Nature in German History

Published in Association with the [German Historical Institute](http://www.ghi-dc.org/), Washington, D.C. Germany is a key test case for the burgeoning field of environmental history; in no other country has the landscape been so thoroughly politicized throughout its past as in Germany,and in no other country have ideas of 'nature' figured so centrally in notions of national identity. The essays collected in this volume — the first collection on the subject in either English or German — place discussions of nature and the human relationship with nature in their political co texts. Taken together, they trace the gradual shift from a confident belief in humanity ’s ability to tame and manipulate the natural realm to the __Umweltbewußtsein__ driving the contemporary conservation movement. __Nature in German History__ also documents efforts to reshape the natural realm in keeping with ideological beliefs — such as the Romantic exultation of 'the wild' and the Nazis' attempts to eliminate 'foreign' flora and fauna — as well as the ways in which political issues have repeatedly been transformed into discussions of the environment in Germany. Published in Association with the (http://www.ghi-dc.org/) German Historical Institute , Washington, D.C. Germany is a key test case for the burgeoning field of environmental history; in no other country has the landscape been so thoroughly politicized throughout its past as in Germany,and in no other country have ideas of 'nature' figured so centrally in notions of national identity. The essays collected in this volume — the first collection on the subject in either English or German — place discussions of nature and the human relationship with nature in their political co texts. Taken together, they trace the gradual shift from a confident belief in humanity ’s ability to tame and manipulate the natural realm to the Umweltbewußtsein driving the contemporary conservation movement. Nature in German History also documents efforts to reshape the natural realm in keeping with ideological beliefs — such as the Romantic exultation of 'the wild' and the Nazis' attempts to eliminate 'foreign' flora and fauna — as well as the ways in which political issues have repeatedly been transformed into discussions of the environment in Germany. "The essays collected in this volume - the first collection on the subject in either English or German - place discussions of nature and the human relationship with nature in their political contexts. Taken together, they trace the gradual shift from a confident belief in humanity's ability to tame and manipulate the natural realm to the Umweltbewusstsein driving the contemporary conservation movement. Nature in German History also documents efforts to reshape the natural realm in keeping with ideological beliefs - such as the Romantic exultation of 'the wild' and the Nazis' attempts to eliminate 'foreign' flora and fauna - as well as the ways in which political issues have repeatedly been transformed into discussions of the environment in Germany."--Jacket CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS PREFACE INTRODUCTION Nature and Nation in Transatlantic Perspective Chapter 1 “CONQUESTS FROM BARBARISM” Taming Nature in Frederick the Great’s Prussia Chapter 2 THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF THE RHINE Chapter 3 LANDSCAPE AS HISTORY Pückler-Muskau, The “Green Prince” of Germany Chapter 4 ALL OF GERMANY A GARDEN? Changing Ideas of Wilderness in German Garden Design and Landscape Architecture Chapter 5 FOR NATION AND PROSPERITY, HEALTH AND A GREEN ENVIRONMENT Protecting Nature in West Germany, 1945-70 Chapter 6 WALDSTERBEN The Construction and Deconstruction of an Environmental Problem INDEX