[jboot]

Very funny! I like a good historical joke on Mondays.

Oh. You're serious?

The Third Reich refers to Hitler's reign, 1933-1945.
The Second Reich refers to the Wiemar Republic, 1919-1933.
The First Reich refers to Imperial Geramany, 1870-1918.

In no way is the Holy Roman Empire involved.

[ibme]

Reich [rk , rkh ] (plural Reichs) noun German empire: the German state or empire, especially the Holy Roman Empire (926-1806) or First Reich, the German Empire (1871-1919) or Second Reich, or the Nazi state (1933-1945) or Third Reich from Encarta

[cynicom]

The Nazis did in fact consider the first reich as the Roman Empire, ending in 1806.