Lernen Sie die deutsche Geschichte: von den mittelalterlichen Reichen über die Reformation, die Wege zum Nationalstaat, die Weltkriege bis hin zur Gegenwart. Dieses kompakte Überblicks soll das Geschichtsbild vertiefen.
Learn the history of Germany: from medieval kingdoms and the Reformation, the path to nationhood, the World Wars, the division and reunification of East and West, to modern Germany and the European Union. A concise guide to deepen your understanding.
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German is a Germanic language with a rich history that reflects migrations, political changes, and cultural influences in Central Europe. It evolved from early dialects spoken by Germanic tribes and was shaped by sound changes, Latin and French loanwords, and standardization efforts.
Early Germanic Roots
Deutsch begann als Dialekte des Urgermanischen, die von Stämmen wie den Sachsen, Franken und Alemannen während des ersten Jahrtausends n. Chr. gesprochen wurden. Diese frühen Dialekte bildeten die Grundlage für später regionale Varianten.
German began as dialects of Proto-Germanic spoken by tribes such as the Saxons, Franks, and Alemanni during the first millennium AD. These early dialects formed the basis for later regional varieties.
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Old High German
Old High German was spoken roughly from 500 to 1050 AD. It shows the first major sound shifts that distinguish German from other Germanic languages and appears in religious texts and glosses.
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Middle High German
Middle High German lasted from about 1050 to 1350. This period saw the rise of courtly literature and poetry. The language became more standardized through use in administrative documents.
(poet) von der Vogelweide wrote during the Middle High German era.
Walther von der Vogelweide wrote during the Middle High German era.
A notable poet from the Middle High German period was ___ (Walther).
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Early New High German
Early New High German spans roughly 1350 to 1650. Printing and the Reformation helped spread more uniform language norms. Martin Luther’s Bible translation was especially influential.
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Standardization
From the 17th century onward, efforts to standardize German intensified with dictionaries, grammar books, and schools promoting a common written language based on educated dialects. Standard German is based mainly on East Central German.
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Regional Dialects
Regional dialects remain strong in spoken German and reflect historical sound changes and vocabulary differences. They belong broadly to High German, Low German, and other Germanic groups.
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Influence of Other Languages
German has absorbed loanwords from Latin, French, Italian, and more recently English. Each wave of borrowing reflects contact through trade, war, religion, and technology.
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Summary
German developed over more than a millennium from early tribal dialects through stages called Old High German, Middle High German, and Early New High German. Standardization and printing helped create a common written language, while regional dialects preserve local histories.
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