In a context of antiquity (pre AD 500), "Germans" is used in the sense of Germanic tribes. The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic

German people Deutsche
(left to right): Mozart • Goethe • Bismarck • Kepler
Total population
~75 million[1] ~160 million[2] (including those of ancestral descent)
Regions with significant populations
Germany        67 - 75 million [3][4]
United States 50 million [5]  Brazil 12 million [6]  Canada 3 million [7]  Argentina 2. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898) Johannes Kepler (ˈkɛplɚ ( December 27 1571 &ndash November 15 1630) was a German Mathematician, Astronomer Genealogy (from Greek: el γενεά el-Latn genea, "descent" and el λόγος el-Latn logos, "knowledge" is the study of Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. 8 million [8]  France (mainly Alsace and Moselle) 1,5 million [9][10] The  CIS (mainly  Russia and  Kazakhstan) 1 million [11]  Australia 742,212 [12]  Netherlands 320,000 [13]  Italy 290,000 [14][15]  United Kingdom 266,136 (German born only) [16]  Chile 250,000 - 300,000 [17] [18]  Spain 208,349 [19]  Paraguay 200,000 - 450 ,000 [20]  Poland 150,000 [21]  Switzerland 112,000 (4. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Alsace (Alsace alzas Alsatian and Elsass pre-1996 German: Elsaß; Alsatia is one of the 26 Regions of France, located on the eastern Moselle is a ''département'' in the east of France named after the Moselle River. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation 6 million including Alemannic Swiss) [22]  Venezuela 110,000  Mexico 100,000 [23]  South Africa 80,000-160,000 [24]  Austria 74,000 (7. Swiss German ( Schweizerdeutsch, Schwyzerdütsch, Schwiizertüütsch, Schwizertitsch) is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich 9 million including Austrians, if Austrians are regarded as Germans) [25]  Belgium 70,000 [26]  Hungary 62,233-220,000 [27]  Romania 60,000 [28]  Czech Republic 40,000 [29]  Bolivia 40,000 [30]  Ecuador 33,000 [31]  Dominican Republic 25,000 [32]  Namibia 20,000 [33]  Denmark 15-20,000 (border region) [34]  Slovakia 5-10,000 [35]
Languages
German: High German (Upper German, Central German), Low German (see German dialects)
Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant (chiefly Lutheran), secular, others
Related ethnic groups
other Germanic peoples

The German people (German: Deutsche) are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent, and speaking the German language as a mother tongue. Austrians (Österreicher are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states ( March of Austria, The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The High German languages (in German, Hochdeutsch) are any of the varieties of standard German, Luxembourgish and Upper German Oberdeutsch is a family of High German Dialects spoken primarily in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Central German (in German: Mitteldeutsch, or rarely Zentraldeutsch) is a group of High German dialects spread from the Rhineland to Low German or Low Saxon (in Germany: Plattdüütsch or Nedderdüütsch; in Netherlands: Nedersaksisch or Nederduuts German dialect is dominated by the geographical spread of the High German consonant shift, and the Dialect continuum that connects the German with Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. A first language (also mother tongue, native language, arterial language, or L1) is the language a human being learns from birth Within Germany, Germans are defined by citizenship (Federal Germans, Bundesdeutsche), distinguished from people of German ancestry (Deutschstämmige). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Federal Germans (Bundesdeutsche as a Noun or Federal German (Bundesdeutsch as an Adjective are terms to describe the Citizens of the Federal Republic This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general Historically, in the context of the German Empire (1871-1918), German citizens (Imperial Germans, Reichsdeutsche) were distinguished from ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche). The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Imperial Germans is the common translation of the German word Reichsdeutsche (adj This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general This page describes the origins and historical use of the term Volksdeutsche.

Out of approximately 100 million native speakers of German in the world, about 75 million consider themselves Germans. There are an additional 80 million people of German ancestry (mainly in the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, France and Canada) who are not native speakers of German.

Thus, the total number of Germans worldwide lies between 75 and 160 million, depending on the criteria applied (native speakers, single-ancestry ethnic Germans, partial German ancestry, etc. ). In the U.S., 15. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 2% of citizens identify as German American according to the United States Census of 2000. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry The United States Census is a decennial Census mandated by the United States Constitution. Although the percentage has declined, it is still more than any other group. ^[36]

Contents 1 History of the term 2 Ethnic Germans 3 History 3.1 Origins 3.2 Medieval history 3.3 Early Modern period 3.4 20th century 4 Subgroups 5 Ethnic nationalism 6 Religion 7 Minorities 8 References 9 See also 10 External links

History of the term

The English term German as used today translates German deutsch. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in It is derived from Latin Germanus and has been used since the sixteenth century synonymously with Teuton, after teutonicus used in Latin since the ninth century to refer to the German language, from the name of the Teutones. la Theodiscus, the latinised form of Germanic Diutisc ("vernacular" "native" or "indigenous" is a Middle Latin The Teutons or Teutones (from Proto-Germanic * Þeudanōz) were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors Before the sixteenth century, the terms used in English were Almain, from the name of the Alemanni, or Dutch, an imitation of both Dutch "diets" (meaning "Dutch") and the German cognate "deutsch" (meaning: "German"). The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main river ( Germany Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Dietsch ( "Diets" in modern Dutch) is a colloquial word for the Middle Dutch language. The Dutch people ( Dutch:) are the dominant Ethnic group of the Netherlands. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The diffuse nature of the term mirrors the heterogeneous nature of the Holy Roman Empire, from the sixteenth century also known as "Holy Roman Empire of the German nation". The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The linguistic affiliation of the English language itself was hotly debated at the time, and English academia was split into "Germanophiles" who to include English one of the "Germanic" or "Teutonic" languages, and "Scandophiles" who preferred to classify English as "Scandinavian" (now known as North Germanic)^[37]. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A Germanophile is a person who is fond of German culture, and Germany in general exhibiting as it were German nationalism in spite of not being an Ethnic Early modern publications dealing with Old Norse ( Viking Age) culture appeared in the 16th century e The North Germanic languages or Scandinavian languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages With the rise of the German Empire as a threat to British interests in Hamburg, the "Germanophile" position came out of fashion and British romanticism turned to Scandinavia (see Viking revival). The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Early modern publications dealing with Old Norse ( Viking Age) culture appeared in the 16th century e "German" from this period refers to the German Empire, already to the exclusion of Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Usage of Dutch was narrowed to refer to the Netherlands exclusively during the early sixteenth century.

There is a lack of international consensus in regard to the characterization of certain historical persons and institutions as "German", like for instance Kafka, Copernicus or the Hanseatic League. The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading cities and their Guilds that established and maintained trade In the nineteenth century, it was common in Germany to use "German" synonymously with "Germanic" for pre-modern times, and e. g. the Walhalla temple includes Gothic, Langobardic, Anglo-Saxon and Alemannic people among those honoured as 'Germans'. The Walhalla Hall of Fame and Honor is a neo-classical Hall of fame located on the Danube River 10 km east of Regensburg, in Bavaria

Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven - who spent most of their lives in what is Austria today - may be considered central within the German culture but are sometimes characterized as Austrians, not as Germans. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. Many people also consider them Austrian and German at once; for example, the U. S. State Department ^[38] does on its report on current Austria, describing it as inhabited by Austrian nationals of which 98% are ethnic Germans.

Ethnic Germans

Main article: Ethnic Germans

The term Ethnic Germans may be used in several ways. This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general It may serve to distinguish Germans from those who may have citizenship in the German state but are not Germans; or it may indicate Germans living as minorities in other nations. In English usage, but less often in German, Ethnic Germans may be used for assimilated descendants of German emigrants. A region or society where several different groups are spontaneously assimilated is sometimes referred to as a Melting pot.

Ethnic Germans form an important minority group in several countries in central and eastern Europe (Poland, Hungary, Romania, Russia) as well as in Namibia, southern Brazil (German-Brazilian) and Argentina. This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. The Demographics of Poland describe the make-up of the country of Poland The demographics of Hungary are as follows Historical 900-1910 1920 &ndash today Present Census 2001 recognised along About 895% of the people of Romania are ethnic Romanians, whose language Romanian, is an Eastern Romance language, descended primarily from Latin Russia 's area is about 17 million square kilometers (65 million sq Namibians are of diverse ethnic origins The principal groups are the Ovambo, Kavango, Herero / Himba, Damara, mixed race ( Coloured Brazil ' s population is very diverse comprising many races and Ethnic groups In general Brazilians trace their origins from four sources of migration A German Brazilian ( German: Deutschbrasilianer, Portuguese: teuto-brasileiro or germano-brasileiro) is a Brazilian This article is about the Demographics features of the Population of Argentina, including distribution ethnicity, economic status and other

Some groups may be classified as Ethnic Germans despite no longer having German as their mother tongue or belonging to a distinct German culture. Until the 1990s, two million Ethnic Germans lived throughout the former Soviet Union, especially in Russia and Kazakhstan. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the

In the United States 1990 census, 57 million people are fully or partly of German ancestry, forming the largest single ethnic group in the country. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Most Americans of German descent live in the Mid-Atlantic states (especially Pennsylvania) and the northern Midwest (especially in Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and eastern Missouri), but historically Germanic immigrant enclaves can be found in many other states (e. The Mid-Atlantic States (also called Middle Atlantic States or simply Mid Atlantic) form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union North Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern and Western regions of the United States of America. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee g. , the German Texans). German Texan is an ethnic category that includes residents of the state of Texas with German ancestry who identify with the term

Notable Ethnic German populations also exist in other Anglosphere countries such as Canada (approx. The word Anglosphere describes a concept of a group of Anglophone ( English -speaking nations which share historical political and cultural characteristics rooted Population of Canada: 31612895 (2006 Census Provinces and territories Metropolitan areas Cities 9% of the population) and Australia (approx. Current Demographic data Much of the data that follows has been derived from the CIA World Factbook and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, through 4% of the population).

History

The Germans are a Germanic people which as an ethnicity emerged during the post-medieval Unification of Germany. The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent From the multi-ethnic Holy Roman Empire, the Peace of Westphalia (1648) left a core territory that was to become Germany, already to the exclusion of Switzerland and the Netherlands. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland. "United Netherlands" redirects here For the "Kingdom of the United Netherlands" see United Kingdom of the Netherlands. "German" ethnogenesis was complete by the time of the German Empire in 1871. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification

Origins

Further information: Germanic peoples and Theodiscus

The area of modern-day Germany in the European Iron Age was divided into the (Celtic) La Tène horizon in Southern Germany and the (Germanic) Jastorf culture in Northern Germany. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site German dialectal mapPNG|right|thumb|200px|Southern Germany roughly corresponds to the area of Germany south of the Speyer line where Upper German dialects are spoken The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The Jastorf culture is an Iron Age Material culture in what is now north Germany, spanning the 6th to 1st centuries BC forming the southern part of the Northern Germany is the geographic area in the north of Germany. The predominant Y-chromosome haplogroup in Germans is R1b, followed by I and R1a; the predominant mitochondrial haplogroup is H, followed by U and T. In Human genetics, a Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup is a Haplogroup defined by differences in the non- recombining portions of DNA from the In Human genetics, Haplogroup R1b is the most frequent Y-chromosome Haplogroup in Western Europe In Human genetics, Haplogroup I is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup, a subgroup of haplogroup IJ, itself a derivative of Haplogroup F. A Subclade of R1, R1a is a Y-chromosome haplogroup found at high frequency in the extreme north of India among the Kashmiri Pandits In Human genetics, a human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup is a Haplogroup defined by differences in human mitochondrial DNA. In Human mitochondrial genetics, Haplogroup H is a human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA haplogroup. In Human genetics, Haplogroup U is a human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA haplogroup, a group of people who descend from a woman in the Haplogroup R (mtDNA Haplogroup T is a Human Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA Haplogroup. Haplogroup T derives from the haplogroup JT, which also gave rise to Haplogroup ^[39]

The Germanic peoples during the Migrations Period came into contact with other peoples, in the case of the populations settling in the territory of modern Germany, Celts to the south and Balts and Slavs towards the east. The Migration Period, also called Barbarian Invasions, or sometimes Völkerwanderung ( German for "wandering of peoples" is the English name Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Balts or Baltic peoples (People who live by the Baltic Sea) defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European

The Limes Germanicus was breached in AD 260, and migrating Germanic tribes commingled with the local Gallo-Roman populations in what is now Swabia and Bavaria. The Limes Germanicus ( Latin for Germanic frontier) was a remarkable line of frontier ( Limes) forts that bounded the ancient Roman This article covers the culture of Romanized areas of Gaul. For the political history of the brief "Gallic Empire" of the 3rd century see Gallic Empire Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12

The migration period peoples that would coalesce into a "German" ethnicity are the Saxones, Frisii, Franci, Thuringii, Alamanni and Bavarii. The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. The Frisians are an ethnic group of Germanic people living in coastal parts of The Netherlands and Germany. The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group The Thuringii or Toringi were a Germanic tribe which appeared late during the Völkerwanderung in the Harz Mountains of central The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main river ( Germany The Bavarii were a large and powerful Tribe which emerged late in Teutonic tribal times in what is now the Czech Republic ( Bohemia) By the 800s, the territory of modern Germany had been united under the rule of Charlemagne, although much of what is now Eastern Germany remained Slavonic-speaking (Sorbs, Veleti). Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his Eastern Germany refers to the territory of the former German Democratic Republic, in Germany known as Ostdeutschland or better Neue Bundesländer Sorbs (Serbja Serby also known as Wends, Lusatian Sorbs or Lusatian Serbs, are a Slavic people settled in Lusatia The Veleti (Wieleten Wieleci or Wilzi(ans (also Wiltzes; German Wilzen) were a group of medieval West Slavic tribes within the territory

Medieval history

Further information: Kingdom of Germany, Stem duchy, Medieval demography, and Holy Roman Empire

A "German" as opposed to generically "Germanic" ethnicity emerges in the course of the Middle Ages, under the influence of the unity of Eastern Francia from the 9th century. The Kingdom of Germany grew out of East Francia in the tenth century Stem duchies (from the German Stammesherzogtum, literally "tribal duchy" were associated with the Frankish Kingdom, especially the East Medieval Demography is the study of human Demography in Europe during the Middle Ages. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in East ( ern) Francia ( Regnum Francorum orientalium) known variously as Francia Orientalis or the Kingdom of the East Franks, was the The process is gradual and lacks any clear definition.

After Christianization, the superior organization of the Roman Catholic Church lent the upper hand for a German expansion and settlement at the expense of Slavs and Balts (medieval Wendish crusade and Ostsiedlung), giving the Drang nach Osten as a result. The Germanic peoples underwent gradual Christianization in the course of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. The Wendish Crusade (Wendenkreuzzug was an 1147 campaign one of the Northern Crusades and also a part of the Second Crusade, led primarily by the Kingdom of This article covers the medieval eastward migrations of Germans "Drang nach Osten" is also a game in the " Europa " wargame series Massive German settlement led to the assimilation of Baltic (Old Prussians) and Slavic (Wends) populations exhausted by previous warfare. "Prussians" redirects here "Prussians" may also refer to citizens of the former German state of Prussia.

At the same time, naval innovations led to a German domination of trade in the Baltic Sea and parts of Eastern Europe through the Hanseatic League. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading cities and their Guilds that established and maintained trade Along the trade routes, Hanseatic trade stations became centers of Germanness where German town law (Stadtrecht) was promoted by the presence of large, relatively wealthy German populations and their influence on the worldly powers. German town law (Deutsches Stadtrecht or German municipal concerns ( Deutsches Städtewesen) concerns Town privileges used by many cities towns and villages

This means that people whom we today often consider "Germans", with a common culture and worldview very different from that of the surrounding rural peoples, colonized as far north of present-day Germany as Bergen (in Norway), Stockholm (in Sweden), and Vyborg (now in Russia). A comprehensive world view (or worldview) is a term Calqued from the German word Weltanschauung ( Welt is the German Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time is the second largest city in Norway. It is located on the south-western coast of Norway in the county of Hordaland in between a group of mountains known as De syv fjell Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional ('stɔkhɔlm is Sweden 's Capital and its largest City. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the parliament, and the "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Vyborg (Вы́борг Viipuri Viborg Wiborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Hanseatic League was not exclusively German in any ethnic sense: many towns who joined the league were outside the Holy Roman Empire, which was not entirely German itself, and a number of them may only loosely be characterized as German.

Early Modern period

Further information: Volksdeutsche and Reichsdeutsche

It was only in the late fifteenth century that the Holy Roman Empire came to be called the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, and even this was not exclusively German, notably including a sizeable Slavic minority. This page describes the origins and historical use of the term Volksdeutsche. Imperial Germans is the common translation of the German word Reichsdeutsche (adj The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The Thirty Years' War, a series of conflicts fought mainly in modern Germany, confirmed the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Napoleonic Wars gave it its coup de grâce. For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions

Since the Peace of Westphalia, Germany has been "one nation split in many countries" (Kleinstaaterei). The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of de Kleinstaaterei is a German word mainly used for the political situation in Germany and neighbouring regions during the Holy Roman Empire. The Austrian–Prussian split, confirmed when Austria remained outside of the 1871 created Imperial Germany, was only the most prominent example. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Most recently, the division between East Germany and West Germany kept the idea alive. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (

In the nineteenth century, after the Napoleonic Wars and the fall of the Holy Roman Empire (of the German nation), Austria and Prussia would emerge as two opposite poles in Germany, trying to re-establish the divided German nation. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Austria, trying to remain the dominant power in Central Europe, led the way in the terms of the Congress of Vienna. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich The Congress of Vienna was a very conservative act assuring that little would change in Europe and would prevent Germany from uniting. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The terms of the Congress of Vienna would come to a sudden halt following the Crimean War in 1856. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought This paved the way for German unification in the 1860s. The unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent In 1870, Prussia attracted even Bavaria (the old ally of France) in the Franco-Prussian War and the creation of the German Empire as a German nation-state, effectively excluding the multi-ethnic Austrian Habsburg monarchy. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification For the online game see Jennifer Government NationStates. The nation-state is a certain form of State that derives its legitimacy Habsburg Monarchy (alternatively Habsburg Empire) refers to the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor

The concept of a separate Austrian nation emerges in the nineteenth century, following the Napoleonic wars, but German speaking Austrians continued to consider themselves Germans until 1919, when "German Austria" was dissolved following the Treaty of Saint-Germain. Austrians (Österreicher are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states ( March of Austria, The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The Republic of German Austria (Republik Deutschösterreich or Deutsch-Österreich was the initial Rump state successor to the Austro-Hungarian Empire The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, was signed on 10 September 1919 by the victorious Allies of World War I on the one hand and by the new

20th century

The dissolution of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire after World War I led to a strong desire of the population of the new Republic of Austria to be integrated into Germany. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich This was, however, prevented by the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I.

The Nazis attempted to unite "all Germans" into one realm. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German This idea was initially welcomed by many ethnic Germans in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Poland, Danzig and Western Lithuania, but met with significant resistance among the Swiss, who saw themselves as separate nations at least since the Peace of Westphalia of 1648. Sudetenland ( Czech and Polish: Sudety) is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the western regions of Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Second Polish Republic or interwar Poland is the Republic of Poland between World War I and World War II. The Free City of Danzig ( German: Freie Stadt Danzig; Polish: Wolne Miasto Gdańsk) was an autonomous Baltic Sea port and Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of

After World War II, the Austrians increasingly saw themselves as a nation distinct from the other German-speaking areas of Europe; today, some polls have indicated that no more than 10% of the German-speaking Austrians see themselves as part of a larger German nation linked by ancestry or language. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This phenomenon became commonplace shortly after the Second World War, when Austrian identity was emphasized along with the "first-victim of Nazism" theory. ^[40]

Subgroups

Further information: German dialects

The Germans are divided into sub-nationalities, some of which form dialectal unities with groups outside Germany that are not considered "Germans". German dialect is dominated by the geographical spread of the High German consonant shift, and the Dialect continuum that connects the German with The southern Upper German groups retain a pronounced identity, in the case of the Swabians historically even the cause of a limited movement of Alemannic separatism. Upper German Oberdeutsch is a family of High German Dialects spoken primarily in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Alemannic Separatism is a historical movement of limited notability advocating the unification of the Alemannic-speaking areas northeast of the Rhine and Lake The Low German Platt speakers also retain a certain ethnic identity, while the Central German majority has largely abandoned individual nationalisms. Central German (in German: Mitteldeutsch, or rarely Zentraldeutsch) is a group of High German dialects spread from the Rhineland to

• Upper German
  • the Bavarians (ca. Upper German Oberdeutsch is a family of High German Dialects spoken primarily in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern The Bavarians are a German people from Bavaria, Germany. They are the inheritors of the Bavarii, which occupied modern-day Bavaria and its surroundings 10 million) form the Austro-Bavarian linguistic group together with those Austrians who speak German and do not live in Vorarlberg and
  • the Swabians (ca. Austro-Bavarian or Bavarian is a major group of Upper German varieties. Austrians (Österreicher are a nation and an ethnic group originating from the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states ( March of Austria, Vorarlberg is the westernmost state ( Land) of Austria. Though it is the second smallest in terms of area ( Vienna is the smallest it borders Swabia, Suabia, or Svebia ( German: Schwaben, Schwabenland or Ländle) is both a historic and linguistic 10 million) form the Alemannic group together with the Alemannic Swiss, the Alsatians and the Vorarlbergians. Vorarlberg is the westernmost state ( Land) of Austria. Though it is the second smallest in terms of area ( Vienna is the smallest it borders
• Central German dialect group (ca. Central German (in German: Mitteldeutsch, or rarely Zentraldeutsch) is a group of High German dialects spread from the Rhineland to 45 million)
  • Central Franconian, forms a dialectal unity with Luxembourgish
  • Rhine Franconian (Ripuarian, Kölsch)
  • Thuringian
  • Hessian
  • Upper Saxon
  • High Prussian
  • German Silesian
• Yiddish dialects
• Low German (ca. Central Franconian is a name for the following set of dialect groups Ripuarian Franconian ( North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Luxembourgish (lb Lëtzebuergesch Luxembourgeois Luxemburgisch Luxemburgs Lussimbordjwès also called Luxembourgian, also spelled Luxemburgish, is one of Rhine Franconian (German Rheinfränkisch) or Rhenish Franconian, is a Dialect family of West Central German. Kölsch (Colognian is a very closely related small set of Dialects or variants of the Ripuarian Central German group of languages Thuringian is an Central German Dialect spoken in much of the modern German Free State of Thuringia. Upper Saxon ( German: Obersächsisch or colloquially (but incorrectly Sächsisch) is a Central German Dialect spoken High Prussian (Hochpreußisch sometimes known simply as Prussian ( Preußisch) is a Dialect of East Central German that developed in the region The German minority in Poland consists of 152900 people according to a 2002 census Yiddish dialects are subsets of the major regional branches of the Yiddish language Western Yiddish and Eastern Yiddish Low German or Low Saxon (in Germany: Plattdüütsch or Nedderdüütsch; in Netherlands: Nedersaksisch or Nederduuts 3-10 million), forms a dialectal unity with Dutch Low Saxon

Ethnic nationalism

Main article: Völkisch movement

The reaction evoked in the decades after the Napoleonic Wars was a strong ethnic nationalism that emphasized, and sometimes overemphasized, the cultural bond between Germans. Dutch Low Saxon (Dutch Low Saxon Nedersaksisch) is a group of Low Saxon ( i The völkisch movement is the German interpretation of the populist movement with a romantic focus on Folklore and the "organic" Ethnic nationalism is a form of Nationalism wherein the " Nation " is defined in terms of Ethnicity. Later alloyed with the high standing and world-wide influence of German science at the end of the nineteenth century, and to some degree enhanced by Bismarck's military successes and the following 40 years of almost perpetual economic boom (the Gründerzeit), it gave the Germans an impression of cultural supremacy, particularly compared to the Slavs. Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898) deu Gründerzeit ( German, 'grʏndɐˌtsaɪ̯t literally “the founders' epoch” refers to the economic phase in 19th century Germany and Austria before

Ethnic nationalism has essentially been a taboo in German society since World War II, but it has seen a limited comeback since German reunification, with the ethnic nationalist National Democratic Party of Germany receiving 1. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany The National Democratic Party of Germany (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands NPD is a German pan-German nationalist and White nationalist political 6% of the popular vote in the 2005 federal election. German federal elections took place on September 18, 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany

Religion

Today, the German identity includes both Protestants and Catholics. The groups are about equally represented in Germany, contrary to the belief that it is mostly Protestant. Historically, the Protestants formed the majority; but with the loss of traditional Protestant regions after World War II and the "conversion" of many Protestants (many more than Catholics) to "nonbelievers" especially in the former GDR now the two groups are about equally represented. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Today, the "nonbelievers" are the majority. ^[41] Also some large groups of immigrants were/are mostly Catholics (Poles/Italians). The Protestant Reformation started in the German cultural sphere, when in 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses to the door of the Schlosskirche ("castle church") in Wittenberg. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer The Ninety-Five Theses on the Power of Indulgences, commonly known as The Ninety-Five Theses, were written by Martin Luther in 1517 Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a Town in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the Elbe Among Protestant denominations, the Lutherans are well represented by the Germans, while Calvinists are historically only to be found near the Dutch border and in a few cities like Worms and Speyer. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Worms (voɐms is a City in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River Speyer (English formerly Spires) is a City in Germany ( Rhineland-Palatinate) with approx The late nineteenth century saw a strong movement among the Jewry in Germany and Austria to assimilate and define themselves as à priori Germans, i. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ e. as Jewish Germans (a similar movement occurred in Hungary). In conservative circles, this was not always embraced, and, for the Nazis, it was unacceptable. The Nazi rule led to the death or exile of almost all of the relatively small number of domestic Jews. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Exile means to be away from one's home (ie city state or country while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return Today Germany attempts to successfully integrate the Gastarbeiter and later arrived refugees from ex-Yugoslavia, especially Bosnian Muslims. (native pronunciation /ˈɡastˌʔaːbaɪtɐ/ is German for "guest worker" (or "guest workers" - the plural is the same as the singular According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

Minorities

In recent years, the German-speaking countries of Europe have been confronted with demographic changes due to decades of immigration. These changes have led to renewed debates (especially in the Federal Republic of Germany) about who should be considered German. Non-ethnic Germans now make up more than 8% of the German population, mostly the descendants of guest workers who arrived in the 1960s and 1970s. Turks, Moroccans, Italians, Greeks, and people from the Balkans in southeast Europe form the largest single groups of non-ethnic Germans in the country. The Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as " Turks " ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language Most Moroccans are Sunni Muslims of Berber, Arab or mixed Arab-Berber stock The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions

In addition, a significant number of German citizens (close to 5%), although traditionally considered ethnic Germans, are in fact foreign-born and retain cultural identities and languages from their native countries, a fact that sets them apart from ethnic Germans. This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general Of course, the idea of foreign-born repatriates is not unique to Germany. The English and British equivalent legal term is lex sanguinis, which is exactly the same principle- that citizenship is inherited by the child from his/her parents. Jus sanguinis ( Latin for "right of blood" is a Social policy by which Nationality or Citizenship is not determined by place of birth It has nothing to do with ethnicity.

Ethnic German repatriates from the former Soviet Union are a separate case and constitute by far the largest such group and the second largest ethno-national minority group in Germany. The repatriation provisions made for ethnic Germans in Eastern Europe are unique and have historical basis, since these were areas where Germans traditionally lived. A controversial example of repatriation involves the Volga Germans, descendants of ethnic Germans who settled in Russia during the eighteenth century, who have been able to claim German citizenship even though neither they nor their ancestors for several generations have ever been to Germany. The Volga Germans (Wolgadeutsche or Russlanddeutsche) were Ethnic Germans living along the Volga River in the region of southern European Russia In contrast, persons of German descent in North America, South America, Africa, etc. do not have an automatic right of return and must actually prove their eligibility for German citizenship according to the clauses pertaining to the German nationality law. German citizenship is based primarily on the principle of Jus sanguinis. Other countries with post-Soviet Union repatriation programs include Greece, Israel and South Korea. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː

Unlike these ethnic German repatriates, some non-German ethnic minorities in the country, including some who were born and raised in the Federal Republic, choose to remain non-citizens. Although citizenship laws have been recently relaxed to allow such individuals to become nationalized citizens, many choose not to give up allegiance to the countries of their ethnic roots and continue to live in Germany under an ambiguous status of an alien resident or a guest worker, especially since this status, though lacking certain political rights, often does not impede one's ability to work, get free public higher education and travel abroad.

As a result, close to 10 million people permanently living in the Federal Republic today distinctly differ from the majority of the population in a variety of ways such as race, ethnicity, religion, language and culture, yet often fail to be recognized as minorities in official statistical sources due to the fact that such sources traditionally survey only German citizens, and under the so called jus sanguinis system, that has been in effect in Germany since the nineteenth century, and has only recently been partially replaced by the alternative jus soli system. Jus sanguinis ( Latin for "right of blood" is a Social policy by which Nationality or Citizenship is not determined by place of birth Jus soli ( Latin for "right of the soil" or somewhat figuratively "right of the territory" or birthright citizenship, is a Right This situation contributes to the invisibility of Germany's minorities making Germany technically one of the most ethnically homogeneous nation in the world, whereas in all practicality the Federal Republic is today one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Europe.

References

See also

• Germany
• Germanic peoples
• List of Germans
• German Jews
• List of Austrians
• List of Swiss people
• List of Alsatians and Lorrainians
• German diaspora
• German eastward expansion
• German Brazilian
• German settlement in Argentina
• Genetic history of Europe
• Organised persecution of ethnic Germans
• Names of the German people and language in other languages
• German idealism
• Culture of German-speaking Europe

External links

• Famous Germans
• German, Austrian and Swiss inventors
• Top 100 Germans
• Germans - First arrivals
• German American Heritage Foundation of the USA in Washington, DC

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic This is a list of famous Germans. Actors/Actresses Mario Adorf (born 1930 actor, writer Hans Albers (1891–1960 Jews have lived in Germany, or " Ashkenaz " at least since the early 4th century, through both periods of tolerance and spasms of The following list is a selection of famous Austrians. For full lists of all famous Austrians please view the sublists This is a list of notable Swiss people See also Swiss (people Architecture Francesco Borromini (1599-1667 architect in Italy This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general This article covers the medieval eastward migrations of Germans A German Brazilian ( German: Deutschbrasilianer, Portuguese: teuto-brasileiro or germano-brasileiro) is a Brazilian German Argentines ( German: Deutschargentinier, Spanish: germano argentinos) are Argentines of German descent European populations have a complicated demographic and genetic history including many layers of successive migrations between different time periods The Organised persecution of Ethnic Germans refers to systematic activity against groups of ethnic Germans based on their ethnicity The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. German idealism was a philosophical movement in Germany in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries The German language (both as an official language and as a minority language is spoken in a number of countries and territories in West and Central Europe

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