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The period of almost half a century from 1871 to 1919 was one of huge upheaval, restlessness and change in Germany. Situated at the crossroads of history and geography, the country under Bismarck was struggling to preserve the predominance of Prussia and its traditional ruling elites, whilst also recognising the importance of modernisation. By the turn of the century Germany had overtaken Britain as the workshop of the world in industry, science, ideas and the arts, with enormous investments being made in these areas. Many people lost or swapped their traditional livelihoods, moved from the countryside to the cities, and embarked on a road to a prosperity unparalleled in Europe. Then in 1914 came the outbreak of the First World War, unleashing one of the greatest catastrophes of the twentieth century.
Provides an introduction to a key period in German history. This book examines the political, economic and social structures of the empire; how Bismarck consolidated his regime; the Wilhelmian period; and the factors which led to the outbreak of the First World War.
The German Empire was founded in January 1871 not only on the basis of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's 'blood and iron' policy but also with the support of liberal nationalists. Under Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany became the dynamo of Europe. Its economic and military power were pre-eminent; its science and technology, education, and municipal administration were the envy of the world; and its avant-garde artists reflected the ferment in European culture. But Germany also played a decisive role in tipping Europe's fragile balance of power over the brink and into the cataclysm of the First World War, eventually leading to the empire's collapse in military defeat and revolution in November 1918. With contributions from an international team of twelve experts in the field, this volume offers an ideal introduction to this crucial era, taking care to situate Imperial Germany in the larger sweep of modern German history, without suggesting that Nazism or the Holocaust were inevitable endpoints to the developments charted here.
A vivid, concise account of the German Empire, from its proclamation at Versailles in 1871 to its final dissolution, also at Versailles, in 1919. The period of almost half a century from 1871 to 1919 was one of huge upheaval, restlessness and change in Germany. Situated at the crossroads of history and geography, the country under Bismarck was struggling to preserve the predominance of Prussia and its traditional ruling elites, whilst also recognising the importance of modernisation. By the turn of the century Germany had overtaken Britain as the workshop of the world in industry, science, ideas and the arts, with enormous investments being made in these areas. Many people lost or swapped their traditional livelihoods, moved from the countryside to the cities, and embarked on a road to a prosperity unparalleled in Europe. Then in 1914 came the outbreak of the First World War, unleashing one of the greatest catastrophes of the twentieth century.
This volume on Imperial German history launches the History Made Simple Series (HMSS) and is the first in a four-volume set on Germany. The other volumes are Weimar Germany and the Rise of the Nazis (1918-1933), Nazi Germany (1933-1945), and, post-war Germany: From division to reunification (1945-present). HMSS books are for everyone who finds history dull and boring. Let's face it; most of us aren't history buffs. We don't spend our free time reading up on historical periods, persons, or events. We would sooner surf the web or vegetate on a couch with a remote control than read the typical history book. Why does the series begin with Germany and not some other "ship"? I picked Germany for these reasons: It has been the economic motor of Europe for over 140 years; it played a central role in two World Wars; it was the birthplace of the nasty phenomena of Nazism and Hitlerism; it was one of the few countries that were split after the second World War into capitalist and communist halves; and it was reunited as a single state when the cold war ended. Last but not least, Germany today is the dominant player in The European Union, the world's largest market, which is currently undergoing serious centrifugal pressures. HMSS offers a new approach to transmitting historical information. It makes the history of separate countries as simple and enjoyable as possible with hundreds of illustrations, and lots of humor and irony, just the ingredients that make life itself interesting. All historical actors, large and small, voice their opinions and argue with each other, and sometimes with me, the author. History can't be interesting to the non-specialist when it's served up as a cold monologue like the nine o'clock news. You might say history is a futile exercise. We can't agree about the present, how can we possibly agree about the past, right? Sure, but who said we have to agree about everything? In addition, aren't the most informed opinions all sides of an argument? So sit back, make yourself comfortable, and enjoy the read! Kurt E. Breitner
In this vivid fifty-year history of Germany from 1871-1918—which inspired events that forever changed the European continent—here is the story of the Second Reich from its violent beginnings and rise to power to its calamitous defeat in the First World War. Before 1871, Germany was not yet nation but simply 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? How would he convince 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 this 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. This often startling narrative is a dramatic tale of national self-discovery, social upheaval, and realpolitik that ended, as it started, in blood and iron.