German Military History

The subject of German military history has fascinated many scholars over the past centuries, given that the Germanic peoples have been militarily mobilized since ancient times. During the era of the Roman Empire, the Germanic tribes warred with the Western world’s greatest power—and successfully held them in check. During the Middle Ages, the armies of the Holy Roman Empire were well renowned. During the nineteenth century, Germany was finally able to unite as one nation due to a series of wars—as well as the military might of one German nation state. Finally, during the last century, the Germans organized and fought in two World Wars, and completely restructured their military to be a defending, rather than an attacking, force. Studying German military history is one way to understand the German culture as well, and how it has c hanged over the millennia.

Germanic tribes first came to prominence during the Nordi Bronze Age, spreading south from Scandinavia and northern Germany. Before they settled, and even after, these tribes had a difficult relationship with their neighbors, and were often involved in territorial conflict with each other. They also encountered the Romans, who viewed them as barbarians. These tribes were eventually responsible for the downfall of Rome; the ancient city was sacked by the Visigoths in 4010 CE. This was a seminal event in German military history.

During the Middle Ages, the territories controlled by Charlemagne during his reign eventually became the Holy Roman Empire, a territory unified by its Carolingian heritage and religious beliefs, and comprising many different German territories. The Holy Roman Emperors maintained control over their territories with political cunning and military might. This was a period of great turmoil among the Germanic states, and many wars were fought for political control, and were often sanctioned by the pope.

After the Napoleonic Wars and the Conference of Vienna in 1814, the German nation-states were reformed as the German Confederation, a loose political union consisting of nearly forty German-speaking states organized under the control of Prussia and Austria. During this period, Germany underwent a rapid industrialization, leading the German nation-states to seek out a more concrete German state. When Otto von Bismarck became prime Minister in Prussia, he brought with him an attitude of Prussian superiority, and set about subjugating all German-speaking countries. During the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian Wars, Bismarck solidified his power base in Northern Germany, and eventually, consolidated all of the German states into the new German Empire in 1871. This was an active, if not productive period of German military history.

During the twentieth century, Germany became a military powerhouse in Europe. Germany’s armies, navies, and air corps fought in two World Wars, both of which it lost. The German military was systematically disbanded twice by the powers that defeated it. Today, Germany’s military is a defense force, one that actively participates in many NATO and United Nations military operations. The twentieth century was perhaps the most turbulent period in German military history.