Definition

Proper noun 1. The Second Reich: The historical period and political entity of Germany under the rule of the Hohenzollern emperors, from its unification in 1871 until the end of World War I in 1918 (formally abolished in 1919). It succeeded the Holy Roman Empire (considered the First Reich) and preceded the Weimar Republic.

Usage Notes

• "Second Reich" is a historical term used primarily in academic and historical contexts to refer to Imperial Germany.
• It is often capitalized when referring to the specific historical period.
• The term "Reich" itself means "realm" or "empire."

Examples

• The policies of the Second Reich under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck shaped modern European diplomacy.
• Historians study the rise of nationalism during the Second Reich.
• The Second Reich ended with the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in November 1918.

Advanced Usage

• The term is part of a historical sequence: the Holy Roman Empire was retrospectively called the First Reich, the German Empire (1871-1918) the Second Reich, and Nazi Germany (1933-1945) the Third Reich.

Variants and Related Words

• German Empire: A more common and neutral synonym for the Second Reich.
• Kaiserreich: The German word for "Imperial Realm," often used interchangeably with "Second Reich."
• Wilhelmine Germany: Refers specifically to the period of the Second Reich under Kaiser Wilhelm II (1888-1918).

Synonyms

• German Empire
• Imperial Germany
• Hohenzollern Empire

Related Concepts

• Unification of Germany: The process culminating in the establishment of the Second Reich in 1871.
• Weimar Republic: The democratic republic that succeeded the Second Reich.
• Third Reich: The Nazi regime that later invoked the concept of a successor to the First and Second Reichs.

Noun

1. the Reich when Hohenzollern monarchs ruled Germany (from 1871 to 1919)