
Germany Since 1945
Lothar Kettenacker(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 29. May 1997
Book
Paperback/Softback
348 pages
978-0-19-289242-3 (ISBN)
Description
Defeat and unconditional surrender: these were the foundations on which post-war Germany was built. The overall impact, however, was not apathy, but a mentality which was down to earth, pragmatic, and forward-looking. Democracy, economic liberalism, and European integration were the signposts to the future. Even though the old ruling elite with their power base in the agrarian East had been swept away by the end of the war, the social and industrial fabric of Germany society did not crumble altogether. Crucial structures survived and contributed to West Germany's phenomenal recovery, while the East was forced to submit to a ruthless Soviet leadership. Now, however, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the aftermath of German reunification will be long and painful, for never have two economies and societies been fused together which had grown as far apart as West and East Germany.
Lothar Kettenacker's book offers a fascinating survey of the fortunes and features of East and West Germany - how the two states drifted apart; the differences between their economies, politics, and cultures; and the problems and events surrounding their unification.
Lothar Kettenacker's book offers a fascinating survey of the fortunes and features of East and West Germany - how the two states drifted apart; the differences between their economies, politics, and cultures; and the problems and events surrounding their unification.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
maps and charts
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
371 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-289242-3 (9780192892423)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Lothar Kettenacker is the Deputy-Director of the German Historical Institute in London
Content
Introduction ; 1. Germany under Allied Occupation ; 2. Drifting Apart: The Two Republics ; 3. From Cold War to Detente ; 4. Marxist versus Socialist Economy ; 5. The Constitutional Framework ; 6. Party Politics and Public Opinion ; 7. Culture: Mirror-Image of Society ; 8. German Unificiation ; 9. The Search for Identity ; 10. Conclusion ; Notes ; Statistical Appendix ; Chronology ; Further Reading