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The German Empire was founded in January 1871. Under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany became the powerhouse of Europe. Their economic and military powers were pre-eminent. Germany’s science and technology, education, and municipal administration were the envy of the world.

Helmeted German Soldiers lined up for review.

But Germany also played a decisive role in tipping Europe’s fragile balance of power over the brink and into the cataclysm of the First World War, eventually leading to the empire’s collapse in military defeat and revolution in November 1918.

Reims dans les Ruines apres la Retraite des Allemands. Rue Liergier et la Cathedrale.

World War I, centered in Europe, began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It involved all the world’s great powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (based on the Triple Entente of the United Kingdom, France and Russia) and the Central Powers (originally centered around the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy; but, as Austria–Hungary had taken the offensive against the agreement, Italy did not enter into the war). These alliances both reorganized (Italy fought for the Allies), and expanded as more nations entered the war. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed.

German Ammunition Depot after a visit of the French Airmen - Alincourt, France.

The assassination on 28 June 1914 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by a Yugoslav nationalist was the trigger of the war. It resulted in a Hapsburg ultimatum against the Kingdom of Serbia. Several alliances formed over the previous decades were invoked, so within weeks the major powers were at war. The conflict soon spread around the world.

Big gun let loose by the Germans. Chuignes (Somme).

By the end of the war Germany and Russia lost a great amount of territory, while the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires were dismantled entirely. The map of central Europe was redrawn into several smaller states.

AND THEY DID NOT PASS.. The Main Entrance and Gate in the city of Verdun, France. Attacked by 300,000 of the German elite troops in 1916, Verdun suffered the worst that the German army could give. Tops of hills were blown off, first lines of trenches were wiped out. Buried under trenches, choked by gas, burned to cinders by liquid fire, the French still held fast. They Shall Not Pass. - and they did not.

Captured German Fokker type D VII. Paris.

HMS Drake. WWI British Armored Cruiser. Sunk by German uBoat U79 on October 2, 1917.

Kapitanleutnant Weddigen mit Gemahlin. Kapitanleutnant Otto Weddigen. WWI German Naval War Hero. Awared the Iron Cross after sinking HMS Aboukir, HMS Hogue and HMS Cressy in one single action in 1914. . One of only six non-Bavarians to receive the Knight's Cross of the Military order of Max Joseph. . One of the first German U-Boat Commanders. Dies while in command of U-29 on March 18, 1915. U-29 was rammed by the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in the Pentland Firth.

ORIGINAL WORLD WAR I IMPERIAL GERMAN KRIEGSMARINE SUBMARINE MEDAL. MARKED C.E. JUNCKER, BERLIN S.W. plus HALLMARKED "CEJ" ! MANY VETERAN SAILORS WORE THESE BADGES WELL INTO THE SECOND WORLD WAR INCLUDING ADMIRAL DOENITZ.