A Concise History of Germany, by Mary Fulbrook, 2nd ed.

I mentioned in my last post that I read a few books about Germany in preparation for my week-long vacation in Berlin in July. I selected this brief overview of German history to get me thinking about German history and culture before I got there. I enjoyed this portrayal of Germany which starts with the Middle Ages and brings us to the early 21st century. The second edition was published in 2004 so more recent events are left out. Chapters cover medieval Germany, the Reformation, the rise of Prussia, industrialization and the First World War, WWII, and the split into two countries. A very brief chapter addresses the period after reunification.

This was fun to read while I was in Germany and after I got back. I will need to make a much deeper dive into German history if I'm going to keep all the Friedrichs and Wilhelms separate! This book contains an index, suggestions for future reading that are organized chronologically and topically, and many black and white photographs throughout.

Mary Fulbrook. A Concise History of Germany. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. 277 pages. ISBN 9780521540711.