Proto-Germanic
An ancestral language preceded later Germanic branches.
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Illustrated History of German
From West Germanic dialects and the High German consonant shift through medieval literature, printing, Bible translation and modern Standard German. Language-period dates are approximate.
German in five milestones
Drag to explore the proportional timeline. Select underlined terms for definitions.
AD 500–750West Germanic dialects developed; the High German consonant shift spread.
AD 750–1050Old High German appears in glossaries and early literature.
AD 1050–1350Middle High German flourishes in medieval poetry and epic.
AD 1350–1650Printing and the Luther Bible influence Early New High German.
AD 1650–todayStandard German develops through education and reference works.
500 BCAD 1AD 500AD 1000AD 1500AD 2000Proto-Germanic500 BC–AD 500
Old High GermanAD 500–AD 1050
Middle High GermanAD 1050–AD 1350
Early New High GermanAD 1350–AD 1650
New High GermanAD 1650–present
Detailed history of German
Drag horizontally; each event is placed proportionally by date.
West Germanic
Regional dialects diverged.
High German consonant shift
Sound changes spread unevenly.
Abrogans
An early glossary preserves written German.
Charlemagne
Education encouraged writing and translations.
Hildebrandslied
Early heroic verse survives.
Nibelungenlied
A major medieval epic appeared.
Johannes Gutenberg
Printing increased circulation of texts.
Luther Bible
German New Testament published; complete Bible followed in 1534.
New High German
Written conventions increasingly converged.
Deutsches Wörterbuch
Historical dictionary began publication.
Duden
Influential spelling reference appeared.
German orthography reform
A spelling reform was agreed and later revised.
Standard German
Regional dialects and standard usage coexist.
Definitions: people, periods and terms
Proto-Germanic
Reconstructed ancestor of the Germanic languages.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineWest Germanic
Branch of Germanic including German, English, Dutch and Frisian.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineHigh German consonant shift
A series of early medieval sound changes affecting the High German dialects of central and southern Germany. Here High refers to the higher terrain of those regions, not to social rank.
Why it matters: These changes help distinguish High German from Low German. For example, compare Standard German machen with Low German maken (“to make”).
↑ Back to timelineOld High German
Early written varieties of High German, dating approximately from AD 750 to 1050. The word High refers to the higher-elevation regions of central and southern Germany where these dialects were spoken, not to their quality or prestige.
Why it matters: These early texts preserve German dialects shaped by the High German consonant shift.
↑ Back to timelineMiddle High German
High German varieties of approximately AD 1050–1350.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineEarly New High German
Transitional German stage approximately AD 1350–1650.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineNew High German
High German from approximately AD 1650 onward.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineHigh German
Historically, the German varieties of the higher-elevation central and southern regions, including uplands and areas toward the Alps. High refers to the terrain, not to social status or linguistic superiority.
Why it matters: These dialects underwent the High German consonant shift to varying degrees. Standard German developed primarily from High German written traditions.
↑ Back to timelineLow German
Germanic varieties traditionally spoken across the lower-lying northern plains of Germany. Low describes the relatively flat, low-elevation landscape, not lower prestige or quality.
Why it matters: Low German largely did not undergo the High German consonant shift; compare Low German maken with Standard German machen (“to make”). The names High and Low therefore began as geographical distinctions.
↑ Back to timelineStandard German
Codified supraregional German used in education, writing and public life.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineAbrogans
Eighth-century Latin–Old High German glossary.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineHildebrandslied
Early medieval heroic poem preserved in an Old High German manuscript.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineCharlemagne
Frankish ruler crowned emperor in AD 800.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineNibelungenlied
Middle High German epic compiled around AD 1200.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineMinnesang
Medieval German courtly lyric poetry.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineJohannes Gutenberg
Mainz printer associated with movable-type printing around 1450.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineMartin Luther
Reformer whose sixteenth-century Bible translations influenced written German.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineLuther Bible
Influential German translations, with a New Testament in 1522 and complete Bible in 1534.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineGrimm brothers
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German scholars of folklore and language.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineDeutsches Wörterbuch
Historical German dictionary begun by the Grimm brothers.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineDuden
Spelling reference first published in 1880.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineGerman orthography reform
Changes to German spelling agreed in 1996 and subsequently revised.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineGerman dialects
Regional varieties with distinct pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineYiddish
Distinct West Germanic language with Hebrew-Aramaic and Slavic influences.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineAustria
Country where German is the national official language.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineSwitzerland
Multilingual country where German is one of the national languages.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineHoly Roman Empire
Multi-territorial central European political entity lasting until 1806.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timelineGermanic languages
Branch of Indo-European including German, English, Dutch and North Germanic languages.
Why it matters: It helps explain German's historical development and linguistic diversity.
↑ Back to timeline