Around 0 the Roman Empire conquers parts of present-day Germany. The eastern parts remain under control of germanic tribes. After the decline of the Roman Empire the germanic tribe of the Franks becomes dominant in the region. The Frankish Realm includes large parts of present-day Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. In 751 the Carolingian dynasty comes to power with Pepin the Short, but his succesor, Charlemagne reunites in 771 the Frankish domains. Charlemagne is crowned Emperor of the Romans, or Roman Emperor in the West, by Pope Leo III in 800. This empire is divided in 843 into the West Frankish Kingdom, the Middle Frankish Kingdom and the East Frankish Kingdom.

The East Frankish Kingdom develops with the coronation of the first German king in 919 into the Kingdom of Germany, a feudal country, divided in a growing number of more or less independent states. Germany is renamed Roman Empire in 962, later Holy Roman Empire and in the fiftheenth century Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (also named the Germany). From 1438 Austria becomes the leading state in Germany. The Netherlands and Switzerland secede in 1648 de jure from Germany. From 1756 Prussia has developped into the second leading state in the German Empire.

As a result of the Napoleonic war the German Empire is replaced in 1806 by the Confederation of the Rhine. Prussia and Austria remain outside the Confederation. After the defeat of France in 1813, there is no central authority in Germany, but at the Vienna Congress in 1815, the German Confederation, a lose confederation of states in Germany including Prussia and Austria, is founded. After a revolution in 1848 Germany is temporarely united in the German Empire, but the next year the German Confederation is restored. After the Prussian-Austrian war in 1867, the German Confederation is restyled into the North German Confederation, without Austria and Bavaria.

The German states, Austria not included, unite into the German Empire in 1871. Germany becomes a constitutional monarchy with parliamentary institutions under the chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck. Political parties develop during the empire and Bismarck is credited with passing the most advanced social welfare legislation of the age. However, Emperor William II's dynamic expansion of military power contribute to tensions on the continent. The fragile European balance of power, which Bismarck had helped to create, breaks down in 1914. World War I and its aftermath, including the Treaty of Versailles, end the German Empire. Philip Scheideman of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands(Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD) proclaims the republic and his co-partisan Friedrich Ebert becomes the first interim president. After the defeat of Germany in World War I the German Empire becomes in 1919 a parliamentary democratic republic. The Saar region is separated from Germany, as are eastern parts of Germany (to Poland), Memel and Danzig.

The postwar republic is a peaceful, liberal democratic regime. This government is severely handicapped and eventually doomed by economic problems and the rise of the political extremes. The hyperinflation of 1923, the world depression that begins in 1929 and the social unrest stemming from resentment toward the conditions of the Versailles Treaty works to destroy the Weimar government. In 1919 Philip Scheideman of the SPD becomes prime minister in a coalition with the catholic Zentrum (Centre, Z) and the liberal Deutsche Demokratische Partei (German Democratic, DDP), succeeded that year by Gustav Baurer. The premiership is renamed chancellor in 1919. In 1920 Hermann Müller, from the SPD too, becomes chancellor, but the same year he is succeeded by Konstantin Fehrenbach of the catholic Zentrum (Centre, Z). There is a quick change in chancellorship. In 1921 Joseph Karl Wirth of Z becomes chancellor, succeeded in 1922 by the non-partisan Wilhelm Carl Josef Cuno, in 1923 by the liberal Gustav Stresemann of the Deutsche Volkspartei (German People's Party, DVP), in 1923 by Wilhelm Marx of Z, in 1925 by the non-partisan Hans Luther, in 1926 by Wilhelm Marx again and in 1928 by Hermann Müller of the SPD. MÚller leads a coalition of the SPD, Z, DVP and DDP. In 1930 Heinrich Brüning of Z becomes chancellor. Democracy gets weaker and weaker and the Nazionalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) becomes stronger and stronger. Brünings reform plans fail and he resigns in 1932. Franz von Papen, member of the right wing of the Z, but consequently expelled, forms a right wing government in 1932. He is succeeded in 1932 by Kurt von Schleicher who tries to prevent a government dominated by the NSDAP.

Von Schleicher fails since he is not supported by president Paul von Hindenburg and in 1933 the Nazionalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) succeeds in seizing power and establishing a dictatorship. Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany. The NSDAP stresses nationalist and racist themes while promising to put the unemployed back to work. The party blames many of Germany's ills on the alleged influence of Jewish and non-German ethnic groups. The party also gains support in response to fears of growing communist strength. Hitler assumes the office of president as well. Once in power, Hitler and his party first undermine and then abolish democratic institutions and opposition parties. The NSDAP leadership immediately jails Jewish opposition and other figures and withdraw their political rights. In 1935 the Saar is re-incorporporated into Germany, followed in 1938 by Austria and some parts of Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland). In 1939 Memel is re-incorporated into Germany and later that year Germany invades the Czech parts of Czechoslovakia, and establishes the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and annexes the city of Danzig. After the invasion of Poland World War II is a fact. Germany invades and occupies a lot of European countries and the NSDAP implements a program of genocide, at first through incarceration and forced labor and then by establishing death camps.

After Germany's unconditional surrender in 1945, the German Empire is dissolved and the United States, the United Kingdom, the USSR and, later, France occupy the country and assume responsibility for its administration. The commanders in chief exercised supreme authority in their respective zones and act in concert on questions affecting the whole country. Saar becomes a seperate polity aligned with France. Some Eastern parts are incorporated into Poland and the USSR. The German capital Berlin gets a separate status. Though the United States, the United Kingdom and the USSR agree in 1945 to treat Germany as a single economic unit with some central administrative departments in a decentralized framework, Soviet policy turns increasingly toward dominating that part of Europe where their armies are present, including eastern Germany. In 1948 the Soviets, in an attempt to abrogate agreements for Four-Power control of the city, blockade Berlin. Until May 1949 the Allied-occupied part of Berlin is kept supplied only by an Allied airlift. The "Berlin airlift" succeeds in forcing the Soviets to accept, for the time being, the Allied role and the continuation of freedom in a portion of the city, West Berlin. The United States and the United Kingdom move to establish a nucleus for a future German government by creating a central Economic Council for their two zones. The program later provides for a constituent assembly, an occupation statute governing relations between the Allies and the German authorities, and the political and economic merger of the French with the British and American zones.

With the support of the United States, the United Kingdom and France the Federal Republic of Germany is constituted in 1949. In the USSR occupation zone the German Democratic Republic is established. Konrad Adenauer of the conservative Christlich-Demokratische Union (Christian-Democratic Union, CDU) becomes the first federal Chancellor that year. Germany quickly progresses toward fuller sovereignty and association with its European neighbors and the Atlantic community. The London and Paris agreements of 1954 restore full sovereignty (with some exceptions) to Germany in 1955 and opened the way for German membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Western European Union (WEU). In 1957 Saarland joins Germany. The same year Germany is a co-founder of the European Communities (renamed European Union in 1993). Political life in Germany is remarkably stable and orderly. After Adenauer's chancellorship (1949-63) Ludwig Erhard (1963-66) serves a a chancellor in a coalition with the liberal Freie Demokratische Partei (Free Democratic Party, FDP). Kurt Georg Kiesinger forms a coalition of his CDU with the SPD in 1966.

After the 1969 election, the SPD, headed by Willy Brandt form a coalition government with the FDP. Brandt resigns in 1974 and is succeeded by Helmut Schmidt (SPD). In 1982 the FDP joins forces with the CDU to make Helmut Kohl of the CDU chancellor. Following national elections in March 1983, Kohl emerged in firm control of both the government and the CDU. He served until the CDU's election defeat in 1997. After the collapse of the communist regime in 1990 the German Democratic Republic is incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany. Berlin becomes a constituent part of Germany. In 1997 the CDU loses the elections and Gerhard Schröder of the SPD becomes chancellor in a coalition with Die Grünen (The Greens).