German history started more than 1000 years ago, and yet, the country itself is younger than the United States. Germany as a country was unified in 1871. The young nation had to cope with surrounding imperial powers that regarded the new country as a competitor in an unjust and skeptical way. The nation had to deal with an outrageous peace treaty after it had been swept up in its first major conflict by foreign actors. Not a few Germans had put their hopes into National Socialism to drain the supposed treasonous swamp. Throughout history, the nation changed its political system several times, and it had to reinvent itself in the years after World War 2. The occupation of Germany resulted in the foundation of two German states. Modern Germany was reunified in 1990. Today, it is is a vibrant destination, a cultural center of timeless music and literature, and an economic driving force in Europe and around the world. Discover the compelling history of the German nation from the end of the Napoleonic wars to modern Germany.