Reich, which means kingdom or wealth in German, refers to the periods in history when Germans had a significant influence as a state on the world stage. There are three generations of Reich. The most famous and well-known is the Third Reich, established by Hitler, which led to a global war.
- First Reich:
The term First Reich refers to the era of the Holy Roman German Empire. It emerged with the claim of inheriting the legacy of the fallen Roman Empire from 962 to 1806. Important rulers like Frederick Barbarossa and Charlemagne left their mark on world history. The Nazi army named the front opened against Soviet Russia (USSR) in honor of Frederick Barbarossa, calling it the Barbarossa operation.
- Second Reich:
The period of the German Empire, known as the Second Reich, was established by Otto Von Bismarck through the unification of Germany and the merging of Prussia. It lasted from 1871 to 1918 and came to an end with Germany's defeat in World War I. The capital of the Second Reich was Berlin.
- Third Reich:
The Third Reich is the most popular and influential period of the German Empire that shaped the present. It was personally established and declared by Hitler in 1933. The Third Reich, established by Nazi leader Hitler, is known as Drittes Reich in history. Unlike the previous Reichs, during the Nazi Reich, the roles of Chancellorship and Presidency were not separated, and on August 2, 1934, these two offices were combined and used under Hitler's control. Officially, Hitler was referred to as Chancellor instead of Emperor, but in the eyes of the public, he was called Führer. The currency of the Third Reich was Reichsmark, and Hitler held the titles of Führer and Reichskanzler.
During World War II, in 1943, when the Nazis reached their most effective and extensive borders, a decree was issued renaming the country Großdeutsches Reich, meaning Great German Empire. From that point on, postage stamps were issued with this name.
When the Russians entered Berlin, on April 30, 1945, Hitler, who had committed suicide, transferred the Chancellor's powers to Goebbels. After Goebbels, upon saying that "there would be no life in a world without Hitler," committed suicide with his wife and children, the Chancellor's powers of the Reich were given to Karl Dönitz.
The era of the Third Reich, like the previous Reich era that experienced the First World War, was destroyed as a result of another world war (World War II) (May 8, 1945).
In fact, these periods, or the concept of Reich, were named by the Nazi regime. According to the National Socialists, the period dominated by the Holy Roman German Empire was the First Reich, the process that continued until the end of the First World War under Bismarck's Chancellorship was the Second Reich, and the era of the Nazi Reich, where Hitler referred to himself as Führer instead of Chancellor, was recorded as the Third Reich era in history.
Although Hitler declared that his established Third Reich would last for a thousand years, it only lasted for 12 years. There are critics who describe the European Union as the Fourth Reich, claiming that it is under the guidance of Germany.
Post a Comment