North German Confederation

(1867–71) Union of the German states north of the Main River, formed after Prussia's victory in the Seven Weeks' War. The confederation recognized the individual states' rights but was effectively controlled by Prussia, whose king served as its president and whose chancellor was Otto von Bismarck. Its constitution served as a model for that of the German Empire, with which it merged in 1871.

Learn more about North German Confederation with a free trial on Britannica.com.

or Alsatian

Breed of working dog developed in Germany from traditional herding and farm dogs. A strongly built, long-bodied dog, it stands 23–25 in. (58–64 cm) high and weighs 75–95 lbs (34–43 kg). Its coat is of coarse, medium-long outer hair and shorter, dense inner hair and ranges from white or pale gray to black; often it is gray and black or black and tan. Noted for intelligence, alertness, and loyalty, it is used as a guide for the blind, as a watchdog, and in police and military work.

Learn more about German shepherd with a free trial on Britannica.com.

or German measles

Viral disease with a usually mild course, except in women in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, in whom it can cause fetal birth defects (of eyes, heart, brain, and large arteries) or death. Sore throat and fever are followed by swollen glands and a rash. Up to 30percnt of infections may have no symptoms. Lifelong immunity follows infection. Encephalitis is a rare complication. Rubella was not distinguished from measles (rubeola) until the early 19th century and was not known to be dangerous until 1941. The virus was isolated in 1962, and a vaccine became available in 1969.

Learn more about rubella with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Official language of Germany and Austria and one of the official languages of Switzerland, used by more than 100 million speakers. It belongs to the West Germanic group of the Germanic languages. German has four noun cases and masculine, feminine, and neuter genders. Its many dialects belong to either the High German (Hochdeutsch) or Low German (Plattdeutsch) groups. Modern High German, spoken in the central and southern highlands of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, is now standard written German, used in administration, higher education, literature, and the mass media in both High and Low German speech areas.

Learn more about German language with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Former dependency of imperial Germany, corresponding to present-day Rwanda and Burundi, the continental portion of Tanzania, and a small section of Mozambique. German commercial agents arrived in 1884, and in 1891 the German imperial government took over administration of the area. During World War I, it was occupied by the British, who received a mandate to administer the greater part of it (Tanganyika Territory) by the Treaty of Versailles (1919). A smaller portion (Ruanda-Urundi) was entrusted to Belgium.

Learn more about German East Africa with a free trial on Britannica.com.

or Franco-German War

(1870–71) War in which a coalition of German states led by Prussia defeated France, ending French hegemony in continental Europe and creating a unified Germany. The immediate cause was the candidacy of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen for the Spanish throne, which raised the possibility of a combination of Prussia and Spain against France. Following diplomatic maneuvers to block Leopold's candidacy, the Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismarck published the Ems Telegram to provoke the French government into declaring war, which it did. The other German states sided with Prussia, and German troops under Gen. Helmuth von Moltke, superior in numbers and organization, scored repeated victories. After Napoleon III surrendered at the Battle of Sedan, French resistance was carried on by a new government, which deposed the emperor and established the Third Republic. Paris surrendered, but while treaty negotiations were going on, an insurrection by radicals in Paris created a short-lived government, the Paris Commune. After its suppression, a harsh peace treaty was implemented: Germany annexed Alsace and half of Lorraine, and France was occupied until a large indemnity was paid. The German empire was established when William I of Prussia was proclaimed German emperor in 1871. The peace was an unstable one, marked by France's determination to recover Alsace-Lorraine and Germany's mounting imperialism, led by Prussian militarism. Their mutual animosity was a driving force that led to World War I.

Learn more about Franco-Prussian War with a free trial on Britannica.com.

German(s) may refer to:

• Germany, a country in west-central Europe
• Germans, the ethnic group sharing a common German culture, speaking the German language as a mother tongue and being of German descent
• The German language
• "Germanic" or Germanic peoples, used in some early translations of ancient Roman texts to English to describe the early tribal peoples of northwestern-Europe.

People:

• Anna German, Polish-Russian singer
• Edward German, musical composer
• Lindsey German, English activist
• Mike German, Welsh politician
• Germans (band), a Canadian indie rock band

Places:

• German, New York
• German Township, Pennsylvania
• German (parish), Isle of Man
• German, Bulgaria, quarter of Sofia
• German (Republic of Macedonia), a village in the Republic of Macedonia

Mythological beings:

• German (mythology), a male spirit in the folklore of Serbia and Bulgaria

Other:

• German Shepherd Dog

See also

• Germania
• Germanus
• Germain (/e)
• Germane (Chemistry)