Historical Dictionary of Germany

Few people of the world have such a rich and varied past as do the Germans. Yet theirs is a history full of mountains and valleys. German science, theology, philosophy, music, literature, and other arts have contributed immensely to Western civilization. However, Germans also have known times of deep shame and dark destitution.

As the twentieth century nears its end, it is difficult to imagine a country which has experienced more dramatic changes in the past decade than Germany. The collapse of an economically and and morally bankrupt East Germany and the demise of the Soviet Union and its empire left the newly unified Germany with a preeminent role in Europe and the world. This book provides essential information about the Germany of the past and present. A sixteen-page general introduction is followed by a detailed ninety-page chronology, illustrated by dozens of maps and photographs. The subsequent 400-page dictionary, also amply illustrated, contains entries ranging from the Roman occupation to the end of 1993 and from history, politics, and economics to authors and the arts. The 115-page bibliography, containing both English- and German-language books published by 1993, is organized according to a wide range of subjects. The entire book is designed to serve as a helpful source for the scholar, the librarian, the student, and the general reader.