The '''German Empire''' (''Deutsches Reich'') was established in 1871 following the triumph of [[Prussia]] and its allies over [[France]] in the 1870 [[Franco-Prussian War]]. The unification of the German states (excluding [[Austria]]) into one entity was the culmination of the policy followed by the [[Prussian]] statesman [[Otto von Bismarck]]. | The '''German Empire''' (''Deutsches Reich'') was established in 1871 following the triumph of [[Prussia]] and its allies over [[France]] in the 1870 [[Franco-Prussian War]]. The unification of the German states (excluding [[Austria]]) into one entity was the culmination of the policy followed by the [[Prussian]] statesman [[Otto von Bismarck]]. |