The German Problem: Basic Questions of German Political Life, Past and Present

by Gerhard Ritter

This highly informed and carefully reasoned response, by a renowned German historian, to the flood of attacks leveled against German history and political institutions in the wake of the Nazi catastrophe represents a serious attempt to inquire into the degree to which these charges are just and argue for the redrawing of the traditional outlines of German history.

Translated from the German by Sigurd Burckhardt

233 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Gerhard Ritter nacque in Turingia,nel 1888.Professore universitario a partire dal 1924,durante gli ultimi anni della seconda guerra mondiale entrò in contatto con i gruppi di opposizione al regime,e fu imprigionato dalla Gestapo.Ripreso l'insegnamento universitario,morì a Friburgo il 1 luglio 1967.

Reviews

[TR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short but dense meditation on Germany's recent history by a conservative German scholar is a godsend for Anglophone readers who want a more objective analysis. He says some things I don't like (he thinks the ideas of Moeller van der Bruck were unjustified and those of Carl Schmitt 'dangerous'), but what is provided more than compensates for these opinions. This is an antidote to Craig's and Holborn's nonsense.

Other good books on the subject are the same author's The Sword and the Scepter and The German Problem Reconsidered (David Calleo).