Germany Imperial Navy to Deutsche Marine

Imperial German Navy, Reichsmarine, Kriegsmarine, Bundesmarine and todays' German Navy
The Imperial German Navy was formed in 1871 as the Germanic states and principalities coalesced to form the German Empire. The Weimar Republic formed in 1919 after the end of WW1 named its naval forces the Reichsmarine (1919-1935) becoming the WW2 era Kriegsmarine from 1935 until 1945. Post WW2 the reformed West German naval force was named the Bundesmarine (Federal Navy) with East German naval forces becoming the Volksmarine (Peoples Navy). Following reunification of Germany in 1990 the name Deutsche Marine (German Navy) has been used.