Routledge Library Editions: German Politics: Germany In The Twentieth Century (rle: German Politics)

The book traces the development of Germany from the Kaiser's Reich in the 1870s to the reunited democratic state led by Helmut Kohl in the 1990s. The author begins by countering the popular view of Germany before 1914 as irredeemably reactionary, and after assessing Germany's part in the First World War, he outlines the rise and fall of the Weimar Republic. The 12 years of Hitler's destructive experiment are presented in a balanced way as part of the overall development of the country. Germany in defeat is then discussed, as is heer rebirth under Four Power occupation. The last chapters explore the two separate German states and the events leading up to the restoration of German unity. Widely praised in its first edition, the second edition of The GDR was updated to cover events through the spring of 1988, examining in particular the impact of new leadership in both Bonn and Moscow and of the changing world economy on the prospects of the GDR.