The answer to the above question, if there aren’t any
inconsistencies with the timeline, is unbelievably fast. So fast in fact that
Germany completely dethrones America’s path to maturity. America goes from a
toddler, to a young child, a young adolescent, and only becomes an adult after
he achieves full independence.

Meanwhile, Germany goes from a young child to an adolescent/
young adult within one year.

No, I’m not kidding. The strips covering both Industrial
Revolutions testify to this claim.

The first Industrial Revolution took place in England in the
late 1800s (approximately 1760) and lasted up until around 1870. 

The Second
Industrial Revolution had less to do with the textile industries and more to do
with machinery and steel. That’s where Germany comes in.

At the start of the second Industrial Revolution, Germany
hadn’t unified and therefore lacked behind in the industrial developments that
neighboring countries experienced.

After unification
(1871), this changed, and Germany became heavily involved in the machining
industry. Notice this panel here. Germany is immediately put to work…right
after being born.

That’s not the type of work a child would be capable of
doing, let me tell you.

Germany’s awkward mannerisms as he and Prussia converse with
England makes me believe that he’s a teenager here. He’s still new to the
world, and hasn’t quite figured out how to navigate it.

Here Germany is again, modifying English machinery. 

Throughout these strips, Germany is not once shown to be a
child. His aged appearance combined with the phrase “after the unification”, as
well as the panel illustrating him instantly being put to work, hints at a
dramatic and unparalleled growth spurt in contrast with the other nations.

Now, think about this in terms of how relationally-impaired
and awkward Germany is with others. He never got to experience a proper
childhood. In the field of psychology, childhood is crucial; it’s where you
acquire and develop proper socialization skills.

If this is all true, then Germany never had a childhood. Well,
maybe.

He could always be
Holy Rome, but what’s important to reiterate here is that if Germany is Holy Rome, then he’s shown little signs
of remembering this childhood…