A Brief History of Germany

by Jason P. Coy

A comprehensive exploration of the many events and figures that comprise Germany's history. The story of Germany, a key player in global diplomatic and economic affairs, is crucial to our understanding of global history and the contemporary world. Covering more than 2,000 years of history, A Brief History of Germany provides a concise account of the events, people, and special customs and traditions that have shaped Germany from ancient times to the present. Basic facts, a chronology, a bibliography, and a list of suggested readings round out this insightful and comprehensive resource. Coverage

Genres: History, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2010

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives the history from the first humans found until 2010. I'm actually from Germany so I had German history in school plus took some history classes voluntary later in life so I hadn't planned to read the whole book. But after reading a novel I was interested to learn more about early Germany with the Germanic Tribes in more detail and this was the only book at the library they had with German history.

I read the first chapters including the Middle Ages, then I just read towards the end and some parts here and there and basically just skimmed through it. It is actually very detailed. It is interesting and well written but it basically reads like a dictionary. Not the type of book people can just read through it but a perfect book to have at home and to look things up from time to time.

At the end of the book there are also some basic information about Germany, a short chronology about German history and famous names, terms etc are listed in alphabetical order so you can easily find it in the book.

[Juan M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason P. Coy’s A Brief history or Germany is a nonfiction work explaining, analyzing and displaying Germany’s long extensive history. Starting from early modern times all the way through Roman times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the World Wars and to the present, Germany’s history is given to you as it is, without any bias. History, language culture, and so much more are given to the reader for them to understand. If there is something a reader does not understand, there will be a box separated from the main read giving background information to help the reader obtain a better understanding, making the reading experience that much better and easier, especially for people who don’t have much knowledge or European history in general.

My favorite person from German history is Otto Von Bismarck. He reunified the many German states into one great nation- Germany. He lead Prussia to become the master of the German states, having most authority and land amongst all the other German territories once the country was reunified. Besides reunifying German, he was an extremely intelligent man and had master diplomatic skills. “Bismarck also promoted cultural nationalism, requiring the use of German in all aspects of public life, and especially in government and education.” (pg.144) a prime example of his intelligence, Bismarck wanted Germany to remain unified once it was brought back together; he made an extraordinary effort to build German nationalism within his country by having everyone learn and speak the same language. He was able to predict what the future leaders of Germany could not; “Bismarck always feared that Germany would face a two-front war against France and Russia…” (pg.146) states clearly Bismarck’s intelligence and diplomatic skills.

Overall, the book is a very good read. I enjoyed it very much and the author kept the book very interesting, making German history a lot less of a task to understand but rather a privilege and a right. Even though I enjoyed this book very much, it is certainly not for everybody. If history and non-fiction is not your thing, don’t read this book. However, if you enjoy learning about history, foreign culture, and Germany, this book is most sincerely worth checking out. Give it a read, you’ll learn something new.

[Hal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise and informative narration of Germany, its people, culture, and events that shaped what it is today. Two things stood out to me in the story of Germany. One being how short comparatively its history as a sovereign nation; as it functioned for such a long time as a loosely and changing matrix of states and interests. Second that it was a battleground for centuries, modeling human nature and the seeming lust for battle. For the past 75 years it has remained at peace; certainly a milestone and hopefully a lasting lesson from the ruins of The Third Reich.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the history of Germany. Very simple to understand and lacks significant bias. Would definitely recommend to those interested in German history but unsure on what areas to approach in detail.

[Andrew Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything from chapter two forward was good. Chapter one on prehistoric Germany was disappointing.

[Nathan Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief history, as the title says. Germany has a fascinating history, and has played a major role in shaping Europe and the entire world today. I also enjoyed supplementing this with Youtube for the modern history portion.

[Sananab · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too general to be interesting. The style of writing rubbed me the wrong way.

[Reiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview on German history until 2010.