How destructive to Germany and its people was the 30 years war?

Question

how did it get started? over what?

Answer 1

The Thirty Years War was a catastrophe for Germany and parts of Poland as half-disciplined armies campaigned across the country living off the land as they went. Mass murders, rapes, and unrestrained pillaging became almost normal. The collapse of agricultural activity that ensued caused wide starvation. The Wikepedia account of this disaster reads:

"The Thirty Years' War was fought between 1618 and 1648, principally on the territory of today's Germany, and involved most of the major European continental powers. Although it was from the outset a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics, the rivalry between the Hapsburg dynasty and other powers was also a central motive, as shown by the fact that Catholic France even supported the Protestant side, increasing France-Hapsburg rivalry.

The impact of the Thirty Years' War and related episodes of famine and disease was devastating. The war may have lasted for 30 years, but the conflicts that triggered it continued unresolved for a much longer time. The war ended with the Treaty of Westphalia."

For further information look it up in a decent search engine - there are many web sites that deal with it.

Answer 2

Tony B is pretty much right on.

The economic devastation was so complete, it is held responsible for the state of preservation of some of Germany's Medieval towns (Rothenburg ob der Tauber for example). The region was so impoverished that it never fulled recovered and remained in a depressed state for centuries.

One lasting feature of the Treaty of Westphalia is the international principle that still gets cited that countries should not take actions to interfere with the internal affairs of their neighbors (at the time relating to religious differences that was viewed as the primary motivation for the war).

Answer 3

All wars are destructive but in the modern world can be an advantage to the planet. Sad view I know but true. Moving on I heard the the Great war (WW 1) was started because somebody call Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was Hungary