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Scheidemann, Philipp

(Encyclopedia)Scheidemann, Philipp fēˈlĭp shīˈdəmän [key], 1865–1939, German Social Democratic leader. A member of the Reichstag from 1898, he became (1918) secretary of state without portfolio in the cabi...

Ulbricht, Walter

(Encyclopedia)Ulbricht, Walter välˈtər o͝olˈbrĭkht [key], 1893–1973, Communist leader in the German Democratic Republic. A founder of the German Communist party, he fled Germany in 1933 and went to Moscow, ...

North Rhine–Westphalia

(Encyclopedia)North Rhine–Westphalia nôrtˈrīn-vĕstˌfäˈlən [key], state (1994 pop. 17,759,000), 13,111 sq mi (33,957 sq km), W central Germany. Düsseldorf is the capital. The state is bounded by Belgium a...

Winzer, Otto

(Encyclopedia)Winzer, Otto ôˈtō vĭntsˈər [key], 1902–75, East German political leader. A member of the German Communist party from 1925, he left Germany in 1935 during the Hitler era and returned after Worl...

Schwerin

(Encyclopedia)Schwerin shvārēnˈ [key], city (1994 pop. 122,189), capital of Mecklenburg–West Pomerania state, N central Germany, on Schwerin Lake. It is the commercial, industrial, and transportation center of...

Fay, Sidney Bradshaw

(Encyclopedia)Fay, Sidney Bradshaw, 1876–1967, American historian, b. Washington, D.C. Fay, professor of history at Dartmouth College (1902–14), Smith (1914–29), and Harvard (1929–46), earned his name as an...

Słupsk

(Encyclopedia)Słupsk slo͞opsk [key], Ger. Stolp, city (1993 est. pop. 102,800), Pomorskie prov., NW Poland. It is a rail junction and commercial center with industries manufacturing furniture, footwear, agricultu...

Paris Pacts

(Encyclopedia)Paris Pacts, four international agreements signed in Paris on Oct. 23, 1954, to establish a new international status for West Germany. Since the end of World War II, West Germany had been occupied by ...

Westphalia, Peace of

(Encyclopedia)Westphalia, Peace of, 1648, general settlement ending the Thirty Years War. It marked the end of the Holy Roman Empire as an effective institution and inaugurated the modern European state system. The...

Rathenau, Walther

(Encyclopedia)Rathenau, Walther välˈtər räˈtənou [key], 1867–1922, German industrialist, social theorist, and statesman. Son of Emil Rathenau (1838–1915), founder of the German public utilities company Al...