Comprehensive Chronology of Historical Turning Points

Prehistory and Early History

  • 5500 BC: Beginning of the Neolithic Period (Jungsteinzeit) in Central Europe.

  • Rise of High Cultures: Development of advanced early civilizations (Hochkulturen) in Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Antiquity (8th Century BC – 5th Century AD)

  • 8th Century BC – 4th Century BC: Ancient Greece (Antikes Griechenland).

  • 5th Century BC – 5th Century AD: Roman Empire (Römisches Reich).

  • Year 0 / 1 AD: Birth of Christ (Christi Geburt).

Early Middle Ages (5th – 10th Century)

  • 800: Coronation and rule of Charlemagne (Karl der Große).

  • 962 – 1806: Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation).

High Middle Ages (11th – 13th Century)

  • 1096 – 1270: The Crusades (Kreuzzüge).

  • 1215: Signing of the Magna Carta.

  • From 1347: Outbreak of the Black Death / Plague (Ausbruch der Pest).

  • Inquisition: Institutional beginning of the Inquisition.

Late Middle Ages (14th and 15th Century)

  • Invention of the Printing Press: Development of movable type printing by Johannes Gutenberg.

  • 1339 – 1454: The Hundred Years' War (Hundertjähriger Krieg).

  • 1492: Christopher Columbus discovers America (Kolumbus entdeckt Amerika).

Early Modern Period (16th and 17th Century)

  • Renaissance: Cultural movement originating in Northern Italy (Renaissance in Norditalien).

  • 1517: Beginning of the Protestant Reformation (Beginn der Reformation).

  • 1524 – 1525: German Peasants' War (Bauernkrieg).

  • 1618 – 1648: Thirty Years' War (Dreißigjähriger Krieg).

  • 1688 – 1689: English Revolution and the adoption of the Bill of Rights (Englische Revolution / Bill of Rights).

Absolutism and Enlightenment (17th and 18th Century)

  • 1643 – 1715: Reign of Louis XIV in France (Ludwig XIV).

  • 18th Century: Rise of Russia as a European Great Power (Aufstieg Russlands zur Großmacht).

  • 1740 – 1786: Reign of Frederick II the Great of Prussia (Friedrich II. der Große).

  • 1769: Beginning of the Industrial Revolution (Beginn der Industriellen Revolution).

  • 1789: Outbreak of the French Revolution (Französische Revolution).

First Half of the 19th Century

  • 1804 – 1815: Era of Napoleon's hegemony over Europe (Napoleon beherrscht Europa).

  • 1806: Establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine (Rheinbund).

  • 1806 – 1812: Implementation of the Prussian Reforms (Preußische Reformen).

  • 1815: Convening of the Congress of Vienna (Wiener Kongress).

Nation-States and Industrialization in the 19th Century

  • From 1830: Rise of nationalist movements across Europe (Nationalbewegungen in Europa).

  • From 1844: Expansion of the Industrial Revolution in Germany (Industrielle Revolution in Deutschland).

  • 1848 – 1849: Revolutions in the German states (Revolution in Deutschland).

  • 1861 – 1865: American Civil War (Amerikanischer Bürgerkrieg).

  • 1871: Founding of the German Empire (Gründung Deutsches Kaiserreich).

  • Second Half of 19th Century: Peak era of Colonialism and Imperialism (Höhepunkt des Kolonialismus / Imperialismus).

Early to Mid-20th Century: World Wars and Interwar Period

  • 1914 – 1918: First World War (Erster Weltkrieg).

  • 1917: Russian Revolution (Russische Revolution).

  • 1918: November Revolution in Germany (Novemberrevolution in Deutschland).

  • 1919: Formation of the Weimar Republic (Weimarer Republik).

  • 1919: Signing of the Treaty of Versailles (Versailler Vertrag).

  • 1929: Onset of the Great Depression / Global Economic Crisis (Weltwirtschaftskrise).

  • 1933: Rise and consolidation of National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus).

  • 1939 – 1945: Second World War (Zweiter Weltkrieg).

  • 1945: Establishment of the United Nations (Gründung der UNO).

  • 1945: Potsdam Conference (Potsdamer Konferenz).

  • 1945 – 1949: Allied Occupation Period in Germany (Besatzungszeit in Deutschland).

The Cold War Era and Division of Germany

  • From 1945: Onset of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR (Kalter Krieg zwischen USA und UdSSR).

  • 1949: Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany (Gründung der BRD).

  • 1949: Foundation of the German Democratic Republic (Gründung der DDR).

  • 1949: Establishment of NATO (Gründung der NATO).

  • 1955: Creation of the Warsaw Pact (Gründung Warschauer Pakt).

East-West Conflict and European Integration

  • From 1951: Establishment of the European Economic Community (EWG Europas).

  • 1953: Korean War (Korea-Krieg).

  • 1961: Construction of the Berlin Wall (Bau der Berliner Mauer).

  • 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis (Kubakrise).

  • 1964 – 1975: Vietnam War (Vietnamkrieg).

  • Nuclear Armament: Intensive nuclear arms buildup across Europe (Atomare Aufrüstung in Europa).

  • Anti-Soviet Uprisings: Popular uprisings in the GDR, Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia (Aufstände in DDR, Ungarn, Polen, Tschechoslowakei).

Détente, Fall of Communism, and Globalization

  • 1975: Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (KSZE).

  • 1989: Political turning points and revolutions across Eastern Europe (Wende in Osteuropa).

  • November 9, 1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall (Fall der Berliner Mauer).

  • October 3, 1990: Official German Reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung).

  • From 1990: Acceleration of global integration and Globalization (Globalisierung).

  • 1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union (Auflösung der Sowjetunion).

  • 1993: Formal creation of the European Union (Gründung der EU).