List of historic states of Germany

Germany is traditionally a country organized as a federal state.

After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the German-speaking territories of the empire became allied in the German Confederation (1815–1866), a league of states with some federalistic elements.

After the Austro-Prussian War, Prussia led the Northern states into a federal state called the North German Confederation (1867–1870).

The Southern states joined the federal state in 1870/71, which was consequently renamed the German Empire (1871–1918).

The state continued as the Weimar Republic (1919–1933).