Reich (help· info) (pronounced /ˈraɪk/, German IPA: [ˈʀaɪç]), is the German word used most for "empire", "realm", or "nation" cognate with Scandinavian rike/rige, Dutch: rijk, Sanskrit: raj and English: -ric as found in bishopric. It is the word traditionally used for a variety of sovereign entities, including Germany in many periods of its history. It is also found in the compound Königreich, "kingdom", and in the country names Frankreich (France, literally the "Realm of the Franks"), Österreich (Austria, the "Eastern Realm") and Sverige (Sweden, the "Realm of the Suiones"). The German version of the Lord's Prayer uses the words Dein Reich komme for "ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου" (usually translated as "thy kingdom come" in English). Reich may refer to: Reich, as the German word for realm or empire, traditionally used for sovereign entities, including Germany. ... Image File history File links De-Reich-pronunciation. ... This article is about the political and historical term. ... A Realm is a primary synonym for a world usually other than our own. ... For other uses, see Nation (disambiguation). ... Look up cognate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The North Germanic languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages, along with the West Germanic languages and the East Germanic languages. ... Rike is the Swedish and Norwegian word for realm, of similar meaning as German reich, in Danish spelled rige. ... The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... Sweden in the 12th century before the incorporation of Finland during the 13th century. ... The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch. ...

Used adjectivally, reich is the German word for "rich". Like its Latin counterpart, imperium, Reich does not necessarily connote a monarchy; the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany continued to use the name Deutsches Reich. For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... For the documentary series, see Monarchy (TV series). ... Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President  - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert  - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor  - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first)  - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Deutsches Reich was the official name for Germany from 1871 to 1945 in the German language. ...

Reich, German

See also: German Reich

The term Reich was part of the German names for Germany for much of its history. Reich was used by itself in the common German variant of the Holy Roman Empire, the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" (Heiliges römisches Reich deutscher Nation). Der rîche was a title for the Emperor. However, it should be noted that Latin, not German, was the formal legal language of the medieval Empire, so English-speaking historians are more likely to use Latin imperium than German Reich as a term for this period of German history. The history of Germany is, in places, extremely complicated and depends much on how one defines Germany. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ...

The unified Germany which arose under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1871 was called in German Deutsches Reich. This remained the official name of Germany until 1945, although these years saw three very different political systems more commonly referred to in English as: "the German Empire" (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933; the term is a postwar coinage not used at the time), and Nazi Germany (the Third Reich) (1933–1945). After 1918 "Reich" was usually not translated as "Empire" in English-speaking countries, and the title was instead simply used in its original German. During the Weimar Republic the term "Reich" and the prefix "Reichs-" referred not to the idea of empire but rather to the institutions, officials, affairs etc. of the whole country as opposed to those of one of its constituent federal states. Das Reich meant the legal persona of the (federal) State, similar to The Crown designating the State (and its treasury) in Commonwealth countries. Bismarck redirects here. ... For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ... Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President  - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert  - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor  - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first)  - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Nazi propaganda poster.

The Nazis sought to legitimize their power historiographically by portraying their rule as a continuation of a Germanic past. They coined the term Das Dritte Reich ("The Third Empire" – usually rendered in English in the partial-translation "The Third Reich"), counting the Holy Roman Empire as the first and the 1871-1918 monarchy as the second. During the Anschluss of Austria in 1938 the Nazi propaganda also used the political slogan Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer ("One people, one Reich, one leader"). Although the term "Third Reich" is in common use, the terms "First Reich" and "Second Reich" for the earlier periods are seldom found outside Nazi propaganda. To use the terms "First Reich" and "Second Reich", as some commentators did in the post-war years, is generally frowned upon as accepting Nazi historiography. The term Altes Reich ("old Reich"; cf. French ancien regime for monarchical France) is sometimes used to refer to the Holy Roman Empire. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Soviet Propaganda Poster during World War II. The text reads Red Army Fighter, SAVE US! Chinese propaganda poster from the time of the Cultural Revolution. ... Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal         Nazism or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... German troops march into Austria on 12 March 1938. ... A political slogan is a slogan used in a political context. ... Volk is a German (and Dutch) word meaning people or folk. It is commonly used as prefix in words such as Volksentscheid (plebiscite) or Völkerbund (League of Nations), or the car manufacturer Volkswagen (literally, peoples car). A number of völkisch movements were set up in Germany after... Nazi propaganda poster. ... Historiography studies the processes by which historical knowledge is obtained and transmitted. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ...

A number of previously neutral words used by the Nazis have later taken on negative connotations in German (e.g. Führer or Heil); while in many contexts Reich is not one of them (reich, rich; Frankreich, France), it can imply German imperialism or strong nationalism if it is used to describe a political or governmental entity. Reich has thus not been used in official terminology since 1945, though it is still found in the name of the Reichstag building, which since 1999 has housed the German federal parliament, the Bundestag. The decision not to rename the Reichstag building was taken only after long debate in the Bundestag; even then, it is described officially as Reichstag - Sitz des Bundestages (Reichstag, seat of the Bundestag). Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo railway project. ... Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution 1830. ... The Reichstag building. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... Type Lower house President of the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Lammert, CDU since October 18, 2005 Members 614 Political groups (as of September 18, 2005 elections) Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union of Bavaria Bloc (226), Social Democratic Party of Germany (222), Free Democratic Party (61), The Left Party. ...

The exception is that during the Cold War, the East German railway incongruously continued to use the name Deutsche Reichsbahn (German National Railways), which had been the name of the national railway during the era of the Weimar Republic and Third Reich. This is because the Reichsbahn was specifically mentioned in several postwar treaties and directives regarding the right to operate the railroad in West Berlin; had the East German government changed the name of the railways to, for example, Staatsbahn der DDR (State Railways of the GDR), it would likely have lost this right.^{[citation needed]} Even after German reunification in October 1990, the Reichsbahn continued to exist for over three years as the operator of the railroad in eastern Germany, ending finally on 1 January 1994 when the Reichsbahn and the western Deutsche Bundesbahn were merged to form the privatized Deutsche Bahn AG. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... This article is about the state which existed from 1949 to 1990. ... For the 1920-1945 company of the same name, see Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft. ... Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... This article is about the 1990 German reunification. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Plaque commemorating 5,000 kilometers of electrification. ... Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railway Corporation; abbreviated DBAG or simply DB) is Germanys main railway operator, providing passenger and goods services over federally owned tracks. ...

Rike, rige

Rike is the Swedish and Norwegian word for "realm", in Danish spelled rige, of similar meaning as German Reich. The word is traditionally used for sovereign entities; a country with a King or Queen as head of state, such as the United Kingdom or Sweden itself, is a (kunga)rike, literally a "royal realm". A Realm is a primary synonym for a world usually other than our own. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ...

The word is used in "Svea rike", with the current spelling Sverige, the name of Sweden in Swedish. It is also present in the names of institutions such as the Riksdag, Sveriges Riksbank, Riksgäldskontoret, Riksåklagaren, Rikspolisstyrelsen, Riksteatern, riksdaler, etc. The word is often used synonymously to nation, as in rikstäckande, nationwide. The parliament building from outside. ... Sveriges Riksbank (Swedish National Bank) is the central bank of Sweden, sometimes called just the Bank of Sweden. ... The Swedish National Debt Office or Riksgäldskontoret founded by the Riksdag of the Estates in 1789, is a Government Agency in Sweden. ... The Swedish National Police Board, or Rikspolisstyrelsen is a Government agency concerned with police matters in Sweden. ... The Riksdaler was the name of the currency used in Sweden until 1873 when it was replaced with the krona as an effect of the Scandinavian Monetary Union. ...

The Lord's Prayer uses the words in the Swedish version — Tillkomme ditt rike (Thy kingdom come). The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch. ...

Rijk

Rijk is the Dutch equivalent of German Reich. In a political sense in the Netherlands the word rijk often connotates a connection with the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the ministerraad is the executive body of the Netherlands' government and the rijksministerraad that of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a similar distinction is found in wetten (laws) versus rijkswetten (kingdom laws). The word rijk can also be found in institutions like Rijkswaterstaat, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu, and Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. The Council of Ministers of the Kingdom (Dutch: Ministerraad van het Koninkrijk or Rijksministerraad) is the executive council of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is a federal state consisting of three constituent countries: Aruba, the Netherlands, and the Netherlands Antilles. ... Rijkswaterstaat, founded in 1798 as the Bureau voor den Waterstaat, is part of the Dutch Ministry of Transportation and Water Management that is delegated the task of the practical execution of the so-called waterstaat, this includes the construction of waterways and roads and the maintenance of these. ... The Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Dutch: Rijks Instituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieuhygiene or simply RIVM), is a Dutch research institute that is an independent agency of the Netherlands Ministry of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports. ... Front of the main building of the University of Groningen The University of Groningen (Dutch: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen or RuG) is a university in Groningen, Netherlands. ...

Like in German, the adjective rijk means "rich".

Etymology and cognates

Reich has an interesting etymology: it comes from a Germanic word for "king", which was borrowed from Celtic. (See Calvert Watkins, American Heritage dictionary of Indo-European Roots, p.70.) It has cognates in many other languages, all ultimately descended from the Proto-Indo-European root *reg-, meaning "to straighten out" or "rule", also the source of English right. The Sanskrit derived cognates in Hindi are "Raja" meaning King and also the name of an ethnic group: Rajput meaning progeny of Rajas. The cognates can be grouped linguistically as follows: Not to be confused with Entomology, the scientific study of insects. ... The Celtic languages are the languages descended from Proto-Celtic, or Common Celtic, a branch of the greater Indo-European language family. ... Look up cognate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Proto-Indo-European language (PIE) is the hypothetical common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, spoken by the Proto-Indo-Europeans. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the 22 official languages of India and is also used for central government administrative purposes , along with English. ... Rajput is a Hindu Kshatriya caste which decendend from India . ...

Celtic group

Proto-Celtic *rīg-, "king", from the lengthened e-grade (see: Indo-European ablaut). Borrowed into Germanic as *rīks-. Hence: The Proto-Celtic language, also called Common Celtic, is the putative ancestor of all the known Celtic languages. ... In linguistics, the term ablaut designates a system of vowel gradation (i. ...

• Various Celtic words for "king".
• Old High German: richi; German: Reich (all senses); Reichtum "riches"; but not the unrelated verb reichen, "to reach", or its derivative Bereich, "subject area, sphere".
• Old English: rīce; Modern English: bishopric; rich.
• Dutch: rijk
• Danish: rige (as in Rigsmal)
• Swedish: rike/Norwegian: rike (as in Riksmål); Sverige, "Sweden".
• Old Norse: ríki (as in Garðaríki).
• Many Germanic personal names, including Friedrich, Dietrich and Richard.
• French: riche (borrowed from Germanic)
• Old Prussian: reiks (borrowed from Germanic)
• Spanish: riik (borrowed from Germanic)
• Lithuanian: reichas (borrowed from Germanic)

The (Late Old High) German speaking area of the Holy Roman Empire around 950. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Penis[1], Englisc by its speakers) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Map showing Varangian or Rus settlement (in red) and location of Slavic tribes (in grey), mid-9th century AD Khazar influence indicated with blue outline. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Anthroponym. ... Old Prussian is an extinct Baltic language spoken by the inhabitants of the area that later became East Prussia (now in north-eastern Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia) prior to German colonization of the area beginning in the 13th century. ...

Original Germanic group

Although the line of descent of Reich and its closest cognates came into Germanic sideways from Celtic, Germanic also inherited the same Indo-European root directly in a suffixed form of the e-grade, *reg-to-, hence:

• Old High German: rihte; Modern German Recht, "justice"; rechts, "right"; richtig, "correct"; Richter, "judge"; Gericht, "court".
• Old English: riht; Modern English: right; righteous.

The (Late Old High) German speaking area of the Holy Roman Empire around 950. ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Penis[1], Englisc by its speakers) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Latin

The basic e-grade form of the root came into Latin as: regere (supine stem rectus), "to rule"; rex, regis, "king"; regalis, "kingly". A suffixed, lengthened e-grade form, *rēg-ola- gives us Latin regula, "rod". Hence: For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... Look up rex in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

• French: roi "king", droit "law, right" and many others.
• Spanish: rey "king"
• Portuguese: rei "king"
• German: regieren "to govern, to rule", Regierung "government", Regel "law, rule"
• English (straight from Latin): regent; regal; regulate; rector; rectangle; erect; (borrowed via French): royal, reign; viceroy; realm; ruler (both senses) and countless others.

The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Sanskrit

The Sanskrit word, from a lengthened-grade suffixed form *rēg-en-, is rājā, "king", hence the words for rulers in various Indian language. Of interest to English speakers: Raj, used of the British rule in India; and Maharaja, literally "the great king" (exactly parallel to Latin magnus rex). The article describes the languages spoken in the Republic of India. ... Major-General H.H. Farzand-i-Dilband Rasikh- al-Iqtidad-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Raja-i-Rajagan, Maharaja Sir Jagatjit Singh, Bahadur, Maharaja of Kapurthala, GCSI , GCIE , GBE The word Mahārāja (also spelled maharajah) is Sanskrit for great king or high king (a karmadharaya from mahānt great...

Slavonic

• Polish: rzesza
• Czech: říše
• Slovak: ríša

References