The German Empire was proclaimed on January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

Otto von Bismarck, also known as the Iron Chancellor, was the first Chancellor of the German Empire, serving from 1871 to 1890.

The Austro-Prussian War of 1866 resulted in Prussia's decisive victory over Austria, leading to the dissolution of the German Confederation and the establishment of the North German Confederation under Prussian dominance.

The Imperial Constitution of the German Empire, also known as the Constitution of the German Reich, was adopted in 1871 and remained in effect until the end of the Empire in 1918.

The Centre Party, a Catholic political party, was the largest party in the Reichstag for most of the Empire's existence, representing the interests of the Catholic minority in Germany.

The German Colonial Empire consisted of overseas territories acquired by Germany during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including parts of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

German East Africa, comprising present-day Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi, was Germany's largest and most economically valuable colony, known for its production of coffee, cotton, and sisal.

German New Guinea, comprising the northeastern part of the island of New Guinea and several nearby islands, was Germany's largest protectorate in the Pacific.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, is widely considered the event that triggered the outbreak of World War I.

The Schlieffen Plan was Germany's military strategy for defeating France quickly in the early stages of World War I, involving a massive attack through Belgium and Luxembourg.

The Battle of the Marne in September 1914 resulted in a decisive French victory, halting the German advance and marking the end of the Schlieffen Plan.

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, between Germany and the Allied Powers, officially ended World War I and imposed harsh conditions on Germany, including territorial losses, reparations, and disarmament.

The Military Limitations Clause of the Treaty of Versailles restricted the size of the German military, limiting the army to 100,000 men, abolishing the air force, and significantly reducing the navy.

The Weimar Republic was the democratic government of Germany from 1919 to 1933, named after the city of Weimar where its constitution was drafted.

The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, came to power in Germany in 1933, establishing the Third Reich and eventually leading to World War II.