Germany became a country in 1871 when the German Empire was established, unifying most German-speaking nations under the Prussian crown:
January 18, 1871: Leaders of German-speaking states gathered at the Palace of Versailles and agreed to make King Wilhelm I of Prussia the German Emperor
February 26, 1871: The Treaty of Versailles ended the Franco-Prussian War
May 10, 1871: The Treaty of Frankfurt created the German Empire
The German Empire was the result of Prussian Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck's leadership in uniting dozens of German-speaking states. The empire became a leading European power and acquired colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
Germany was split in two after World War II in 1945, but was reunified in 1990. To commemorate the reunification, Germany celebrates the Day of German Unity (Tag der deutschen Einheit) on October 3.
