Napoleon consolidated many of the states of the Holy Roman Empire. Then the Prussians expanded across the map (without looking it up, it seems to me at least six of the modern states were wholly or mainly part of the Kingdom of Prussia; and thats not counting the former Prussian territory now in Poland or Russia).
Consolidation even continued during the Weimar Republic, with the creation of Thuringia.
The Nazis (like the Communists later) did not want to encourage traditional regional loyalties, so they broke up the states into smaller districts.
After the second world war the basis of the present state map was constructed. Compared with the Weimar states, Prussia was broken up and there was some consolidation in the south.
Finally after re-unification the states were re-created in the east; producing what exists now.
Another random thought, the Bundesrat seems to have been the model for the European Council. There are the same characteristics of state governments being represented as such, with a prescribed number of votes roughly related to population.
I think I was thinking of the Nazi Party structure (gauleiters), more than the formal state institutions, but I do recall that Goering was the Prime Minister of Prussia (amongst other jobs) at one time.
