Germany: A New History

by Hagen Schulze, Deborah Lucas Schneider (Translator)

In one concise volume, Hagen Schulze brilliantly conveys the full sweep of German history, from the days of the Romans to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A story two thousand years in the making, it rings with battle, murmurs with intrigue, and hums with the music of everyday life. This richly various legacy, often overshadowed and distorted by the nation's recent past, offers a hopeful answer to the perennial question of what kind of country Germany is and will be. From the revolt of the indigenous tribes against Roman domination, Schulze leads us through the events that have defined a nation at the center of European culture--the Thirty Years' War and the decline of the Holy Roman Empire, Luther's Reformation and Bismarck's attendance at the birth of modern Germany, the Great War and its aftermath, the nationalistic megalomania under Hitler, the division of the nation after World War II and its reunification. Throughout, we see what these developments have meant for the German people, in the arena of private life and on the stage of world history. A lavish array of illustrations provides a lively counterpoint to Schulze's elegantly written narrative. As it follows the threads of German language, nationalism, and culture to the present day, this dramatic account provides ample reassurance that recent history will not repeat itself. A New History will prove indispensable to our understanding of Germany, past and present, and the future of Europe.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Germany, Travel, European History, German Literature, Reference

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

History can be terrifying, full of wars, plagues, economic oppression, and inbred royals doing stupid things and ruining people's lives. (All that, plus no modern plumbing or birth control -- yikes!) And German history, of course, has its own infamous horrors.

In Germany: A New History, Hagen Schulze doesn't dwell on the atrocities of Hitler and the Nazi regime, but instead provides a concise, accessible history of what we today call Germany and the German people -- or lack thereof. Starting with the Romans and ending with the fall of the Berlin Wall, Schulze guides the reader through centuries of political and social development, often stressing that the concept of a "German" nation state didn't really exist until Bismarck's establishment of the empire in 1871. The narrative is easy to read, if a little dry, and the glossy pages contain colorful illustrations from the German Museum of History in Berlin (which I've visited!). It may not be a good read for someone with no knowledge of European history (Schulze assumes a basic familiarity with the Holy Roman Empire, Napoleon, church history, etc.), but it's a nice survey for someone with a general idea of how things went down who wants more information without being bogged down by countless descriptions of battles and church-state disputes.

Interestingly, while Schulze's book is quasi-academic in tone and doesn't revel in graphic depictions of Germany's bloody past, I still found it a purveyor of more subtle horrors. I came away with the impression that borders and political systems are more vulnerable than we assume, while people essentially stay the same in their ignorance and restless desire for a government that satisfies their emotions, not their reason. For a reader in the United States in 2017, this is an unsettling observation.

But let's start with a rather mild example: at one point, Schulze compares German social class divisions between 1500 and 1800, noting they were remarkably consistent. Approximately 1% of the population was aristocracy, 20% was the bourgeoisie, and the remaining 80% were peasants. These numbers are exactly the class divisions that appear to be hardening today in the United States: the insanely rich 1%, the middle class 20% Richard Reeves recently described in Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do about It, and the rest of the struggling schmucks. I found this depressing, as it makes me fear an 80-20-1 class division is baked into human nature -- the mean to which we will eventually revert after a few decades of social mobility, unless we do something to prevent it.

Then there's this description of the lower-middle class in the mid-1800s:

Next came the lower middle class with its core of craftsmen and artisans, who lived in constant fear of losing their livelihoods to machines and being sucked down into the anonymous masses of the proletariat; their anxieties tended to make them susceptible to antisocialist and jingoistic movements and slogans.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Substitute "factory workers and coal miners" for craftsmen and artisans, "machines" for automation, and "poor non-whites" for proletariat, and that sentence could be written about the "Make America Great Again!" discontents attending Trump rallies today.

And this description of how the Nazis came to power:

The last multiparty elections took place in this climate of intimidation on March 5, 1933, yet even under these circumstances the NSDAP [Nazis] won only 43.9% of the vote. The Nazis were never elected by a majority of the German people, for later plebiscites with outcomes of over 90 percent took place under the peculiar conditions of a totalitarian dictatorship, in which such election results are the norm.

So...dictatorships can be established even when the majority of the population opposes them? *Remembers the 2016 election results, where Trump won with only 48.2% of the popular vote, and starts to get uncomfortable*

And this gem:

Unlike democracy, which had been perceived as austere and rationalistic, the [Nazi] dictatorship satisfied people's emotions. Skillful appeals to tradition played a major role in this success.... The staging of political events, the transformation of slogan into magnificent theater, and the insertion of potent symbolism into everyday life -- these were techniques the government had perfected as never before in German history.

Written in German in 1996, I doubt Schulz intended to draw any of the above parallels -- which makes me worry about them even more. Perhaps everything happening today is just part of history's inevitable cycles, and there's really not much we can do except ride it out.

Look, I don't think Trump is Hitler, or that the United States is poised on the brink of a Nazi-like dictatorship -- I don't want this review to be just another example of Godwin's Law. But I do fear the parallels presage that the United States is in for something. Hopefully, the current administration is that something, and not a precursor of something even worse. Only time will tell.

Overall, Germany: A New History was an excellent read, with enough parallels to modern events to make it particularly worthwhile.

[Michael Holm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a primarily political history of Germany from Roman Empire until 1996. It traces the evolution of governments over the region that is now considered to be Germany. For most of that time, Germany was not a unified country but rather many small kingdoms derived from the early tribes during the administration of Charlemagne. The aristocracy established in the feudal system persisted until Napoleon conquered Europe in the early 19th century. Then the German peoples began to agitate for a modern nation-state like their neighbors. Apparently the German peoples felt vulnerable being surrounded by France, Russia, Britain and Sweden. Those nations wanted to keep Germans divided because of fear that Germany would be too powerful. Bismarck was successful in unifying the German states at a time when the other nations were preoccupied with wars. Then Germany industrialized, providing jobs for an over-populated country. Schulze explains Germany's
initiation of world wars I & II and recovery from the losses. He even ventures an opinion that now Germany is no longer a threat because it is now integrated into the West.

This summary of history is provided in 14 chapters over 340 pages, each chapter covering a chronological period. The first three chapters bring us up to 1806 and Napoleon. So the emphasis of the book is upon the creation and experience of the new nation-state. The chapter chronicling the Nazi rise to power and the initial German successes in World War II is entitled 'German Megalomania'. The English translation by Dorothy Lucas Schneider reads fluently and easily. Many illustrations with explanatory captions are included. A bibliography of suggested reading for the
various historical periods is also provided, as is an index. There are no footnotes. First published in German as 'Kleine Deutsche Geschichte'. Hagen Schulze is a professor of history in a university in Berlin.

I find Schulze's 'insider' perspective on Germany quite interesting, especially about World War II and its aftermath. After the unconditional surrender and during the occupation, the German leaders were immediately determined that Germany be eventually re-united. They finally become reconciled to the partition and pondered the future of a divided Germany just before the Iron Curtain came down . I am skeptical about their being now integrated into the West because when were they not integrated into the West? The printing press and Reformation happened there
and transformed Europe. Their own aristocracy clung to the feudal order as long as they were militarily able. Hopefully Germany now feels responsible for helping maintain the status quo.

My own ancestors are all immigrants from Germany, so I have much to ponder here. I will try to find a book describing in more detail the lives of the peasants and ordinary folk in the German states, for that is who my ancestors were. The bibliography lists several possibilities. Overall, this is a good start for those interested in international affairs and modern Germany. My impression that Europeans have always been fighting is refreshed. Will the European Union and nuclear weapons
manage to prevent another European war? Will Germany commandeer the EU? Young people will see.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
Como introducción general sobre la historia alemana por encima está bastante bien, aunque se nota que está escrito para alemanes, ya que da bastantes cosas por sabidas y lógicamente, no profunfidiza en muchos aspectos. Dado que me interesa Alemania, me deja con ganas de investigar y leer más, para cubrir esos huecos que deja el libro.
Otro punto a comentar es que solo alcanza hasta la caída del muro de Berlín (el libro se publicó originalmente en 1996), con lo cual se echa en falta un capítulo, aunque sea breve, de los últimos tiempos.
A quién busque leer un solo libro sobre Alemania que explique todo su historia, le recomendaría que mirará en otro sitio. A mi como introducción me ha valido.

[Jette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich habe mir dieses Buch auf Empfehlung meines Geschichtslehrers (danke, Sönke!) zur Vorbereitung auf das Abitur gekauft und dann doch keine Zeit dafür gefunden...
Weil es dann aber doch noch irgendwie spannend und halt gerade zur Hand war, habe ich es in Hinblick auf die *Allgemeinbildung* nun trotzdem gelesen.

Das Buch ist klar als Spiegel des nationalen Stolzes Ende des letzten Jahrhunderts zu lesen und stellt den Versuch Hagen Schulzes dar, 2000 Jahre deutsche Geschichte auf bloßen 240 Seiten konzentriert zu illustrieren- und ist darin, meiner Einschätzung nach, größtenteils erfolgreich.
Der Text ist hierbei wahnsinnig informativ (leicht zu erkennen an den Unmengen an Post-its, die ich in meine Ausgabe geballert habe...), zeigt sämtliche politischen, wirtschaftlichen und kulturellen Bewegungen Deutschlands auf und ist dabei auch noch relativ einfach zu lesen.
Ohne Vorwissen ist manches trotzdem schwer verständlich, dann ist das Buch aber auch häufig nicht detailliert genug um als weiterführende Lektüre zu gelten, weshalb ich mich frage, wer genau das Zielpublikum sein soll??
Zusätzlich stört mich ein wenig, dass Außenpolitisches und anderes Weltgeschehen im Einfluss auf Deutschland eher vernachlässigt wurden, allerdings weiß ich dann auch nicht, wie sehr ich das Buch wirklich dafür kritisieren kann... (ein bisschen mehr Kreuzzüge wären trotzdem toll!!)

Wie auch immer, wünscht man sich einen Überblick über die deutsche Geschichte- und auch wirklich nur die Deutsche!- kann man sich das Buch auf jeden Fall geben, aber dann auch nur, wenn man bereit dazu ist, sämtliche im Buch erwähnten Verträge parallel dazu zu googeln. Und wenn man bereit dazu ist, viele Namen von Kaisern und Kanzlern an den Kopf geschmissen zu bekommen ohne eine Erklärung, was genau sie eigentlich gemacht haben. Und wenn man bereit dazu ist, sich von 90s- Nationalstolz berieseln zu lassen.
Naja, eigentlich will ich garnicht so schlecht über das Buch reden, bereichert an Wissen hat es mich auf jeden Fall (wie gesagt, die Post-its können das bezeugen!), aber vielleicht hätte das ein anderes Buch noch besser gekonnt........

[Karen Slora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I did not read this book straight through. It is intended as a textbook and reference and is excellent for those purposes. I would consider it a “starter” history book, because an overview cannot possibly show al the subtlety for each era. Some reviewers found it too “political.”. I actually perceived this as a strength as history does not occur in a vacuum. It is well-researched and comprehensive in scope. The author writes in clear and understandable language. The structure of this book is excellent. Individual chapters describe the events during that era. This allows the reader to select the areas, by chapter, that answer his or her questions. Prior knowledge is not a prerequisite most times in understanding a particular point in time. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn a bit more of Germany. It is on my reference shelf now.

[J.T.K. Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the human side of German history! A very readable, understandable and HUMAN telling of a nation searching for its identity. Questions may not be resolved - in this world, what can be answered definitively? - but the lessons of the past as so well presented here can lead the way.

[Pablo Hernández · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy interesante y bien articulado alrededor de unas cuantas cuestiones: la cuestión alemana (por supuesto) y el papel del resto de potencias europeas en la constitución del estado alemán, la división este/oeste, la construcción de la Alemania interior... El autor tuvo un papel relevante en la Historikerstreit en los ochenta. Quizá el libro requiere conocer la historia alemana de antemano en líneas generales.

[Uxía · Rating 4 out of 5]

ahora ya entiendo el porqué de muchas cosas…🫨🫨🫨

[Krysia Meráki Stories · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una sencilla introducción a la Historia de Alemania que bajo el precio y lo esperado 4 estrellas o 3 y media es suficiente para calificar.

[Colin Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some questions NOT answered by this book:

Why did Napoleon abolish the Holy Roman Empire? What were the consequences of his doing so?
Why did the Princes of Bavaria, Baden, et al agree to cede the sovereignty to Prussia? Would Bismark really have attacked them?
What did those princes do after the formation of the German Empire, anyway? How much autonomy did they have? How did the Second Reich even work?
When did the Catholic-Protestant divide in Germany die down? Or did it ever?
When East and West Germany united, why didn't Austria join?
When did women get the right to vote in Germany? What kind of struggle ensued over women's suffrage?
Did women contribute anything important to German history? Hardly any are even mentioned in the work.
Schultze can be excused for not answering questions about the role of Muslims in Germany, or the German role in the Euro, because he wrote the book in 1990. If you find a well-researched, readable history of Germany that isn't too long and answers these questions, can you recommend one? But if you just want a readable history of Germany that ends more than twenty years ago and treats the 1,000-year history of the Holy Roman Empire in only a few pages, this is the book for you.

[Manuel Del Río Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

My priors

First book of the year. I am, as usual, reading four or five at the same time. One pet project I decided to start this year was to read one national history for each of the countries of Europe, with some leeway for small ones, perhaps a common volume for the Benelux. I have a very good overall picture of world and European history, but I think I can profit from getting down to the nitty-gritty details.

So I decided to start with Germany. What was I looking for:

Something not too long (roughly ≤ 500 pages)

Not too centered on prehistory. Ideally, it should start in Antiquity or the Middle Ages, that is, when the clearest seed of the nation-state has started to grow

Centered on the main narrative and big-picture events. No “let’s devote a chapter to the development of corn cultivation in the eighteenth century in the region of X.” Politics, society, and economics in broad strokes, and in that order of preference.

The book’s contents

Hagen Schulze’s Germany: A New History offers a concise, synthetic account of German history from Roman antiquity to reunification, structured into fourteen relatively short chapters that together trace the slow, uneven, and often contingent formation of Germany as a political and cultural entity. Rather than assuming a timeless German nation, the book begins with the Roman and medieval worlds, stressing that “German lands” long existed within larger imperial, dynastic, and confessional frameworks, above all the Holy Roman Empire, whose weakness and fragmentation shaped central Europe for centuries. Schulze then follows the transition to modernity through the Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War, and the empire’s dissolution, before turning to the nineteenth century’s belated nation-building, unification under Prussian leadership, and the tensions embedded in the new Reich. The narrative continues through Germany’s bid for world power, the catastrophe of the First World War, the chaos and general fragility of the Weimar Republic, the radical rupture of National Socialism, and the devastation and moral collapse of 1945. The final chapters treat division during the Cold War and reunification in 1990, returning in the epilogue to the unresolved question of what Germany is and can be. Throughout, Schulze distances himself from heroic or teleological national narratives, treating German history as a complex and often belated process in which imperial legacies, political fragmentation, and Germany’s central position in Europe mattered at least as much as ideas of national identity.

My posteriors

Hagen Schulze’s book ticked the three boxes I included in my list of expectations. It is about three hundred and something pages long and starts in the Middle Ages, with a brief introduction on Hermann and the Roman-adjacent tribes. It also comes with lots of images that illustrate aspects of the main narrative.

I did not learn much in this book that I did not already know, although it did bring many semi-forgotten memories and ideas back to mind. If you do not know much about Germany’s history, it will be a decent introduction. In my case, I should probably have been looking for something longer and denser. Perhaps there is no good single-volume option for this in English.

There were, however, things that gave me food for thought. One is how the whole European post-Westphalian settlement was predicated on a weak and divided Germany, and on the great powers striving to make sure this remained the case, which feels quite unfair. Then again, once Germany did unify, we see what happened, twice. Another is how German nationhood remained both diffuse and strong. Implicitly, as a Spaniard, I tend to see Western history through a prism that works well only for a few states, namely the UK, France, and Spain itself: a strong medieval kingdom acting as the kernel for the future, a Renaissance that brings about a strengthening of royal power and a domestication of the nobility, and then nineteenth-century liberalism completing the construction of the nation-state. Germany overturns this model, as do Italy and probably most parts of Europe. My expectation tends to be that the kingdom creates the nation-state, given some base ethnic, religious, linguistic, and cultural homogeneity that it then uses its tools to reinforce and deepen. In Germany, instead, you get a very long, drawn-out process in which some sort of national consciousness develops and diffuses and is frequently at odds with existing state structures.

Another interesting aspect of the book is how it avoids falling into narratives of historical inevitability. Had they not been distracted by events and misfortune, the Hohenstaufens, or Emperor Maximilian, might have created a strong medieval kingdom of the western European type. If the Reformation had been avoided, or had been more successful, or if the Habsburgs had won the Thirty Years’ War, a strong Germany might also have come into being two centuries earlier. If the victorious Allies of the First World War had dealt more reasonably with Germany, the Weimar Republic might have survived and continued seamlessly into a modern, democratic, westernized country. Reunification itself was not a given. It required another opening in the window of historical contingency, brought about by the collapse of the Soviet empire and the economic and political disaster that “really existing socialism” had produced across eastern Europe in general and in the German Democratic Republic in particular. While there are large trends in history, there is also a great deal of contingency that we tend to brush under the table, since past events cannot be replayed and counterfactuals remain intellectual exercises.

All in all, this was an entertaining, light read. It was also published just after reunification. I wonder what the author’s assessment would be of the Berlin Republic, and whether he would remain optimistic about the current problems Germany and Europe are experiencing.

[Dick Heimbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book for me was an overview of the leader-war-territory, concept of describing history. I liked it and found many of my questions about German history answered. Recently I read Germany, Memories of a Nation, by Neil Mac Gregor, a book that does not rely on the territorial configuration of the German lands, instead it describes facets of the German experience such as the lives and influences of Martin Luther, Goethe and Albrecht Duerer—and many other features of German culture (e.g. evolution of the language) that I found made more valuable for understanding the nature and contributions of the Germans today to European life and culture. This latter book presented a more up to date description of events in Modern Germany such as: reconstructions after WWII, assimilation of refugees in that time, economic recovery, fall of the wall and reunification. Both are worthwhile and complement each other.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es ist nicht einfach zu sagen, warum mir das Buch missfallen hat. Auf 230 Seiten kann man die deutsche Geschichte nicht im Detail darstellen. Schon klar. Aber die Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig weglasssen, die RAF für nicht erwähnenswert halten? Mir war das gleichzeitig zu knapp und zu schwafelig. „In Politik und Geschichte ist nichts so dauerhaft wie das Provisorum, nichts hingegen so hinfällig wie ein Zustand, der für die Dauer sein soll.“ Das soll aphoristisch schlau sein, ist aber entweder banal oder schlicht Unsinn.

Ein paar mehr (und bessere) Tabellen und Karten hätten dem Buch auch gut getan.

[Pershelle Rohrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was assigned for a German culture class that I took in undergrad, and I ended up deciding to finish it on my own following the class because it was so well written, and informative. This book covered the history of Germany and its past territory starting from the Roman Empire through the reunification of Germany, I learned a ton from this book, and as an American, I now have a much better understanding of how present-day Germany came to be based on centuries of history. I am glad that I decided to finish this book, and it was a great starting point for me to branch out and learn more about German history. I highly recommend this one, and I’m excited to build upon it and learn more about modern Germany after where this book stopped. It was well worth the read.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro que recorre toda la historia de Alemania, desde Carlomagno fundamentalmente hasta la actualidad. Si quieres tener un acercamiento acerca del contexto histórico de Deutschland, este es un libro bastante acertado. Riguroso y con unos temas bien explicados y nada aburridos. Sin embargo, la parte del siglo XX, muy importante para toda Europa y para los alemanes, ha quedado bastante "ligera" y demasiado "académica". Quizás este libro sirva como introducción para profundizar en aquellos hechos, personajes o momentos históricos que querramos conocer más.

[José Ángel Morales Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro puede servir como elemento introductorio a la historia de Alemania, desde los tiempos de los intentos de conquista romanos hasta la unificación en el año 1990. Da pinceladas de cada momento de la historia alemana sin profundizar en cada época, de lectura amena; se echa en falta la anteriormente profundidad en algunas épocas o procesos, tales como la caída del muro de Berlín, las guerras contra los franceses o la unificación del Imperio.

[Chip Scarinzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm racing the Berlin Marathon in September and have wanted to learn more about Germany ahead of time. This was a solid reference guide, written like a textbook, and helped me a great deal in terms of my knowledge of the country's history dating back to the Roman Empire. A bit dated, as it was written in 1998, but I learned quite a bit and that was entirely the point!

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overview of Germanic history up to the late 90s. Apparently they did some naughty things, which made the book rather interesting in the later parts. I may have to go over there and express my disapproval and take some witbier by way of apology.

[Haycvel Voice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es historia, contada de manera muy resumida con un final para reflexionar a cerca de lo que puede ser un país que ha pasado por esas transformaciones. Me permitió entender unos conceptos y comportamientos y simplemente lo ame porque es un libro que quería leer hace mucho

[karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

dafür, dass es inhaltlich stark verknappt war (was ja auch der sinn war) war es dann doch sehr akademisch und unzugänglich geschrieben. zudem würde ich mir von so einem historischen buch mehr wertneutralität erhoffen (am ende kam die meinung des autors auf eher unpassende art zum vorschein)
2.5

[Tina]

Como era de suponer, muy concentrado y resumido, pero me sirve de puerta de entrada para profundizar en temas concretos.

[Justin M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another textbook from college. Do not remember much other than I enjoyed it and it covered a large span of history concisely and was not odious in the slightest.

[Brendan Steinhauser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this excellent, well-written history of Germany by Hagen Schulze. He traces German history back to the late Roman period, and chronicles the rise of Germany identity in the centuries following that period. Schulze takes the reader through the early Middle Ages, the religious wars, the Germanic empires, and the other important time periods and events in German history. A good amount of the book focuses on the creation, expansion, and destruction of the German nation-state: from Bismarck's unification by conquest to the ashes of Hitler's horrific regime. Schulze then looks at the division of East and West Germany, and the reunification that took place after the opening of the Berlin Wall and the communist regime's collapse. This book is a great primer on German history, and is a good starting point to dive into the specific eras that interest the reader. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this nation's rich history over the centuries.

[Irish Gal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of Germany. Even though they were known collectively as "Germans", there was no country with that name until the 1870s, and even then it was a weak confederation. This book gives a good insight into why Germans so easily accepted the "fatherland" notion and wars that got them into trouble (and why lots of them left).

This English version was originally written in German for Germans, so I had to do some research along the way to figure out some of what they were referencing, even though I have taken World History and have done research into German history from a genealogy point of view. So it's not an "all-in-one" history course on Germany but is a great general overview.

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the first book I have read about history of a European country. I don't feel intimidated by the amount of information and the vocabularies used in there. It is clear and to the point to summarise what happened and consequences and subsequent events. I suppose it wasn't exactly neutral, but it probably reflect how a German Scholar view his own country's history

the amount of illustrations tell me more on the art and culture. maps and graphs for a better idea on where and facts.

I m glad to have picked this up before my first trip to Germany!

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched and comprehensive history of the lands which comprise the country of Germany from early Roman times through the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. Germany did not become a distinct nation until about 1870. Prior to that time it was more a loose confederation of duchys or small principalities, each governed by a local prince or king. In these early years, "Germania" referred not only to the current Germany, but all included eastern Europe (Prussia) and down into Austria.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an average history book. Don’t pick this up if you want to be told a narrative - to connect to some historical figure or place. This is a textbook, or at least it reads as one. Germany’a history is very political...and surprisingly short. This book opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn’t know, but went wayyy too deep into the political landscape of the times. I need the gist, not the nitty gritty.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

They have a translated version of this book. To get the full picture, this definitely requires access to the Internet or an encyclopedia close at hand--there are a lot of historical references that are glossed over or only casually mentioned. This book is dense, but engaging and mostly easy to read. For the reader interested in German history, it offers a digestible but complete overview.

[Malcolm Yarnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best short introduction to German history in existence. It is based on the latest research (to the late 20th Century) and utilizes the German History Museum in Berlin. Going to Germany? Read this book. Visit the German History Museum. Only a 4-star simply because I wish it had been longer!

[David Melvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a brief history about the history of Germany. It very definitive about about how Germany became important in world history and strongly influenced the world. It starts from Ancient Roman times until the present day.