Random Question: What is the Third Reich from WWII?

[Dark Spider]

This is kind of random, but can anyone explain to me about the Third Reich? What is it about? I know it has something to do with German Philosophy during World War II, but then again...

[ccffan01]

Not excactly sure, I just learned this but if this is what you mean i believe it was Hitlers reign from when he first came into power until the Nazi's were defeated.

[don Jaime]

The Third Reich was a Nazi term for their new German empire, the First being that of Otto I way, way, waaay back, and the Second that of Bismarck's unified Germany. Hitler himself hated it, and insisted it be the "Thousand Year" Reich. It last from 1933-45.

[Lucky Bob]

It was part Hitler's wild plan to make a Aryan empire and bring in a "New World Odor." He took over Germany, and a lot of other countries, and called it the "Third Reich." He believed that he could be an emperor and take over Europe, and eventually the world.

[Squall]

The "Third Reich" was Germany under the rule of Adolf Hitler. (He needs no introduction... the man who started World War II, killed millions of civilians, etc.) Why the "Third" though?

The "First Reich" was the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages. It was the only time before modern Germany was founded in the 1860's that the German people were ever unified on continental Europe.

The "Second Reich" was the modern Germany from its founding in the 1860's to the end of World War I. The man who unified modern Germany, and ruled it for much of this period, was Otto Von Bismark.

Now that Germany is a free market democratic repuplic, here's hoping there is NO "Fourth Reich"! The three governements listed above were all autocratic and/or facist...