1863 in Germany
Events from the year 1863 in Germany.
Incumbents
- King of Bavaria – Maximilian II of Bavaria
- King of Hanover – George V
- King of Prussia – William I
- King of Saxony – John
- King of Württemberg – William I of Württemberg
- Grand Duke of Baden – Frederick I
Events
- January 4 – The New Apostolic Church, a Christian premillennial church, is established in Hamburg.
- January 29 – Established composer Giacomo Meyerbeer presents the young Jacques Offenbach to Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, queen consort of Prussia.
- February 8 – Signing of Alvensleben Convention between Prussia and Russian Empire.
- May 23 – The General German Workers' Association, the first socialist workers party in Germany, is founded in Leipzig by Ferdinand Lassalle.
- August 1 – Friedrich Bayer founds the chemical manufacturing company of Bayer at Barmen for the manufacture of dyestuffs.
- August 27–29 – Astronomische Gesellschaft in Heidelberg is founded, the world's second oldest astronomical society.
- October 18 – Befreiungshalle memorial above Kelheim in Bavaria, designed by Friedrich von Gärtner and completed by Leo von Klenze, is inaugurated.
- October 26–29 – The Grand Duchy of Baden, Kingdom of Bavaria, Kingdom of Hanover, Grand Duchy of Hesse, Kingdom of Prussia and Kingdom of Saxony are among the signatories to the Resolutions of the Geneva International Conference leading to formation of the International Red Cross and the German Red Cross.
- November 18 – King Christian IX of Denmark signs the November Constitution, declaring Schleswig to be part of Denmark, regarded by the German Confederation as a violation of the London Protocol of 1852, leading to the Second Schleswig War of 1864.
- undated
- * Teerfarbenfabrik Meister, Lucius & Co., predecessor of Hoechst AG, founded at Höchst for the manufacture of green dye from coal tar.
- * Rubber goods company Metzeler is founded in Munich.
- * Max Schultze advances cell theory with the observation that animal and vegetable protoplasm are identical.
Births
- January 8 – Paul Scheerbart, writer
- January 15 – Wilhelm Marx, lawyer and politician, Chancellor of Germany
- January 18 – Oscar Troplowitz, pharmacist
- February 11 – Cornelius Osten, businessman
- February 21 – Otto Jaekel, paleontologist and geologist
- February 23 – Franz Stuck, painter, sculptor, engraver and architect
- April 3 – Wilhelm Middelschulte, composer
- April 5 – Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, noblewoman
- May 2 – Erich Bethe, philologist
- May 25
- * Conrad Cichorius, historian and philologist
- * Heinrich Rickert, philosopher
- June 17 – Charles Michael, Duke of Mecklenburg, head of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
- June 21 – Hermann Krukenberg, surgeon
- June 22 – Gottlieb von Jagow, diplomat
- July 4 – Hugo Winckler, archaeologist and historian, uncovers the capital of the Hittite Empire
- July 12 – Paul Drude, physicist
- August 19 – Adele Sandrock, German-Dutch actress
- September 4 – Alfred Rehder, botanical taxonomist
- September 8 – Mary of the Divine Heart, Roman Catholic nun
- September 13 – Franz von Hipper, admiral
- September 30 – Reinhard Scheer, admiral
- October 3 – Alfred Wohl, chemist
- October 13 – Hugo Bruckmann, publisher
- October 19 – Gustav Frenssen, novelist
- October 29 – Franz Stuhlmann, naturalist, zoologist and African explorer
- November 12
- * Franz Boluminski, colonial administrator
- * Johannes Thienemann, ornithologist and pastor
- November 18 – Richard Dehmel, poet
- December 11 – Georg Bruchmüller, artillery officer
Deaths
- April 4 – Ludwig Emil Grimm, painter
- May 13 – August Hahn, Protestant theologian
- June 5 – Marie Ellenrieder, painter
- July 8 – Christian Friedrich, Baron Stockmar, physician and statesman
- September 20 – Jacob Grimm, folklorist
- December 13 – Christian Friedrich Hebbel, poet and dramatist