Germany
Germany, 1990 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Western and Central Europe. German reunification saw the former East German states join the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990, and Germany regained its full sovereignty on 15 March 1991. It has 16 states and a population of over 83 million, making it the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany has the largest economy in Europe by nominal GDP and is the world's third-largest exporter and third-largest importer.
Seat of power: Berlin
Rulers
Richard von Weizsäcker
president of Germany, 1984–1994
On 3 October 1990, during his second term as president, the reorganised five states of the German Democratic Republic and East Berlin joined the Federal Republic of Germany, making him President of a reunified Germany. Weizsäcker is considered the most popular of Germany's presidents, held in high regard particularly for his impartiality.
Portrait of Richard von Weizsäcker: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, file
Roman Herzog
president of Germany, 1994–1999
In January 1996, Herzog declared 27 January, the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, as Germany's official day of remembrance for the victims of Hitler's regime. In a widely commended speech at the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising in 1994, he paid tribute to the Polish fighters and people.
Portrait of Roman Herzog: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Johannes Rau
president of Germany, 1999–2004
In February 2000, Rau became the first German head of state to address the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in German. The controversial step prompted some Israeli delegates to walk out. His maxim was to reconcile, not divide.
Portrait of Johannes Rau: Johannes Liebmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
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Horst Köhler
president of Germany, 2004–2010
Köhler was elected to his first five-year term by the Federal Convention on 23 May 2004 and was reelected to a second term on 23 May 2009. On 31 May 2010 he resigned from his office in a controversy over a comment on the role of the German Armed Forces in light of a visit to the troops in Afghanistan. As president, an office mostly concerned with ceremonial matters, he was a highly popular politician.
Portrait of Horst Köhler: the International Monetary Fund, Public domain, file
Christian Wulff
president of Germany, 2010–2012
He was elected in the presidential election of 30 June 2010, defeating opposition candidate Joachim Gauck, and at the age of 51 became Germany's youngest president. On 17 February 2012, Wulff resigned as President of Germany, facing the prospect of prosecution for allegations of corruption relating to his prior service as Minister President of Lower Saxony. In 2014 he was acquitted of all corruption charges by the Hanover regional court.
Portrait of Christian Wulff: Laurence Chaperon, CC BY 2.0, file
Jens Böhrnsen
Head of state, 2010–2010
When Horst Köhler resigned from the presidency on 31 May 2010, Böhrnsen assumed the functions of head of state of Germany until the election of a successor by a Federal Convention. According to the German constitution, the head of the Bundesrat is the designated substitute for the President of Germany.
Portrait of Jens Böhrnsen: Senatspressestelle, CC BY 3.0, file
Joachim Gauck
president of Germany, 2012–2017
Gauck was elected President of Germany by the Federal Convention on 18 March 2012. In 2014 he boycotted the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in order to make a statement against violations of human rights in Russia.
Portrait of Joachim Gauck: Superbass, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
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Horst Seehofer
Head of state, 2012–2012
He served as President of the Bundesrat from 2011 to 2012. As such he was acting head of state of Germany from the resignation of President Christian Wulff on 17 February 2012 until the election of Joachim Gauck as Wulff's successor on 18 March 2012.
Portrait of Horst Seehofer: Patrick Büttgen, phoenix, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
president of Germany, 2017 to today
He was elected president by the Federal Convention on 12 February 2017 with 74% of the vote. On 13 February 2022 he was re-elected by the Federal Convention for a second and final term with 78% of the vote.
Portrait of Frank-Walter Steinmeier: The President's Office, Maldives, CC BY 4.0, file
Culture
- It has the third-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 55, of which 52 are cultural.
- Germany is well known for such folk festivals as the Oktoberfest and Christmas customs, which include Advent wreaths, Christmas pageants, Christmas trees, Stollen cakes, and other practices.
- Germany is the home of the Bauhaus movement, founded by Walter Gropius.
- 3 October has been a national day of Germany since 1990, celebrated as the Tag der Deutschen Einheit (German Unity Day).
Picture
The Brandenburg Gate was built from 1788 to 1791 by orders of King Frederick William II of Prussia and is one of the best-known landmarks of Germany.
Image: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.