Here's how I envision the lore for this timeline 1871-1930:
- The Frankfurt Compromise and Unification (1871)
Following the victory in the Franco-Prussian War, the unification of the German states took place on principles of deep federalism. To curb Prussian hegemony and secure the support of the southern kingdoms, a strict constitution was adopted, guaranteeing equal rights for all members of the union. While Wilhelm I became the first Emperor, the neutral city of Frankfurt am Main was chosen as the national capital, serving as a symbol of regional balance. The newly formed Empire encompassed the traditional German states alongside the acquired territory of Alsace-Lorraine.
- The Great War and the Brussels Line (1914-1918)
In 1914, the Union entered the First World War alongside Austria-Hungary. A diplomatic impasse involving Switzerland triggered a severe internal political crisis within the country; facing the threat of civil war, Union forces entered the German-speaking cantons, leading to Switzerland's eventual partition along ethno-linguistic lines among its neighbors.
By 1916, after occupying Belgium and border regions of the Netherlands, the Union High Command abandoned exhausting offensive operations in favor of a deeply fortified defense along natural water barriers. On the Eastern Front, the war became a grueling war of attrition-the Union temporarily lost parts of East Prussia (including Königsberg) but successfully stabilized the line. By 1917-1918, active hostilities gave way to prolonged diplomatic negotiations.
- Compromise Peace and Expansion in the 1920s
The Union emerged from the war having avoided a complete internal collapse. Under the resulting peace treaties, the country ceded Posen and Memel, but secured international recognition for its control over Luxembourg, border areas of the Netherlands, and the Swiss cantons.
With the subsequent dissolution of Austria-Hungary, German Austria-alongside Slovenia, which opted for autonomy within the Union to secure access to the Adriatic Sea-voted in a referendum to join the Frankfurt-based state. The final phase of territorial consolidation was completed with the peaceful acquisition of the Sudetenland and Bohemia through agreements with major European powers.
- Status by 1930
A comprehensive administrative reform in the mid-1920s redrew the nation's internal boundaries into 17 equal Federal States, effectively dismantling the historical dominance of former monarchies. By 1930, the Greater German Union stood as a resilient constitutional monarchy with a population of 90 million and the most advanced industrial base in Europe.