Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871–1918

by Katja Hoyer

Before 1871, Germany was not a nation but an idea. Its founder, Otto von Bismarck, had a formidable task at hand. How would he bring thirty-nine individual states under the yoke of a single Kaiser, convincing proud Prussians, Bavarians and Rhinelanders to become Germans? Once united, could the young European nation wield enough power to rival the empires of Britain and France – all without destroying itself in the process? In a unique study of five decades that changed the course of modern history, Katja Hoyer tells the story of the German Empire from its violent beginnings to its calamitous defeat in the First World War. It is a dramatic tale of national self-discovery, social upheaval and realpolitik that ended, as it started, in blood and iron.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Germany, European History, Politics, World War I, War

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 14, 2021

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nineteenth century Europe is a complex world especially where politics, treaties, dynasties, and wars are concerned. Arguably none more so than the states that came to be the German nation.

In Katja Hoyer's well presented and readable account, she brings order and simplicity and covers much ground in a relatively short account.

Starting not in 1871 but earlier in 1815 she provides context to inter-country relationships - notably France, Prussia and Russia with Austria-Hungary accompanying - and the general shape of Europe up to and just past the Franco-Prussian war of 1870.

From this point, Wilhelm I, German emperor, Otto Von Bismarck and Wilhelm II take centre stage as we read of the creation of the German nation and its identity. There is, of course, coverage on Bismarck's approach to domestic and international politics, including his intertwined treaties and alliances, as well aspects such as trade, social status, and society in general. German political parties and their personalities feature, especially where parties worked for or against each other, especially after Bismarck has retired and Wilhelm's replacements are in play.

As the German nation grows in trade, status and military might, notably for France and Russia on land and for Britain at sea, we see alliances shift and the stage sets for the catastrophe of WWI and the impact it had on Germany and its people.

The final chapter deals with the fate of Wilhelm II and his subjects noting exile for one and starvation, broken lives, and hardship for the other. To her great credit Professor Hoyer does not sign off her book with a chapter on post 1918 and what came after but leaves the German story well placed for a further volume or for readers to follow their own path to the 1920s and beyond.

Blood and Iron is recommended for both newcomers to the subject area and for those who have interacted with this period and wish to read an impressive single volume of the period.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whistle Stop Tour of the Second Reich

Following the revolutions of 1848, the idea nationalism spring up across Europe. The dream of a unified Germany looked like it would become a possibility. She the German Empire was declared in 1870, realised by the political genius of Otto von Bismarck, ‘it was a far cry from the democratic unification of which the liberals had dreamed’, writes author Katya Hoyer. This was a military creation, forged out of the defeat of the Second French Empire, in the Hall of Mirrors at Louis XIV’s palace of Versailles. Not a civilian was in sight. Also against some better judgement, the Germans punished France by taking both Rhine provenances of Alsace and Lorraine. The French would not forget these humiliations and would spend 40 years waiting for revenge.

The Reich was Bismarck’s creation and only worked with him running the show, Kaiser Wilhelm I famously said, ‘it’s hard being emperor under Bismarck.’ Hoyer states that Bismarck was ‘one of the greatest statesman of all time.’ Others such as Henry Kissinger have agreed. It’s hard to argue that, however as Hoyer explains he also alienated Catholics, Poles and Socialists as enemies of the empire, creating domestic tensions that did not need to exist. He however was progressive in other areas, creating the first welfare state. He also was balanced in his foreign diplomacy. Hoyer states the problem with the Second Reich was the political system itself. A government not answerable to the Reichstag, they needed legislature’s approval to pass laws and military budgets. This was elected by universal male suffrage, but the authoritarian and democratic components often collided. As Bismarck’s successors came into office, they found it increasingly difficult to manage the Reichstag where the social democrats became the second largest party in 1912. Different sub-factions played off each other with outside pressure from the military weighed on top.

A great first publication by the talented Hoyer. Blood and Iron was so engaging that I couldn't put it down and finished it within two days. Hoyer is fair in her analysis and comes from the more modern school of thought that Germany and the Kaiser were not warmongers prior to the First World War although there were uncontrollable evens and structures which did contribute. Some of this lead to causing the Second World War, but as she points out the German Empire was not destined to create Nazi Germany! The book is short, punchy, excellently written and fast paced. And even though only 224 pages I learned quite a lot, such as Bizmarck’s political genius and structures, some of which still survive today. Refreshing read, great author.

[Boudewijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw one of my Goodreads friends describe this book as a "whistle stop tour" on the creation of the Second Reich and that is exactly what this book is. Do not expect a in-depth examination of the Prussian state between 1870 and 1918, but more as a introduction to the main players in that era. With 224 pages, you get the main points and therefore this is an excellent introduction if you're interested in that time period.

[Kist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expertly crafted, this concise overview serves as an excellent introduction for a general audience.

[Dropbear123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Highly recommend

Really good. It packs a lot of detail into only 240 pages and is accessible to read with good writing. Despite the title saying 1871 the book begins in 1815 with the end of the Napoleonic Wars. This first chapter is mainly about the emergence of a German nationalist movement and Bismarck’s actions in the 1860s before Germany was unified. The second chapter is about Bismarck’s Germany and covers it in a thematic style, beginning with the political structure before moving onto the anti-Catholic Kulturkampf/culture war and the economic situation and how this effected socialism. This chapter also covers the treatment of minorities like the Poles and French in the German Empire before finishing with Bismarck’s foreign policy. A very short 3rd chapter for the period after Kaiser Wilhelm I’s death until the resignation of Bismarck. Chapter 4 covers the prewar Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Germany through a mix of chronologically following the various chancellors and thematic subsections on topics like Weltpolitik, culture, and the Kaiser’s embarrassing moments. Finally, chapter 5 covers WWI, including a summary of Germany’s war, the spirit/mood of 1914 as the war economy and the sacrifices of the German people before finishing with the collapse of the empire and the Kaiser’s abdication. The book has some historiography in it saying what other historians think and where they may be wrong or outdated. The book is more positive towards the German Empire and especially more positive towards Bismarck than from what I’ve seen elsewhere.

[Brett C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent read on the history of the German Empire from the 1813-15 time frame up to the end of WW1. Katja Hoyer did a great job of presenting the facts and explaining the direct & indirect impacts of decisions, political moves, wars, and social ramifications. I learned the key historical takeaways were the Franco-Prussian War and Germany's unification, the growth of the nation, events leading to & the outbreak of WW1.

The book was clearly written and delivered in a non-confusing manner. Katja Hoyer did an outstanding job of presenting the details. without information overload. I would recommend this to anyone interested in modern German political and military history. Thanks!

[Clay Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise history of Germany. The maps and diagrams are difficult to read.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katja Hoyer’s Blood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871–1918 is the first German history I’ve read that looks beyond the shadow of the Second World War, and it opened my eyes to how much of Germany’s twentieth-century story was shaped in the decades before. Covering the period from unification in 1871 through the end of the First World War, Hoyer provides a brisk but engaging survey of a nation coming into being, wrestling with modernity, and ultimately stumbling into catastrophe.

What struck me most was her ability to thread together politics, society, and culture in a way that made the rise of Imperial Germany feel both inevitable and precarious. Otto von Bismarck looms large here, a rare master of statecraft whose domestic and foreign policy seem like an endless balancing act—one that no successor could maintain. Hoyer doesn’t linger too long on any one theme, but she consistently keeps the reader oriented, showing how each event fed into the larger narrative of Germany’s development.

I also came away with a new perspective on the First World War and its aftermath. I had always assumed that reparations were the primary reason Germany struggled to recover in the 1920s, but Hoyer makes clear that the economic wreckage began during the war itself. Reparations only compounded difficulties that were already profound. This broader view of the crisis deepened my understanding of why the Weimar Republic faced such daunting challenges from the very start.

For anyone new to German history, Blood and Iron is an excellent entry point: accessible, fast-paced, and full of insight without being overwhelming. It may not dive deeply into every topic, but it succeeds in showing the larger patterns and tensions that shaped modern Germany. I’d especially recommend it to readers who want to understand how the Germany of the twentieth century was built on the choices, triumphs, and fractures of the nineteenth.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A excellent written book on Germanys history!!

I didn’t know all to much about the forming of Germany and Bismarck and many of the men who helped shape what Germany would become! It was definitely a intense and very interesting journey into this world of war, pride and trying to form a identity for themselves.

Katja Hoyer did a great job taking me on a journey into some of germanys most important historical moments and I learned a great deal! It was well laid out and I was able to stay on track without getting to much information overload which can happen with many history books.

Fantastic book on German history and recommend to anyone new to the subject!

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine history of the second or Wilhelmine German Empire but there is something lacking. It is not an exciting read - but the fault lies not with the author - whose writing is clear and scholarship excellent - but the subject itself. The German Empire was very much the creation of Bismarck and the system designed for governing was made for Bismarck working with the first Kaiser. Unfortunately Bismarck could not work with the Kaiser's grandson, and the empire could not really work without him. As the empire existed for such a short time and was so much wrapped up in the lives of the man who created it, Bismarck, and destroyed it, Kaiser Wilhelm II, hat I can't help but recommend anyone to read one of the recent new biographies of Bismarck or Wilhelm II.

I am sorry to appear to be negative about this work, it just didn't have any real 'buzz' or excitement. An excellent history - but very flat.

[Marks54 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a recently translated edition of a book by a young German historian, Katja Hoyer. Its subject is the history of the German Empire - in effect this is a detailed case study of the Bismarckian state from its establishment after the Franco-Prussian war in 1871 until the advent of the Weimar Republic and the end of the German Empire in 1918 following the end of WW1.

If one is familiar with the basic history here, this book is a refresher to the rise of unified Germany and the end of that empire in 1918. On that level alone, the book is well worth reading. The story is well known and tragic but worth remembering.

What caught my attention about this book was the perspective that a young and active German historian brings to this study given the German catastrophe up through the Weimar and Nazi years, the total destruction of WW2, the Cold War years, and the reunification of Germany in 1990. Why write this story again now?

There are lots of reasons, all of them relevant and important. First, Professor Hoyer makes clear early on that she is responding to a general tendency to look at Germany’s violent 20th century history and conclude that such a terrible outcome was a necessary result of Bismarck’s accomplishment of unifying the German state in 1871, an event arguably one of the most important developments in European and global history since the French Revolution. Her argument is that matters could have turned out very differently for Germany had a number of key turning points developed differently. A backwards “post hoc ergo prompter hoc” argument is not defensible. I agree with this and Hoyer is persuasive. Yes, mistakes were certainly made but it is unreasonable to blame it on Bismarck.

Related to this, I enjoyed how Professor Hoyer emphasized how critical decisions actually got made and how inattention to management and process certainly contributed to other bad judgements along the way. The broader macro issues remain critical, of course, but how German worked as a policy making and decision making entity contributed much to the end of the German empire and the terrible 20th century that followed.

An additional issue, although not fully developed, concerns what the German unification story has to say to the US of the early 21st century. There is much talk about the US falling apart into multiple countries and along economic and cultural cleavages. This has been huge in pop policy studies since the 2016 election. The idea is that such a fragmentation along economic, regional, ethnic, or cultural lines is a new development in the US and should be remedied through better policy and leadership - or something like that.

Hoyer’s book presents the opposite case of a large culturally developed population with great industrial potential that had been politically fragmented for centuries - especially since Charlemagne. Movements developed in the direction of German unification along some model - under Prussian leadership? Under Austrian leadership? In a confederation? … or some other way. The German unification of 1871 provided a political solution to the problem of cultural similarities but political fragmentation. Hoyer makes clear that such a unification as Prussia accomplished was seen as nearly impossible due to all of the different divergences among the various sub states and Prussia and that only Bismarck had the skill to pull it off as he did. Given how difficult unification was, what would happen when leadership changed and was not skillful enough to manage the tensions? That is what happened, of course and Germans ended up not being reunified until 1990 - a century after Bismarck left office.

So the US situation is the reverse of the German one - or is it so different, especially as Germany, where the Olaf Schulz, successor to Angela Merkel tries to solidify power and actually govern the German state in 2022? Maybe appeals to culture wars might not be effective in the US. Be careful what one wishes for. Germans got their unity but how did that work out? Sure, better more recently but an ongoing difficult problem for leadership. Maybe the US should pay attention.

Finally, the story up until the end of 1918 is so complex that I had to marvel at the balanced approach of Professor Hoyer in telling her story so well and in such a balanced manner.

Not bad for a short history book!

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slim volume that doesn't waste a word. Covers the period from the Napoleonic Wars ("The Wars of Liberation") through the immediate aftermath of the First World War. The first third of the volume covered the material I'm least familiar with, but even her treatment of the period I'm most familiar with (the Wilhemine period) was excellent and I learned a good deal.

The star of the show? Bismarck. None of his contemporaries possessed a fraction of his political acumen. Flawed to be sure, and probably not fun to spend time with, but he played 5D chess while his opponents played checkers. The guy orchestrated (and won!) three wars, founded a new nation-state, and set up the first social welfare program. The funny thing about the wars is that Bismarck placed heavy emphasis on the power of diplomacy and avoiding military engagement; I guess he was a jack of all trades. Ultimately his creation faltered because only he knew how to control it properly -- and Hoyer would say because it was sustained in large part by violence. I walk away from this book wanting to read more about Bismarck (and about Wilhelm II, a man whose qualities made him uniquely ill-suited to take up the reins from Bismarck).

My favorite passage from the book:

"The now infamous incident of the so-called Captain of Kopenick epitomizes this perfectly. An unemployed cobbler by the name of Wilhelm Friedrich Voigt with a long criminal record decided in 1906 that the blind German belief in military structures could be exploited. He bought used items of a captain's uniform from different shops and wore them on the morning of 16 October to see how far they would get him. He marched to his local army barracks and told four grenadiers whom he found there to come with him. He picked up six more from the local shooting range, and together the group went on a train journey to Berlin Kopenick, where Voigt told 'his' soldiers to occupy the town hall. The authority of his uniform was not only enough to commandeer the soldiers around, but he also told the local police to keep law and order while he went about his important business. Voigt had the mayor and the treasurer arrested (for supposed fraud) and confiscated 4,000 marks (with receipt!) before he told his soldiers to split into two groups, one taking the prisoners to the Neue Wache in Berlin for questioning, the other to stand guard at the town hall. He the changed back into civilian clothes and disappeared. This ridiculous episode may be a one-off, but it serves to exemplify the obedience and respect a German army uniform commanded at the turn of the century." Wild!

[Steven Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might surprise most of you that Germany has only been a country since 1871. By the mid-19th century Germany was a series of states, thirty nine to be exact. The dominant principalities were Prussia and Bavaria, one dominated the Lutheran north, the other the Catholic south. The question must be asked, how was it unified? Many argue it was the work of the eventual German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck whose brilliant realpolitik fostered wars with Denmark, Austria, culminating with the unification of the north and south through war with France. Another important question revolves around the idea that Germany was unified because of Bismarck’s brilliance and his opponents in other countries/kingdoms were not exceptional intellects, particularly King Louis Napoleon III. Did Bismarck lure his foreign opponents into wars, creating a nationalist movement that gave the Chancellor the opportunity to use Prussia as the cudgel to bring about the new country.

If one has read the works of Otto Pflanze, Jonathan Steinberg, or A.J.P. Taylor it is clear that Bismarck learned an important lesson during the Revolutions of 1848 – Germany could not be unified from below – it had to be unified from above, superimposing Prussia on the rest of the German states. It is obvious that the unification of Germany was a complex endeavor that engenders many questions, and it lends itself to an important book by Katja Hoyer, a German-British historian entitled, BLOOD AND IRON: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE 1871-1918.

Hoyer does an excellent job of synthesis as she tackles “the Second Reich” under Wilhem I through his grandson, Wilhelm II in this short volume. Do not let its length take away from Hoyer’s incisive analysis as she explains how Germany was unified, then remarkably how Bismarck decided that after unification, Germany was satiated and turned to domestic issues and away from further foreign wars. He resorted to diplomacy by isolating France through a series of alliances and stole the socialist domestic thunder by adopting some of their programs. Further, he did not want to get involved in the imperialist race for colonies since Germany’s creation had upended the European balance of power; he did not want to create enemies that would lead to war. Hoyer argues correctly that once Bismarck passed from the scene in 1888, Wilhelm II would negate the Bismarckian realpolitik for a much more aggressive foreign policy which would eventually lead to the events of August 1914 and four years later Germany’s defeat in World War I.

Despite the fact that Hoyer’s monograph is only 239 pages, it is crammed with historical assessments, personality analysis, and a deep dive into the cause and effect of important events. Hoyer displays a firm knowledge of sources and writes in an easy style that allows a clear understanding of information that at times can be dense. The author offers many interesting points that seem off the beaten track, but in reality impact the course of German history. A case in point is her discussion of the Grimm brother’s fairy tales and its impact on the unity of German culture. Others include the relationship between Kaiser Wilhelm I, his son Friedrich III, and Wilhelm II, the Kaiser’s grandson. The Kaiser tried to stay in the background and let Bismarck lead, Friedrich who died after 99 days on the throne was much more liberal than his father, and his son Wilhelm II was an aggressive and insecure man who would lead Germany to ruin.

Hoyer carefully explains the rise of Otto von Bismarck and his relationship with Wilhelm I. She examines his approach to domestic and foreign policy, and it is clear from her presentation that Bismarck was far more competent than anyone he dealt with as he manipulated people and events to achieve his goals. She vociferously argues against the idea that there is a straight line in German history between Bismarck and Adolf Hitler. She continues stating the Bismarckian system was inherently flawed, but it did not set Germany upon the inevitable path to war and genocide. Bismarck was aware how the unity of the German states threatened the European balance of power after 1871 and was very careful not to create situations that would foster foreign intervention into German affairs. Obviously, Bismarck used war as a political tool, but once his goals were achieved he turned more to protect unification and deal with domestic issues like the perceived socialist and Catholic threats, resulting in social legislation and the Kulturkampf which was a response to Papal overreach.

The key figure apart from Bismarck in Hoyer’s rendition of German history is Wilhelm II who saw himself as another Frederick Barbarossa who would lead Germany’s return to greatness. According to Hoyer, Wilhelm II saw no need for Chancellors, Ministers, or political realities to mitigate his power, which was an unworkable concept at the turn of the century which only became apparent to him when it was already too late. Wilhelm II had no comprehension of the complexity of Bismarck’s schemes in domestic and foreign affairs that held Germany together and allowed it to prosper. Despite his succumbing to flattery from certain officials resulting in cunning manipulation, feelings of insecurity, and his rejection of republicans and liberals his belief in the glory of Germany which deserved its rightful place in the world power structure was very popular with the German people. The belief in authoritarianism and militarism is supported by a wonderful vignette dealing with an unemployed cobbler named Wilhelm Frederick Voight who acquired military costumes, dressed up as an officer and ordered soldiers and officials around as he seized Berlin City Hall with no one questioning his actions – according to Hoyer, a response to the uniform, highlighting German respect for authoritarianism and militarism.

Hoyer is on point as she argues that for disparate Germans to come together they needed a sense of the common enemy, further she argues “the system fell because it was flawed from the outset, built on foundations of war, not fraternity.” German historian Gerard DeGroot’s review sums up well what an effective job Hoyer has done; “There’s nothing particularly new in this assessment. The most impressive feature of this book is not its thesis but its brevity. Until now, I didn’t realize that it was possible to write a short book about Germany. Succinctness is an impressive and sadly undervalued quality in an author. A strict word count is a cruel tyrant; difficult decisions about what goes in have to be made and creativity inevitably curtailed. Hoyer nevertheless manages to pepper her trim narrative with some lovely frills. The mark of a really good short book is its ability to inspire curiosity. “Blood and Iron” achieves just that. Careless historians often draw a straight line from Bismarck to Hitler. That, Hoyer argues, is “simplistic.” There’s much to admire in what Bismarck created and Wilhelm ruined. Important elements of the Second Reich survive in today’s Germany, a nation widely respected as stable, mature and responsible. What this story reveals is how easily governmental institutions can be destroyed when people are led astray by intoxicating notions of a place in the sun. That, perhaps, is a lesson for us all.”*

• DeGroot, Gerard. “One Man, Three Wars, and the Creation of Germany,” Washington Post. January 7, 2022.

[James S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written on the level of a high-school research paper: cliche-ridden, full of grating colloquialisms, and dependent on sweeping generalizations. Just like a high-school paper, the writing is also completely flat and - despite the many sentences that begin "interestingly" - uninteresting. At this point, you might as well read the Wikipedia entry and watch some youtube videos; it seems like that's what the author did.

[Jason Furman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise, informative, insightful, and readable introduction to the Second Reich. The book begins with the fallout of the Napoleonic wars and the defensive nationalism it helped to created in the German-speaking peoples who had been weak, divided, and conquered by Napoleon. It then charts the next decades, eventually zooming in on Bismarck, as continued external threats--real and trumped up--are used to unify the German states under the reluctant Prussian Kaiser. Then it gives the development of this state, its debates over a constitution and liberalism, the rise of Kaiser Wilhem II, how it handled the rising threat of socialism by adopting a generous welfare state, and its increased militarization culminating in a disastrous war (which Katja Hoyer argues was an accident waiting to happen not a deliberate German plan). The writer is a British-German historian who grew up in East Germany and has a generally nuanced perspective on the issues she covers.

[KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming in at under 300 pages, Katja Hoyer's Blood and Iron is a concise book covering a tumultuous period of German history. Perhaps best used as a primer or introductory text, I thought this was really well done.

It's been quite a long time since I've read anything about early-to-mid-19th century Germany; probably not since undergrad, which feels like a million years ago now. The period this book covers is truly important. We see the Franco-Prussian War, the creation of the German Empire, mass industrialization and economic growth, the First World War, and the shift to a republic. And it's not just events that stand out; think of how many recognizable names come from these years. Bismarck and Wilhelm II are of course the most recognizable, but there are so many interesting personalities, even if they appear just briefly in the text.

While some of the political stuff, I'll admit, went a little over my head, I found Hoyer's writing to be extremely clear, and both engaging and entertaining. She seemed to know exactly what specifics to pull from this period to make a very lively account. And although the focus is from 1871 onwards, there is still a reasonable amount of space dedicated to years prior to this date, giving readers important context for what would come later.

I don't have much to say by way of critique. Due to the length of the book, Hoyer obviously can't dwell on anything for too long - which I'm sure is fully intentional. Still, I think I would've liked to see more about Germany's colonial period; though, perhaps that was a bit too peripheral to really engage in.

I'd love to see a longer book from Hoyer, though there is something to be said for making a readable and informative overview. I don't think it's an easy task to condense so much history. But Hoyer certainly did a very good doing just that with Blood and Iron.

[John Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title (B&I) references Bismarck’s famous speech when he said in effect of Imperial Germany/Prussia that it needed actions not words. In many ways this book is a tribute to the Grand Old Man. Perhaps the best King/Emperor his country never had? How it missed him when he wasn’t there. What a wily old fox of a man (Machiavelli eat your heart out)! Must read more about him. A great read and setting for what followed next…

[Robert Cavanagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. 2nd time trying to read this one but a really overview of a period I know very little about. Got another from her on the shelf which will be started shortly

[Macbishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Lucid and very readable.

[Jack Haugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A joy from start to finish and the perfect introduction to an important period of history.

[Жульбердий · Rating 5 out of 5]

Хочу себя похвалить за то, что прочитал эту книгу. Я её мусолил почти что год, и с 3 раза всё получилось.🗣🤙🏿

Во первых хочу сказать, что эта книга очень бы подошла в категорию Oxford short introduction, потому что сама по себе она короткая и очень поверхносто объясняет аспекты, которые требуют более глубокого разъяснения; но я всё же, как человек, которому очень импонирует фигура Бисмарка и его похождений , остался очень доволен.

Катя Хойер сделала по моему очень правильный ход, разделяя книгу негласно на 2 части; 1 часть это претекст создания 2 рейха, и как Бисмарк пытался направлять весь его потенциал в нужное русло, а 2 часть это Рейх пост-бисмаркской эпохи и разъяснения, какие действия были предприняты Вильгельмом 2, чтобы разрушить империю как можно сильнее. Читая книгу на моменте, когда трон перенял Вильгельм 2, ты понимаешь всю насущность и ужас трагедии, которую хотел изначально передать Автор. Хойер в принципе этой книгой хочет доказать свой тезис о том, что 2 Рейх неминуемо ждёт крах, просто никто не знает какого он будет масштаба. И я читая 1 часть книги был действительно наполнен гордостью и радостью за то, что существовал "рай" именованный словом Рейх, но чем дальше ты идёшь, тем больше понимаешь, что будет в конце. Бисмарк и его политика были будто подарком для немецкого народа, но единственное что от него требовалось, это умение остепениться и принять реальность. К сожалению, Вильгельм 2 слишком опьяненный величием Германии, просто взорвал бочку с порохом, а вместе с ней и мосты; тем самым потеряв возможный потенциал, который могла реализовать страна.



Книга очень сильно меня побудила углубиться больше в историю 1 мировой, поскольку Хойер изьясняет, что все события произошедшие в 1871-1914 привели нас к тому, чем мы сегодня являемся.

Короче, оценка ≈ 4.5

[Scriptor Ignotus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The German Empire was born on January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, following a stunning victory by the North German Confederation and its southern allies—guided by Prussia’s ingenious Minister President, Otto von Bismarck—over the Second French Empire. The moment marked a dramatic reversal of fortunes from the beginning of the century, when Napoleon had easily defeated and subjugated the German people, who at that time inhabited a gallimaufry of independent states, most of them small and weak. The new Reich became at once the most powerful and populous state in Europe; and as the patchwork of political territories was molded into a cohesive whole with abundant natural resources and a commanding, if precarious, position in the center of the continent, it quickly became an economic and industrial powerhouse as well.

Forty-eight years later to the day, in the same Hall of Mirrors, with the Empire now defunct and Europe charred by the bloodiest war the world had ever known, delegates from around the world met for the beginning of the Paris Peace Conference.

What happened in the interim is largely the story of two titanic figures in German history: Bismarck and Wilhelm II. The Iron Chancellor had forged the Empire through the careful application of war, diplomacy, and political virtuosity; and he shaped its constitution in the image of his overbearing and micromanaging personality. He stabilized the new nation by working within a parliamentary system—though the Reichstag could not initiate legislation and its parties were often split apart by Bismarck’s ploys—to conserve the primacy of the Kaiser and his own junker aristocracy, while also making necessary concessions to liberals, warding off socialists, and bringing political Catholicism to heel by creating a national identity that superseded centuries-old sectarian divisions. Guiding the Reich’s foreign policy, Bismarck wove an intricate web of diplomatic arrangements, both formal and confidential, with the primary purpose of depriving the still-smarting France of an eastern ally with which it could open a multifront war against his newfangled nation.

The system worked well enough with one of history’s greatest statesmen at its helm; but upon the death of Wilhelm I—the grandfatherly Kaiser who had been politically and emotionally dependent on Bismarck from before the unification of Germany, and who took a perpetual backseat to his scheming Chancellor—in 1888, followed quickly by that of his son, Friedrich III, yielded the throne to Wilhelm’s young, ambitious, bombastic, and politically-obtuse grandson. The German constitution did not leave room for two personalities as outsized and domineering as those of Wilhelm II and Bismarck; and the latter was compelled to resign in 1890. Nor was it suited to the designs of the new Kaiser, who attempted, with limited success, to neuter the Reichstag and rule autocratically. With little knowledge of the delicacy of Germany’s diplomatic position, Wilhelm abandoned Bismarck’s cautious pragmatism and embraced the nationalistic preening that would drive the Reich, with most of Europe, toward catastrophe. Pursuing a policy of Weltpolitik, with which Germany sought to gain “a place in the sun” by acquiring overseas colonies and undertaking a naval buildup to support them—alarming Britain and France—Wilhelm made his country the bull in the proverbial china shop—with fateful consequences, though of course ones for which Germany was not solely responsible.

The Second Reich would vanish as suddenly as it came into being, leaving it both a golden memory and a utopian aspiration in the minds of a demoralized, listless, and embittered German people.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m trying to be more of a history reader and this was suggested to me as a good introduction. Honestly, it really was. It’s easy to read, or listen to and reads as lightly and flows like fiction. Highly recommend if you just want to lightly learn something you didn’t know or give yourself a light introduction to a piece of history before a deep dive.

[Luke Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expertly concise overview to the context and history of the German empire’s meteoric rise and inevitable downfall. Sectioned into very readable chunks by highlighting key figures like Kaiser Wilhelm and Otto von Bismarck, and their actions in various areas. Created a great frame of reference in which to view larger and later events in European history.

“One day the great European war will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans” -Otto von Bismarck in 1888

[Bob Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, structured and clear guide to an enormously interesting period.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoyer provides a solid political history of the German Empire. It's is a concise and easy to digest narrative of the formation and downfall of the Kaiserreich.

I came into this book with a fair amount of background knowledge in German military development, the Balkans wars, Morrocan crises, Weltpolitik, and kulturkrieg. Further a solid knowledge of the Franco-Prussian conflict and the development of the series of events leading to great war.

This book provides an excellent backdrop given the knowledge base I had. It glosses over, not in a negative way, many of the military adventures of the second Reich and focusses more upon its domestic politics, foreign policy, and societal history. Which is excellent given the wide availability of literature based upon German militarism.

Very concise and easy to read I would highly recommend this book as either an introductory piece on the development of Germany, out of the ashes of the holy Roman Empire and the recessing of the influence of the French under Napoleon. But, also, I would advise it to the student who has studied 19th and 20th century European conflicts and wishes to gain a solid background in the development of German nationhood and politics.

Thanks for reading

[Tom Glaser · Rating 5 out of 5]

In addition to her work as an historian, Katja Hoyer is a regular contributor to the Washington Post, where she covers contemporary Germany. Her experience explaining Germany to a non-German audience pays off. She seems to know exactly what we don't know, and fills in gaps that I guess wouldn't exist for European readers. The result is an exceptionally clear and concise historical overview of the formation, development and collapse of the Second German Empire. I'm looking forward to following up with biographies of Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II, but am going to start with Napoleon, since it was his defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 that started the German unification process under Prussian leadership.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half, on the unification of Germany and Bismarck’s brilliant orchestration of it, was super interesting. I was disappointed by how quickly she breezed thru the lead-up to WWI though. I wish she elaborated more on the stances of the military elites / presented more evidence for her narrative that Wilhelm II didn’t intend to provoke war

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written and admirably compact history of the German Empire from its 1871 inception to its collapse in November 1918.
Katya Hoyer analyses the characters of key figures such as Kaiser Wilhelm II and Otto von Bismarck and considers the role of each in the rise and fall of the imperial monolith which dominated Europe for nearly 50 years.
Bismarck's diplomatic and political skills are well known but Hoyer convincingly exposes examples of poor judgement which undermined the long-term viability of the Second Reich.
Of course, it's the character flaws and misjudgements of the Kaiser which are usually held to be responsible for the outbreak of the First World War and the collapse of the empire in 1918 and Hoyer provides plenty of evidence to support this contention. Her portrayal of the Kaiser as one who tried to maintain a medieval monarchy in a modern industrialised society is hard to disagree with.
With equally useful portraits of other pivotal figures such as Bethman Hollweg, von Bulow and Prince Max of Baden among many others, this is an excellent summary of Germany from the Napoleonic Wars to the Great War a century later.
Well recommended!

[Michael G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Because it's exactly what a history book should be for the intelligent layperson: well written, while having sufficient detail and being sensibly concise. A very good primer on the Second Reich. Poor, young Germany, making the adolescent mistakes of an adolescent empire. I similarly enjoyed Hoyer's book on East Germany, and this predecessor is very much in the same vein.