States of the German Empire
The German Empire consisted originally of 27, and later (as of 1876) 26 constituent states, the largest of which was Prussia. These states, or Staaten (or Bundesstaaten, i.e. federal states a naming deriving from the previous North German Confederation; they became known as Länder during the Weimar Republic) each had votes in the Bundesrat, which gave them representation at a national level.
Several of these states had gained sovereignty following the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Others were created as sovereign states after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Territories were not necessarily contiguous, such as Bavaria, or Oldenburg—many existed in several parts (enclaves and exclaves), as a result of historical acquisitions, or, in several cases, divisions of the ruling family trees.
Kingdoms
- Kingdom of Bavaria
- Kingdom of Prussia (itself subdivided into provinces)
- Kingdom of Saxony
- Kingdom of Württemberg
Grand Duchies
- Grand Duchy of Baden
- Grand Duchy of Hesse
- Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
- Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- Grand Duchy of Oldenburg
- Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Grand Duchy of Saxony from 1877)
Duchies
- Duchy of Anhalt
- Duchy of Brunswick
- Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg
- Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg (until 1876, then merged into Prussia)
- Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
Principalities
- Principality of Lippe
- Principality of Reuss-Gera (Junior Line)
- Principality of Reuss-Greiz (Senior Line)
- Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe
- Principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
- Principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
- Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont
Free Hanseatic Cities
Different from the above-mentioned monarchies these city-states were constitutionally organised as republics.
- Free and Hanseatic City of Bremen
- Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
- Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck
Imperial Territory
Different from all other above-mentioned component states this state, comprising territory ceded by France in 1871, was first administered by the central government, growing later into a republic of restricted autonomy only, with an elected state parliament of its own as of 1912.
See also
- Provinces of Prussia
- States of the German Confederation
- Administrative divisions of Weimar Germany
- Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany
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