A European Informational Website
learn more
The German Empire (, colloquially Deutsches Kaiserreich) is the name conventionally given in English to the German state from the time of the proclamation of Wilhelm I of Prussia as German Emperor (January 18, 1871) to the abdication of Wilhelm II (November 9, 1918), a period of 47 years. The official name of the state in German was Deutsches Reich. This continued in official use until 1943 and hence does not refer exclusively to the period of imperial rule.