Germany
officially
Federal Republic of Germany
(credit: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)
Country, north-central Europe. Area: 137,847 sq mi (357,023 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 82,467,000. Capital:
Berlin. The majority of the people are German. Language: German (official). Religions: Christianity (Protestant, Roman Catholic, other Christians); also Islam. Currency: euro. The land is generally flat in the north and hilly in the northeast and central region, rising to the Bavarian Alps in the south. The
Rhine River basin dominates the central and western part of the country; other important rivers include the
Elbe,
Danube, and
Oder. Germany has a developed free-market economy largely based on services and manufacturing. It is one of the richest countries in the world. Exports include motor vehicles and iron and steel products. The chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the chancellor. Federal power is centred in the bicameral Parliament. Germanic tribes entered Germany
c. 2nd century
BC, displacing the Celts. The Romans failed to conquer the region, which became a political entity only with the division of the
Carolingian empire in the 9th century
AD. The monarchy's control was weak, and power increasingly devolved upon the nobility, organized in feudal states. The monarchy was restored under Saxon rule in the 10th century, and the
Holy Roman Empire, centring on Germany and northern Italy, was revived. Continuing conflict between the Holy Roman emperors and the Roman Catholic popes undermined the empire, and its dissolution was accelerated by
Martin Luther's revolt (1517), which divided Germany, and ultimately Europe, into Protestant and Catholic camps, culminating in the
Thirty Years' War (1618–48). Germany's population and borders were greatly reduced, and its numerous feudal princes gained virtually full sovereignty. In 1862
Otto von Bismarck came to power in
Prussia and in 1871 united the Germans, founding the German Empire. It was dissolved in 1918 after its defeat in World War I, and the
Weimar Republic was declared. Germany was stripped of much of its territory and all of its colonies. In 1933
Adolf Hitler became chancellor and established a totalitarian state, the
Third Reich, dominated by the
Nazi Party. Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, plunging the world into World War II, and he was responsible for the Holocaust, the systematic killing of some six million Jews and millions of others. Following its defeat in 1945, Germany was divided by the Allies into four zones of occupation. Disagreement with the Soviet Union over their reunification led to the creation in 1949 of the Federal Republic of Germany (
West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (
East Germany). Berlin, the former capital, remained divided. West Germany became a prosperous parliamentary democracy, East Germany a one-party state under Soviet control. In 1952 Germany became a founding member of the
European Coal and Steel Community, the forerunner of the
European Union. The East German communist government was overthrown peacefully in 1989, and Germany was reunited in 1990. After the initial euphoria over unity, the political and economic integration of the former East Germany into the federal republic resulted in heavy financial burdens for the wealthier former West Germans. However, the country continued to move toward deeper political and economic integration with western Europe through its membership in the European Union.
Germany, West
officially
Federal Republic of GermanyFormer republic (1949–90), west-central Europe. It consisted of the western two-thirds of what is now the Federal Republic of Germany. It was formed in 1949 when the U.S., British, and French zones of occupation in Germany were united, while the Soviet zone became East Germany. It became a sovereign country and a member of NATO in 1955, though its occupiers retained military bases. It united with Saarland in 1957, and it joined the UN in 1973. It was reunited with East Germany in October 1990.
Soviet-German (Federal Republic of Germany) Agreements Diplomatic relations between the USSR and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) were established on Sept. 13, 1955. A consular treaty and an agreement on general questions of trade and navigation were concluded on Apr. 25, 1958. In the Treaty of Aug. 12, 1970, the USSR and the FRG pledged to promote the normalization of the situation in Europe, to settle disputes exclusively through peaceful means, and to refrain from the threat of force or the use of force; the parties also declared that they have no territorial claims against anyone and would not pose such claims in the future. The treaty established the principle of the inviolability of the frontiers of all European states as of the day of the signature of the treaty. In view of the bitter opposition of reactionary circles of the FRG, the treaty did not become effective until June 3, 1972.
In a communique of Sept. 19, 1971, the countries concluded that a continuous expansion of mutually advantageous ties is possible and announced an accord on creating a joint commission on economic, scientific, and technical cooperation. Several agreements were signed during summit meetings of May 18–22, 1973, including agreements on developing economic, industrial, and technical cooperation (May 19, 1973) and on cultural cooperation.
In a joint declaration of May 21, 1973, the countries noted the considerable progress that had been achieved toward the easing of tension in Europe and emphasized the importance of the treaties of the USSR, the Polish People’s Republic, and the German Democratic Republic with the FRG and of the four-power agreement on West Berlin of Sept. 3, 1971. The expansion of business relations led to the signing of long-term guidelines for the development of economic, industrial, and technical cooperation (Jan. 18, 1974) and the signing of an agreement on the further development of economic cooperation (Oct. 30, 1974).
In a joint declaration of Oct. 30, 1974, the parties stated that the treaty of 1970 remains the basis for a further improvement of relations between the USSR and the FRG. They also agreed to hold periodic consultations on questions of bilateral relations and on international problems, and they expressed their intention to increase cooperation in different fields.
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