1. The Great Upheaval
The end of the empire. Germany under Napoleon’s rule.

In the beginning there was Napoleon. He had an overwhelming influence on the history of the Germans, their life, and their experiences in the first 15 years of the 19th century.

The first foundations of a modern Germany were being laid during these years.

The fate of a nation lies in its politics, and those politics were war and conquest, exploitation and repression, imperialism and reforms.

The nations and states could only choose between resistance or adapting. Rarely have power politics and foreign pressure influenced all facets of life this much.

The great reforms that reshaped state and society were also characterized by these influential forces. Voluntarily or involuntarily.

Of course, the basic principles of today’s world were brought to life, and to the consciousness of contemporaries, by the French revolution. It shaped an entire era in world history.

But for the Germans, it wasn’t until they were part of Napoleon’s military empire that they truly experienced the destruction of the old order.

And that's it for today.