In 1936, the German Reich is one of the largest countries in Europe, spanning parts of both Western and Central Europe from the Rhine to Silesia, and from the North and Baltic Seas to the Alps. Historically, the German Reich precipitated the Second World War by attacking Poland on 1 September 1939, and the German Reich closed the European Theatre of the Second World War by its surrender between 4 May and.
It was the primary Axis Power in the European Theatre. The German Reich (Deutsches Reich) was instituted in 1933 and led by Adolf Hitler.