# When did Germany go metric? What standards of measurement did they use before metric?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-germany-go-metric-what-standards-of-measurement-did-they-use-before-metric/243732>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 5, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-germany-go-metric-what-standards-of-measurement-did-they-use-before-metric/243732 "2004-05-05T22:57:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-germany-go-metric-what-standards-of-measurement-did-they-use-before-metric/243732/1 "2004-05-05T22:57:36Z")

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Per the title. Just curious.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-germany-go-metric-what-standards-of-measurement-did-they-use-before-metric/243732/2 "2004-05-06T00:12:55Z")

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Germany managed the changeover to metric in the period 1868—1872.

[Historical weights and measures](http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/historical_weights_and_measures).

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-germany-go-metric-what-standards-of-measurement-did-they-use-before-metric/243732/3 "2004-05-06T03:58:28Z")

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> [@Walloon](#):
>
> Germany managed the changeover to metric in the period 1868—1872.
> 
> [Historical weights and measures](http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/historical_weights_and_measures).

Thanks for link. It’s terrific!