List of wars involving Germany

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
See also: Military history of Germany

This is a list of wars involving Germany, including its predecessor states and the modern German State since its unification in 1871:

  • Frankish Kingdom (481-843)
  • East Francia (843-962)
  • Kingdom of Germany within the Holy Roman Empire (962-1806)
  • State of the Teutonic Order (1224-1525)
  • Duchy of Prussia (1525-1701)
  • Kingdom of Prussia (1701-1871)
  • Confederation of the Rhine (1806-1813)
  • German Confederation (1815-1866)
  • North German Confederation (1867-1871)
  • German Reich (1871–1945)
    • German Empire (1871–1918)
    • Weimar Republic (1919–1933)
    • Nazi Germany (1933–1945)
  • Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)

This is an incomplete list of German and proto-German wars and battles from the foundation of Francia by Clovis I, the Merovingian king who united all the Frankish tribes and subjugated the Alemanni in the 5th century, thus setting the foundation for the later Germanic East Francia and Kingdom of Germany, to the current Federal Republic.

Frankish Kingdom, Carolingian Empire and East Francia[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Ruling King/Mayor of the Palace
Frankish conquest of Turnacum and Cameracum
(c. 445 – c. 450[1]) 		Salian Franks  Roman Empire Salian Frankish victory
  • Turnacum and Cameracum become Frankish capitals
 Clovis I
Battle of Vicus Helena
(c.448) 		Salian Franks  Roman Empire Roman victory
Campaigns of Clovis I
(486–508) 		Francia Various enemies
Franco-Visigothic Wars
(492–508) 		Francia Visigothic Kingdom Frankish victory, Gallia Aquitania annexed by Franks

(523–533) 		Francia Kingdom of the Burgundians Frankish victory
Battle of the Unstrut River (531)
(531) 		Francia Thuringii Frankish victory
Gothic War
(535–554) 		Ostrogoths,
Franks,
Alamanni,
Burgundians 		East Roman Empire,
Huns,
Heruli,
Sclaveni,
Lombards 		Short-term East Roman conquest of Italy, long-term devastation of Italy

(536) 		Francia Alemanni Frankish victory

(555) 		Francia Baiuvarii Frankish victory
Fredegund–Brunhilda wars, or Merovingian throne struggle
(568–613) 		Neustria (Fredegund) Austrasia (Brunhilda) Victory for Fredegund's son, Chlothar II of Neustria
Frisian–Frankish wars
(7th century–793) 		Francia Frisian Kingdom Frankish victory
Neustrian war of succession
(673) 		Neustria (Ebroin) Neustrian rebel noblemen
Austrasia (Childeric II) 		Victory for Childeric II of Austrasia
Frankish war of succession
(675–679) 		Neustria (Ebroin) Austrasia (Pepin II & Martin) Victory for Ebroin of Neustria
Neustrian invasion of Austrasia
(686–687) 		Neustria (Berchar) Austrasia (Pepin II) Victory for Pepin II of Austrasia
Frankish Civil War (fr, nl)
(715–719) 		Carolingian faction (Austrasian)
Charles Martel
Chlothar IV (717–718)

Pippinid faction (Austrasian)
Theudoald (715–717)
Plectrude (715–717)

Neustrian faction
Ragenfrid
Dagobert III (†715)
Chilperic II
Redbad of Frisia (716–718)
Odo of Aquitaine (independent until 718) 		Carolingian victory (Charles Martel)
  • Neustrians defeat Pippinids (715)
  • Charles subjects Pippinids, enthrones Chlothar (717)
  • Carolingians defeat Neustrians (718)
  • Chlothar dies, Charles recognises Chilperic as king
    but gains de facto power as palace mayor,
    establishing the Carolingian dynasty (718)
Umayyad invasion of Gaul
(719–759) 		Francia

Kingdom of the Lombards

Umayyad Caliphate

Andalusi commanders (as of 750)

Frankish victory
Siege of Laon

(741)

Carloman
Pepin the Short 		Grifo Carloman/Pepin victory
  • Grifo imprisoned and excluded from inheritance
War against the Lombards
(755–758) 		Francia Lombards Donation of Pepin

(761–768) 		Francia Aquitani Frankish victory Charlemagne
Saxon Wars
(772–804) 		Francia Saxons Frankish victory Charlemagne
War against the Lombards
(773–774) 		Francia Lombards Frankish victory
  • Annexation of the Lombard Kingdom
 Charlemagne
War against the Avars and Slavs
(791–805) 		Francia
Carolingian Empire (800) 		Avars & Slavs Frankish victory Charlemagne
Carolingian Civil Wars

(830-843)

Louis the German

in varying alliances with his brothers:

Louis the Pious and his sons in varying alliances The Carolingian Empire is divided in three parts in the Treaty of Verdun.
First Italian Expedition of Otto I

(951-952)

East Francia Kingdom of Italy East Frankish victory.

Berengar II recognized the suzerainty of Otto I.

Otto I
Second Italian Expedition of Otto I

(961-962)

East Francia Kingdom of Italy East Frankish victory.

Berengar II is deposed. Otto I is crowned King of Italy and later Roman Emperor, in retrospect forming the Holy Roman Empire.

Otto I

Holy Roman Empire (862–1806)[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Ruling King/Emperor
Second Crusade  Holy Roman Empire

other Crusaders

Emirate of Damascus

other Muslim and Pagan entities in East Central Europe, Iberia and the Near East.

Victories in East Central Europe and Iberia. Defeat in the Holy Land. Conrad III of Germany
Third Crusade  Holy Roman Empire

other Crusaders

Ayyubids Small Gains for the Crusaders. Jerusalem stays under Ayyubid control. Frederick I Barbarossa
Sixth Crusade  Holy Roman Empire

including in Personal Union:

Ayyubids Kingdom of Jerusalem regains Jerusalem through peaceful negotiations. Frederick II
Seven Years' War

(1756-1763)

 Member States of the Holy Roman Empire:

Kingdom of France

Russian Empire

Kingdom of Spain

Kingdom of Sweden

Non-European Allies

 Member States of the Holy Roman Empire:
  • Kingdom of Prussia
  • Electorate of Hannover
  • Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel
  • Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
  • County of Schaumburg-Lippe

Kingdom of Great Britain

Kingdom of Portugal

Russian Empire

Victory of the Anglo-Prussian Coalition Francis I

German Reich (1871–1945)[]

German Empire (1871–1918)[]

See also: German Empire
Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Reichskanzler German losses
Franco-German War
(1870–1871) 		 Germany France Victory
Otto von Bismarck
28,208 dead[2]
First Samoan Civil War
(1886–1894) 		Supporters of Laupepa
 Germany 		Supporters of Mata'afa Compromise
16 dead[3]
Abushiri Revolt
(1888–1889) 		 Germany
 United Kingdom 		Arab Rebels led by al-Harthi Victory
  • Rebellion put down
?
Hehe Rebellion
(1891–1898) 		 Germany Hehe Victory
  • Rebellion put down
Leo von Caprivi
?
Bafut Wars
(1891–1907) 		 Germany Fondom of Bafut Victory
?
Second Samoan Civil War
(1898–1899) 		Supporters of Mata'afa
 Germany 		Supporters of Tanumafili I
 United States
 United Kingdom 		Compromise
Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingfürst
?
Boxer Rebellion
(1899–1901) 		Russia
Empire of Japan Japan
British Empire United Kingdom
France
 United States
German Empire Germany
 Austria-Hungary
Kingdom of Italy Italy 		Yihetuan Movement
 China 		Victory
  • Signing of the Boxer Protocol
  • Provisions for foreign troops to be stationed in Beijing
?
Adamawa Wars
(1899–1907) 		 Germany
 United Kingdom 		Sokoto Caliphate
Mahdist rebels 		Victory
Bernhard von Bülow
?
Venezuelan Crisis
(1902–1903) 		 United Kingdom
 Germany
 Italy 		Venezuela Venezuela Compromise
  • Venezuelan debt dispute resolved
?
[4]
(1903) 		 German Empire Kavango rebels Victory
  • Uprising suppressed
?
Herero Wars
(1904–1908) 		 Germany Herero
Namaqua 		Victory
1,541 dead[5]
Maji Maji Rebellion
(1905–1908) 		 Germany Qadiriyya Brotherhood
Matumbi
Ngoni
Yao 		Victory
  • Rebellion put down
397 dead[6]
Sokehs Rebellion
(1910–1911) 		 Germany Sokehs tribe Victory
  • Rebellion put down
Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg
5 dead[7]
World War I
(1914–1918) 		 Germany
 Austria-Hungary
 Ottoman Empire
 Bulgaria 		France
 United Kingdom
 Russia
 United States
 Italy
 Canada
 Australia
 New Zealand
 India
 South Africa
 Serbia
 Montenegro
 Belgium
 Romania
 Greece
 Portugal
 Brazil
Nepal
 Japan
 China
 Siam
Hejaz
 Russian SFSR 		Defeat
  • End of the German, Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires
  • Formation of new countries in Europe and the Middle East
  • Transfer of German colonies and regions of the former Ottoman Empire to other powers
  • Establishment of the League of Nations
2,198,420 to
2,800,720 dead[8]

Weimar Republic (1918–1933)[]

See also: Weimar Republic
Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Reichskanzler German losses
German Revolution
(1918–1919) 		German Empire Germany Revolutionaries Government victory
  • Establishment of the Weimar Republic
Friedrich Ebert
?
Greater Poland Uprising
(1918–1919) 		German Empire Germany Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg POW Defeat
  • Poland gains Greater Poland
?
First Silesian Uprising
(1919) 		 Germany Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg POW-GS Victory
  • German forces crush uprising
Gustav Bauer
?
Ruhr Uprising
(1920) 		 Germany Ruhr Red Army Government victory
  • Uprising crushed
1,600+
(Both combatants)
Second Silesian Uprising
(1920) 		 Germany Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg POW-GS League of Nations ceasefire
  • Order restored by allied intervention
Constantin Fehrenbach
?
Third Silesian Uprising
(1921) 		 Germany Flag of Poland (1919-1928).svg POW-GS League of Nations ceasefire
Joseph Wirth
?

Nazi Germany (1933–1945)[]

See also: Nazi Germany
Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Führer German losses
Spanish Civil War
(1936–1939) 		Spain Spanish Nationalists
 Italy
 Germany
Portugal Portugal 		Second Spanish Republic Spanish Republicans
International Brigades 		Victory
Adolf Hitler
~300 killed[9]
World War II
(1939–1945) 		 Germany
 Japan
 Italy
 Hungary
 Romania
 Bulgaria
 Slovakia
 Croatia
 Finland
 Thailand 		 Soviet Union
 United States
 United Kingdom
 China
 France
Poland Poland
 Canada
 Australia
 New Zealand
 India
 South Africa
 Yugoslavia
 Greece
 Denmark
 Norway
 Netherlands
 Belgium
 Luxembourg
 Ethiopia
 Brazil
 Mexico
 Colombia
Cuba
Nepal
Philippines
Mongolia 		Defeat
  • Collapse of Nazi Germany
  • Creation of the United Nations
  • Emergence of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers
  • Beginning of the Cold War
6,900,000 to
7,400,000 dead[10]

Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)[]

Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Result Bundeskanzler German losses
Bosnian War
(1995) 		 NATO
  •  Belgium
  •  Canada
  •  Denmark
  •  France
  •  Germany
  •  Italy
  •  Luxembourg
  •  Netherlands
  •  Norway
  •  Portugal
  •  Spain
  •  Turkey
  •  United Kingdom
  •  United States
  Republika Srpska Victory
  • Dayton Accords
Helmut Kohl
None
Kosovo War
(1999) 		 NATO
  •  Belgium
  •  Canada
  •  Denmark
  •  France
  •  Germany
  •  Italy
  •  Luxembourg
  •  Netherlands
  •  Norway
  •  Portugal
  •  Spain
  •  Turkey
  •  United Kingdom
  •  United States

UÇK

 FR Yugoslavia Victory
  • Kumanovo Treaty
  • Yugoslav security forces pull out of Kosovo
  • United Nations Resolution 1244
Gerhard Schröder
None
War in Afghanistan
(2001–2021) 		 Afghanistan
ISAF
  •  United States
  •  United Kingdom
  •  Australia
  •  Canada
  •  Germany
  •  France
  •  Italy
  •  Czech Republic
  •  Netherlands
  •  Turkey
  •  Romania
  •  Georgia
  •  South Korea
  •  Poland
  •  Denmark
  •  Sweden
  •  Norway
  • Others
 Afghanistan Taliban
al-Qaeda 		Defeat
Gerhard Schröder
(2001–2005)
Angela Merkel
(2005–2021)
59 dead[11]
War on ISIL
(2015–present) 		 Iraq
 Iraqi Kurdistan
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Northern Syria
Seal of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.svg CJTF–OIR
  •  United States
  •  Canada
  •  United Kingdom
  •  France
  •  Germany
  •  Turkey
  •  Saudi Arabia
  •  Qatar
  •  Jordan
  •  Bahrain
  •  United Arab Emirates
  •  Morocco
  •  Australia
  •  Netherlands
  •  Belgium
  •  Denmark
  •  Norway
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ISIL
al-Qaeda 		Ongoing
  • Airstrikes on ISIL and al-Qaeda affiliates positions in Iraq and Syria
  • Islamic terrorism in Europe
Angela Merkel
(2015–2021)
Olaf Scholz
(2021–)
See below[12]
Mali War
(2017–present) 		 Mali
United Nations MINUSMA
  •  France
  • Nigeria ECOWAS
  •  Chad
  •  Germany
  •  Netherlands
  •  Sweden
 al-Qaeda Ongoing
  • German deployment to defend peacekeepers
2 dead[13]

References[]

  1. ^ According to Lanting & van der Plicht (2010), the conquest of Turnacum and Cameracum probably happened in the period 445–450. Lanting, J. N.; van der Plicht, J. (2010). "De 14C-chronologie van de Nederlandse Pre- en Protohistorie VI: Romeinse tijd en Merovische periode, deel A: historische bronnen en chronologische thema's". Palaeohistoria 51/52 (2009/2010) (in Dutch). Groningen: Groningen Institute of Archaeology. pp. 46–47. ISBN 9789077922736. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. ^ Howard, M. (1991). The Franco-Prussian War: The German Invasion of France 1870–1871. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-26671-8.
  3. ^ Hempestall & Mochida, p. 54
  4. ^ "Uprisings against the German/South African Colonial Power". klausdierks.com.
  5. ^ Bridgman, Jon M. (1966) Revolt of the Hereros University of California Press. p. 164 (KIA: 676, MIA:76, WIA: 907, died from disease: 689, civilians: 100)
  6. ^ Gellately, Robert; Ben Kiernan (2003). The Specter of Genocide: Mass Murder in Historical Perspective. Published by Cambridge University Press. p. 161. ISBN 0-521-52750-3.
  7. ^ Van der Vat, Dan. Gentlemen of War, The Amazing Story of Captain Karl von Müller and the SMS Emden. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1984, p. 19
  8. ^ See World War I casualties
  9. ^ Thomas, Hugh (2003) [1961, 1987, 2001]. The Spanish Civil War. London: Penguin. p. 634. ISBN 0-14-101161-0. OCLC 248799351.
  10. ^ See World War II casualties
  11. ^ . dw.com. 2021-10-13 https://m.dw.com/en/germany-honors-soldiers-who-fought-in-afghanistan-mission/a-59492974. Retrieved 2021-12-05. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ No German soldiers have been killed by ISIS, however, many German civilians have been killed in terror attacks claimed by ISIS. For details, see Islamic terrorism in Europe.
  13. ^ "German military helicopter crashes in Mali, two peacekeepers killed". 26 July 2017 – via www.reuters.com.
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