Editing German Unity Day (section)

===Imperial Germany===
Before 1871, in the area where the single state of Germany now exists, different kingdoms and principalities existed. After the [[unification of Germany]], and the Founding of the Empire 1871, there was still no common national holiday. The [[Sedantag]] was, however, celebrated every year on 2 September, recalling [[Battle of Sedan|the decisive victory]] in the [[Franco-Prussian War]] on 2 September 1870.<ref name="Schellack">Fritz Schellack: ''Nationalfeiertage in Deutschland 1871 bis 1945''. Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main u. a. 1990, {{ISBN|3-631-42524-4}} (zugl. Dissertation, Universität Mainz 1989)</ref>

Before the Empire was founded in 1872, there were calls for a national holiday, and there were three suggestions. No decision was made. Until 1873, the Sedantag was moved to 18 January or the day of the [[Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)|Frankfurt Treaty]] (10 May 1871). The Sedantag would soon also be celebrated at the universities and in many German cities. It never occurred to them to think about "Empire Parade" or "Emperor's Birthday". Some Culture Ministers of the states, especially in [[Prussia]], decided that the Sedantag would be an official festival in schools. Upon many suggestions, the date of the Emperor's proclamation on 18 January would be established as day of remembrance. Emperor Wilhelm I declined this: "This was also the day of the first Prussian coronation of the king, which should not fall into the shadow of a united German holiday."<ref>[[Karl Erich Born]]: ''Preußen im deutschen Kaiserreich 1871–1918. Führungsmacht des Reiches und Aufgehen im Reich''. In: [[Wolfgang Neugebauer (1953)|Wolfgang Neugebauer]] (Hrsg.): ''Handbuch der preussischen Geschichte''. Bd. III: ''Vom Kaiserreich zum 20. Jahrhundert und Große Themen der Geschichte Preußens''. [[Verlag Walter de Gruyter|De Gruyter]], Berlin 2000, {{ISBN|3-11-014092-6}}, S. 37</ref> 

Despite this, the [[Day of the founding of the German Empire]] was still celebrated locally and nationally to some degree. These celebrations continued in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany. Following World War II, East Germany completely abandoned the holiday, while West Germany still celebrated it on a smaller scale. West Germany did acknowledge the centennial of the German Empire as the founding of the German state in 1871.