EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN GERMANY, THE

German Die Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) federation of Lutheran, Reformed, and United (a combination of Lutheran and Reformed) territorial churches in Germany. Organized in 1948 after the difficult years of the Nazi era (193345), it helped the German Protestant churches restore themselves, and it reestablished relations with churches outside of Germany. The territorial churches in Germany had sought closer cooperation among themselves for many years. They had developed out of the changes in church life and organization and the various religious and political settlements brought about by the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Until 1918 the prince of each German territory was the head of the church in his territory, which was either Lutheran, Reformed, or United. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the German Empire was replaced by the German Republic, and the territorial churches reorganized themselves into self-governing churches. Attempts to gain closer union were made. During the Nazi era the churches cooperated in various ways to resist the government's efforts to control them. After World War II, a group of territorial church leaders met in August 1945 to consider forming the EKD. The constitution for the new federation was adopted in July 1948 in Eisenach. Its work was limited to that assigned to it by the member churches and primarily involved ecumenical relations, works of mercy, and tasks concerned with the society and government of Germany. Headquarters of the EKD are in Hannover.