Germany

by Ralph Raico, Harry Reasoner (Narrator)

Germany is historically one of the most important of all nations. Since emerging from its days as a Roman province, Germany (including Prussia) has had a central role in European affairs. It has reached the heights in art, music, literature and political power, yet it's also reached the depths in humiliating military defeat and partition. This presentation reviews the broad sweep of German history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

Audio CD

First published June 15, 2006

About the author

Ralph Raico was an American libertarian historian of European liberalism and a professor of history.

Reviews

[Mathias · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another good audio book by Ralph Raico. This time, the title and subject is Germany. Early on, he talks about Germanic tribes and what antique observers had to say about them. But it’s not made clear, what these tribe have to do with Germans of the last 300 years or so. Personally, I do think there’s a continuity between the two but it’s obviously a very complex case.

He mentions Humboldt’s The Limits of State Action, because of this I got it now too, in its original German version as an eBook, which is for free on Amazon. The book has influenced J. S. Mill and his best-seller on liberty.

Apparently, Mme Staël said that the Germans are theoretical liberal but practically obedient. Which unfortunately, seems to be about right.

The Napoleonic French rule brought new taxes to Germany. It did so too in my own country, Switzerland.

In World War I, the English blockade against Germany included food for civilians. This was certainly a low point implemented by and for England, a country that seems to me to have tremendous problems up to this day.

Germany supported the Bolsheviks because they counted on them making peace, so that Germany could concentrate on the West Front. They gave Lenin financial and logical support and safe passage through Germany. Ironically, later in 1919 the reverse happened when Russia secretly supported and funded the German KPD (Communistic Party of Germany).

After war, inflationism lead Berlin to became a new babylon (if I understood it correctly). There was no point in saving or planning for the future, so people focussed on the present. There were more bars, more dancing clubs, more prostitutes and more gambling. But most people didn’t do this voluntarily, they were forced by the new circumstances that the national bank brought about. The people longed for order and this was an important factor in the success of the Nazis as they promised order (though didn’t deliver).

In the dealings with World War II, England is mentioned a second time in a ghastly matter: They were targeting and bombing German civilians. How low can you go?

After World War II, Germany became for a short time liberal (in the right sense of the word) and therefore the economy was booming. The economically illiterate mainstream dubbed it the German economic wonder (Deutsches Wirtschaftswunder), but of course it was the opposite of a wonder, it was simply the expected result of a liberal system.

There’s of course much more in the book, but in my reviews I’m always focussing on what stuck out to me as interesting.

[Muriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book devoted more time to the craze of World War II's built-up, relative to events' calendar duration. This is fitting for this crisis day with fascist habitual liars at the center of every chaos. I am afraid of fascism revisiting us, and this book reminds us how easy an educated civilization tips to the extreme. Be vigilant.

[عدنان العبار · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook offers a brief history of Germany, from 1600 to the fall of the Berlin wall. The history is animated, the accentuated narrators are amazing, and this book is absolute fun to listen to. Especially for Bismarck's recount, and Hitler's. I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it went farther into current times and Germany’s role in NATO and EU.

[Allen Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another interesting book by Ralph.

[Cameron Rhoads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to on Audible and thoroughly enjoyed.

[Othoob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is similar to the other audiobook about Russia. First, it goes down to the Romans, where, during those days, the German were tribes. They (I think) have had leaders for each tribe, and these tribes weren’t united. This book is very informative. It provides a brief history of Germany up to the rise of Hitler. I have now understood the concept of the Berlin Wall and how one can learn a lot from this division that occurred between East and West.

This book is important since it provides a lot of information about world war I and especially world war II from other perspectives. It also briefly explains the relationships between communism, fascism, and the death of Hitler.