Skip to main content
Open meta menu Menu
+
Open settings
Close menu
+
Language selection
Display and barrier-free access
Dark Mode
Enlarge text
deutschland.de in sign language
In focus:

What history tells us about Germany

Why is Germany the way it is today? A look back at the past reveals the origins of its political, social and cultural characteristics.

Tiktok
Tiktok
Tiktok
Tiktok
Tiktok
Tiktok
Overlay schließen
Föderalismus History History Why Germany has 16 federal states
Germany’s political order is the result of nearly 1,000 years of history. Discover what mediaeval castles have to do with German federalism.
Der Westfälische Frieden von 1648 beendete den Dreißigjährigen Krieg. Das Gemälde von Gerard ter Borch zeigt die Ratifikation des Friedens von Münster zwischen Spanien und den Vereinigten Niederlanden am 15. Mai 1648. Rechts: der Friedensvertrag von Osnabrück vom 24. Oktober 1648. History History Why does compromise matter so much in Germany?
Political scientist Herfried Münkler talks about Germany’s culture of compromise, its historical roots and whether compromise can also prove problematic at times.
Score: 0
0

When was that?

The Luther Bible, Karl Marx, or the first car: can you match these people and objects to the right era? Drag them to the right place and test your knowledge of German history.

medizinische-forschung-deutschland-charite-berlin History
History
Why is science so important in Germany?
The research culture that was established at Charité Berlin has left its mark on Germany to this day. The institution’s history also illustrates why an ethical framework is essential in research.
Zwei Grenzsoldaten der DDR-Grenztruppen der Nationalen Volksarmee der DDR (NVA) bei einem Wachgang an der innerdeutschen Grenze bei Motzlar in der Rhön in Thüringen (zu Hessen), aufgenommen im Oktober 1968. History
History
Why Germans value data protection so much
Germany’s data protection culture reflects the country’s history of two dictatorships which systematically collected data for repressive purposes.
Darstellung der Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig im Oktober 1813 History
History
Why Germans struggle to define their national identity
From Germanic myths to the Kaiser and the Nazi era, our nation’s history is multifaceted, and our legacy is complex.