Germany, 1870-1945: Politics, State Formation, and War

Germany, 1870-1945 deals with the three attempts to build a German nation-state between 1871 and 1945, and the reasons for their failure. Haunted by the specter of the abortive liberal-national revolution of 1848-49, German politicians sought a series of solutions, none of which found a constitutional consensus, and two of which ended in military disaster. Pulzer looks at the two solutions imposed from above, those of Bismarck and Hitler, and the stalled revolution from below, that of the Weimar Republic. He examines the external influences on Germany's political development, such as the European state system and the Versailles treaty of 1919, but the main focus is on the tension between democratic and authoritarian forces, the series of unsatisfactory constitutional compromises, the main institutions of government, and the emergence and influence of parties and interest groups.

"...could serve as a useful tool for any reader wanting to gain some general ideas on the shape of international relations and politics, in particular inter-German affairs, after 1945."--History

"...if one is searching for a text that gives an accurate, concise, well-written summary of 1870-1945, particularly in reference to politics and governance, this is a good choice."--H-Net Reviews

"Finally! A brief, well-written overview covering the crucial formative years of post-WWI Germany in its entirety. The focus on the essentials of political and social development is welcome and successful."--Herbert A. Arnold, Wesleyan University

"This work is a fluidly written summary of familiar arguments about Germany's multiple failures to evolve along similar lines as the West....this book would serve nicely in advanced undergraduate courses in German history, as well as an introduction to the field for graduate students."--The Historian

Peter Pulzer is Gladstone Professor Emeritus of Government and Public Administration at the University of Oxford. He is the author of various books, including German Politics 1945-1995 (OUP, 1995).

1. The Road to Unity

2. Bismarck's Empire (1871-1890)

3. The Wilhelmine Empire (1890-1914)

4. War and Revolution (1914-1919)

5. The Weimar Republic (1919-1933)

6. The Third Reich in Peace (1933-1939)

7. The Third Reich at War (1939-1945)

Conclusion