Furthermore, the aristocracy retained more political power in a German empire under Prussian hegemony than was the case in Britain. This was primarily due to its control over both Prussia's Upper and Lower Chambers—the Herrenhaus and the Landrat. The latter was elected through a complex three-class voting system which ensured that two-thirds of the deputies were elected by the wealthiest groups. Moreover, the aristocracy was ubiquitous in the upper echelons of the state bureaucracy, which had enormous political weight. Social life, however, never took off in united Germany. The vast majority of the Junkers were too poor to enjoy the life-style of the English gentry, let alone the aristocratic grandees. And Berlin's rise from provincial city to metropolis in the last quarter of the nineteenth century was not matched by a social life as hectic as in London or indeed Paris.
German-speaking communities are found throughout all of Europe and in significant numbers especially in the United States and in Latin America.
The international reach of the German language can also be seen in the various dialects that are derived from German. For example, in Luxembourg and in neighboring areas significant portions of the population speak German dialects.
Of all countries where German dialects are spoken, the United States has the largest population of German speakers outside of Europe. The extent of German influence can be seen in part by the existence of a number of towns bearing German names. Examples of this include, New Leipzig, Munich, and Strasburg in the state of North Dakota as well as New Braunfels in the state of Texas.
Other communities retaining German dialects include those of a religious nature. Pennsylvania is home to Amish, Hutterites, Dunkards, and Mennonites. Kansas is also home to Mennonites and Volage Germans. Other states with historic German communities include South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, as well as Illinois and New York.
The extent of the German language and its diversity among even German states led to the process of standardization over several hundred years largely through the work of writers attempting to write in a way that could be understood by the largest body of potential readers. Nevertheless, regional differences remain in spoken German depending on the region it is spoken in.