German Reich

'''German ''Reich'' (lit. German Realm, German Empire''', from , ) was the constitutional name for the German nation state that existed from 18 January 1871 to 5 June 1945. The ''Reich'' became understood as deriving its authority and sovereignty entirely from a continuing unitary German ''Volk'' ("national people"), with that authority and sovereignty being exercised at any one time over a unitary German "state territory" with variable boundaries and extent. Although commonly translated as "German Empire", the word ''Reich'' here better translates as "realm" or territorial "reach", in that the term does not in itself have monarchical connotations.

The Federal Republic of Germany asserted, following its establishment on 23 May 1949, that within its boundaries it was the sole legal continuation of the German Reich, and consequently ''not'' a successor state. Nevertheless, the Federal Republic did not maintain the specific title ''German Reich'', and so consistently replaced the prefix ''Reichs-'' in all official titles and designations with ''Bundes-'' ("Federal"). Hence, for instance, the ''Reichskanzler'' became the ''Bundeskanzler''. Following German reunification on 3 October 1990, the expanded Federal Republic describes itself as "United Germany", emphasizing that it does not now recognize any territories once included in the former German Reich outside its boundaries as having a valid claim to be a part of Germany as a whole. Provided by Wikipedia