1885 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,...
— 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...
— 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 — Albert of SaxonyAlbert of SaxonyAlbert of Saxony may refer to:* Albert of Saxony * Albert I, Duke of Saxony * Albert, Duke of Saxony * Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Teschen * Albert of Saxony...
- King of Württemberg — Charles I of WürttembergCharles I of WürttembergCharles was the third King of Württemberg, from 25 June 1864 until his death in 1891.-Early life:He was born 6 March 1823 at Stuttgart, as HRH Charles Frederick Alexander, Crown Prince of Württemberg the son of William I, King of Württemberg and his third wife Pauline Therese of Württemberg .He...
Grand Duchies
- Grand Duke of Baden — Frederick I
- Grand Duke of Hesse — Louis IVLouis IV, Grand Duke of HesseLouis IV , was the fourth Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, reigning from 13 June 1877 until his death...
- 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:...
— Charles Gonthier, Prince of Schwarzburg-SondershausenCharles Gonthier, Prince of Schwarzburg-SondershausenCharles Gonthier, Prince of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen was the ruler of the principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, a constituent state of the German Empire, and head of the House of Schwarzburg from 17 July 1880 until his death.-Hereditary Prince:... - 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:...
— Woldemar, Prince of LippeWoldemar, Prince of LippeWoldemar of Lippe was the sovereign of the Principality of Lippe reigning from 1875 until his death.-Early life and reign:... - 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 — 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 — — Prince Albert of Prussia (regent, appointed in 1885)
- Duke of Saxe-Altenburg — Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg
- Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha — Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and GothaErnst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and GothaErnest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the second sovereign duke of the German duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, reigning from 1844 to his death...
- 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:...
Colonial Governors
- CameroonKamerunGerman Cameroon was a West African colony of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916 in the region of today's Republic of Cameroon.-History:-1800s:...
(Kamerun) — Maximilian Buchner (acting commissioner) to 1 April, then Eduard von KnorrEduard von KnorrErnst Wilhelm Eduard von Knorr was a German admiral of the Kaiserliche Marine who helped establish the German colonial empire.-Life:...
(acting commissioner) to 4 July, then Julius Freiherr von Soden (governor) (1st term) - German East AfricaGerman East AfricaGerman East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
(Deutsch-Ostafrika) from 27 May — Karl PetersKarl PetersKarl Peters , was a German colonial ruler, explorer, politician and author, the prime mover behind the foundation of the German colony of East Africa...
(administrator) - German New GuineaGerman New GuineaGerman New Guinea was the first part of the German colonial empire. It was a protectorate from 1884 until 1914 when it fell to Australia following the outbreak of the First World War. It consisted of the northeastern part of New Guinea and several nearby island groups...
(Deutsch-Neuguinea) — Gustav von Oertzen (commissioner, appointed in 1885) - German South-West AfricaGerman South-West AfricaGerman South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990...
(Deutsch-Südwestafrika) — Gustav NachtigalGustav NachtigalGustav Nachtigal was a German explorer of Central and West Africa. He is further known as the German Empire's consul-general for Tunisia and Commissioner for West Africa. His mission as commissioner resulted in Togoland and Kamerun becoming the first colonies of a German colonial empire...
(commissioner) to May 1885, then Heinrich Ernst GöringHeinrich Ernst GöringHeinrich Ernst Göring was a German jurist and diplomat who served as colonial governor of German South-West Africa. He was the father of five children including Hermann Göring, the Nazi leader and commander of the Luftwaffe....
(acting commissioner) - TogolandTogolandTogoland was a German protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana. The colony was established during the period generally known as the "Scramble for Africa"...
— Heinrich Randad (provisional consul) to 26 June, then Ernst Falkenthal (commissioner) - WitulandWitulandWituland was an approximately territory in East Africa centered on the town of Witu just inland from Indian Ocean port of Lamu north of the mouth of the Tana River in what is now Kenya.-History:Founded in 1858 by the former ruler of the insular Pate sultanate after several abortive moves to the...
(Deutsch-Witu) from 8 April — Gustav DenhardtGustav DenhardtGustav Denhardt and his brother Clemens Andreas Denhardt , born in Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt, were distinguished German explorers of Africa at the time of the Scramble for Africa. In association with the physician G. A. Fischer they undertook in 1878 a tour through the Tana River region, East Africa,...
(resident)
Events
- 17 February — German government grants an imperial charter to Carl Peters for establishment of a protectorate in East AfricaGerman East AfricaGerman East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
. - 26 February — The final act of the Berlin Conference regulates European colonization and trade in Africa.
- 26 March — Prussian deportationsPrussian deportationsThe Prussian deportations were mass expulsions of ethnic Poles from Prussia in between 1885–1890. More than 30,000 Poles with Austrian or Russian citizenship were deported from the Prussian part of divided Poland to the respective Austrian and Russian occupation zones...
: the PrussiaPrussiaPrussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n government orders the expulsion of all ethnic Poles and JewsJewsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
holding RussianRussian EmpireThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
citizenship, later extended to include Polish AustrianAustria-HungaryAustria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
citizens. More than 30,000 people are forced across the border. - 3 April — Gottlieb DaimlerGottlieb DaimlerGottlieb Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf , in what is now Germany. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development...
is granted a German patent for his 1-cylinder water-cooled engineEngineAn engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
design. - 8 April — The sultan of WituWitulandWituland was an approximately territory in East Africa centered on the town of Witu just inland from Indian Ocean port of Lamu north of the mouth of the Tana River in what is now Kenya.-History:Founded in 1858 by the former ruler of the insular Pate sultanate after several abortive moves to the...
, cedes 25 square miles of territory to German brothers ClemensClemens DenhardtClemens Andreas Denhardt and his brother Gustav Denhardt , born in Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt, were distinguished German explorers of Africa at the time of the Scramble for Africa. In association with the physician G. A. Fischer they undertook in 1878 a tour through the Tana River region, East Africa,...
and Gustav DenhardtGustav DenhardtGustav Denhardt and his brother Clemens Andreas Denhardt , born in Zeitz, Saxony-Anhalt, were distinguished German explorers of Africa at the time of the Scramble for Africa. In association with the physician G. A. Fischer they undertook in 1878 a tour through the Tana River region, East Africa,...
, which becames the first German territory in WitulandWitulandWituland was an approximately territory in East Africa centered on the town of Witu just inland from Indian Ocean port of Lamu north of the mouth of the Tana River in what is now Kenya.-History:Founded in 1858 by the former ruler of the insular Pate sultanate after several abortive moves to the...
. - 27 May — The remainder of the WitulandWitulandWituland was an approximately territory in East Africa centered on the town of Witu just inland from Indian Ocean port of Lamu north of the mouth of the Tana River in what is now Kenya.-History:Founded in 1858 by the former ruler of the insular Pate sultanate after several abortive moves to the...
becames the German ProtectorateProtectorateIn history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
of Wituland (Deutsch-Witu).
Date unknown
- Karl BenzKarl BenzKarl Friedrich Benz, was a German engine designer and car engineer, generally regarded as the inventor of the gasoline-powered car, and together with Bertha Benz pioneering founder of the automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz...
produces the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, regarded as the first automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
(patented and publicly launched the following year). - Gottlieb DaimlerGottlieb DaimlerGottlieb Daimler was an engineer, industrial designer and industrialist born in Schorndorf , in what is now Germany. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development...
and Wilhelm MaybachWilhelm MaybachWilhelm Maybach was an early German engine designer and industrialist. During the 1890s he was hailed in France, then the world centre for car production, as the "King of constructors"....
produce the Daimler ReitwagenDaimler ReitwagenThe Daimler Reitwagen or Einspur was a motor vehicle made by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885, and is widely recognized as the first motorcycle. Daimler is often called "the father of the motorcycle" for this invention...
, regarded as the first motorcycleMotorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
.
Births
- 27 January — Eduard KünnekeEduard KünnekeEduard Künneke was a German composer of operettas, operas and theatre music. He was born in Emmerich. His daughter was the actress and singer Evelyn Künneke....
, German composer (d. 1953) - 1 February — Friedrich KellnerFriedrich KellnerAugust Friedrich Kellner was a mid-level official in Germany who worked as a justice inspector in Mainz and Laubach. During the First World War, Kellner was an infantryman in a Hessian regiment...
, German diarist, (d. 1970) - 14 May — Otto KlempererOtto KlempererOtto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
, German conductor (d. 1973) - 21 May — Sophie of Schönburg-Waldenburg, German-born consort of William of Wied, Prince of Albania (d. 1936, Romania)
- 20 November — Heinrich BrüningHeinrich BrüningHeinrich Brüning was Chancellor of Germany from 1930 to 1932, during the Weimar Republic. He was the longest serving Chancellor of the Weimar Republic, and remains a controversial figure in German politics....
, Chancellor of GermanyChancellor of GermanyThe Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
1930-1932 (d. 19701970 in the United States-January:* January 5 – The first episode of All My Children is broadcast on the ABC television network.* January 11 – Super Bowl IV: The Kansas City Chiefs beat the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings 23–7....
, United States)
Deaths
- 17 June — Edwin Freiherr von ManteuffelEdwin Freiherr von ManteuffelEdwin Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German Generalfeldmarschall noted for his victories in the Franco-Prussian War....
, German field marshal (b. 1809)