Unification of Germany

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For the Reunification of West and East Germany, see German reunification.

The Unification of Germany is a term in history. It took place on 18th January 1871. Otto von Bismarck, the prime minister of Prussia unified the many independent German states. These states became the German Empire. All the future modern countries with the name of Germany came out of the German Empire.

Prussia had won the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). This was a war between Prussia and France. After this war, France had to give away to Prussia some regions under its control. These regions were Alsace and the German language speaking Lorraine. On 18th January 1871, Wilhelm I of Germany became the Emperor of the German Empire. Otto von Bismarck became the Chancellor of the German Empire.

Bismarck followed a policy, which favored Germans to non-Germans. Thus, non-German population (of the German Empire), for examples, Poles, Danes and French, did not get good treatment from the government.