between 1871 and 1945, the partially translated English phrase "German Reich" is applied by historians in formal contexts; although in common English usage this state was and is known simply as Germany, the English term "German Empire" is reserved to denote the German state between 1871 and 1918.

The history of the nation state known as the German Reich is commonly divided into three periods:
* German Empire (1871-1918)
* Weimar Republic