrictions on Jewish marriage, choice of occupation, place of residence, and property ownership. Exclusion from government employment and discrimination in social relations remain in effect.
Births
- 4 February — Friedrich EbertFriedrich EbertFriedrich Ebert was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany .When Ebert was elected as the leader of the SPD after the death of August Bebel, the party members of the SPD were deeply divided because of the party's support for World War I. Ebert supported the Burgfrieden and...
, President of GermanyPresident of GermanyThe President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
(d. 19251925 in GermanyEvents in the year 1925 in Germany.-National level:President*Friedrich Ebert to 28 February, then from 12 May Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor...
) - 5 March — Rosa LuxemburgRosa LuxemburgRosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
, German Jewish politician (d. 19191919 in Germany-National level:President* Vacant to 11 February, then Friedrich Ebert Chancellor*Friedrich Ebert to 11 February, then Philipp Scheidemann to 20 June, then Gustav Bauer -Deaths:* 15 January — Rosa Luxemburg, German politician...
) - 27 March — Heinrich MannHeinrich MannLuiz Heinrich Mann was a German novelist who wrote works with strong social themes. His attacks on the authoritarian and increasingly militaristic nature of pre-World War II German society led to his exile in 1933.-Life and work:Born in Lübeck as the oldest child of Thomas Johann Heinrich Mann...
, German writer (d. 19501950 in the United States-January–March:* January 5 – U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver introduces a resolution calling for an investigation of organized crime in the U.S.* January 12 – Cold War: U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson delivers his 'Perimeter Speech', outlining the boundary of U.S...
) - 6 May — Christian MorgensternChristian MorgensternChristian Otto Josef Wolfgang Morgenstern was a German author and poet from Munich. Morgenstern married Margareta Gosebruch von Liechtenstern on March 7, 1910...
, German author (d. 19141914 in Germany-National level:* Kaiser - Wilhelm II* Chancellor - Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg-Kingdoms:* King of Bavaria - Ludwig III of Bavaria* King of Prussia - Kaiser Wilhelm II* King of Saxony - Frederick Augustus III of Saxony...
) - 17 July — Lyonel FeiningerLyonel FeiningerLyonel Charles Feininger was a German-American painter, and a leading exponent of Expressionism. He also worked as a caricaturist and comic strip artist.-Life and work:...
, German painter (d. 1956)