The Shortest History of Germany: From Julius Caesar to Angela Merkel--A Retelling for Our Times

258 Pages·2019·5.729 MB·English

by  James Hawes

JAMES
“Comprehensive and vivid.” “A must-read.”
HAWES
—Philip Pullman —The Economist
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JameS HaweS
acclaim for
The ShorTeSt HiStory of Germany
A Der Spiegel “Most Provoking Book of the Year” (2018)
“A must-read.”—The Economist
“A marvelously concise effort, especially compelling as
Angela Merkel is set to step down in 2021, leaving an
uncertain vacuum in Europe.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Hawes does a good job guiding readers . . . pointing out
parallels to today and arguing that Germany’s history, long-
ago and recent, makes it a key, if not the key, player in world
leadership.”—Booklist
“Breezy yet knowledgeable, the book provides a thorough
grounding in the major historical events and religious and
regional differences that shaped the country at the very heart of
Europe.”—Foreword
“A rapid-paced, thought-provoking, easy-to-digest account of
German history.”—Library Journal
“Sweeping and confident . . . has a frightening urgency.”
—Observer
“Engaging . . . I suspect I shall remember it for a lifetime.”
—The Oldie
“Fascinating . . . as an introduction to the most
important country in Europe today, this is a great read,
and an ideal primer.”—Tribune magazine
“An excellent little book . . . [Hawes] knows what
he’s on about and his conclusions are measured, but
he favors clear, concise prose over dense academese.
He has a sense of humor, and a sharp eye for
similarities between then and now.”—Spectator
“Yes, the Nazis are here, but so too is a history stretching
from the Germanic tribes who took on the Roman
Empire, right up to Chancellor Angela Merkel. . . .
Comprehensive, vivid, and entertaining . . . if you want
to understand a country on which much of the free world
is now pinning its hopes, you could do worse than start
here.”—Irish Examiner
“Here is Germany as you’ve never known it: a bold thesis;
an authoritative sweep and an exhilarating read. Agree
or disagree, this is a must for anyone interested in how
Germany has come to be the way it is today.”
—Karen Leeder, professor of modern German literature,
University of Oxford
“A daring attempt to remedy the ignorance of the centuries
in little over 200 pages . . . not just an entertaining canter
past the most prominent landmarks in German history—
also a serious, well-researched and radical rethinking of
the continuities in German political life.”
—Nicholas Boyle, Schröder Professor of German,
University of Cambridge, The Tablet
“Brexit and Trump have given this sweeping story of
Germany’s struggles with its demons an urgent topicality.
For as Hawes knows better than anyone, if there is a future
for liberal democracy, it will be a German one.”
—Nick Cohen, Observer columnist
The
ShorTeSt
HiStory
of
Germany
also by James Hawes
Englanders and Huns:
The Culture-Clash which Led to the First World War
Why You Should Read Kafka Before You Waste Your Life
novels
A White Merc with Fins
Rancid Aluminium
Dead Long Enough
White Powder, Green Light
Speak for England
My Little Armalite
The
ShorTeSt
HiStory
of
Germany
From Julius Caesar to Angela Merkel—
A Retelling for Our Times
JameS HaweS
NEW YORK
The Shortest History of Germany: From Julius Caesar to Angela Merkel—A
Retelling for Our Times
Copyright © 2017, 2019 by James Hawes
Pages 230–31 are a continuation of this copyright page.
Originally published in the UK by Old Street Publishing, LTD, in 2017.
First published in North America by The Experiment, LLC, in 2019.
All rights reserved. Except for brief passages quoted in newspaper, magazine, radio,
television, or online reviews, no portion of this book may be reproduced, distributed,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or information storage or retrieval system, without the prior
written permission of the publisher.
The Experiment, LLC
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theexperimentpublishing.com
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their
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The Experiment was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been capitalized.
The Experiment’s books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for
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details, contact us at [email protected].
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hawes, J. M. (James M.) author.
Title: The shortest history of Germany : from Julius Caesar to Angela Merkel
: a retelling for our times / James Hawes.
Description: New York : Experiment, [2019] | Originally published: United
Kingdom : Old Street Publishing, 2017. | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018054456 (print) | LCCN 2018055854 (ebook) | ISBN
9781615195701 (ebook) | ISBN 9781615195695 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Germany--History.
Classification: LCC DD17 (ebook) | LCC DD17 .H39 2019 (print) | DDC 943--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018054456
ISBN 978-1-61519-569-5
Ebook ISBN 978-1-61519-570-1
Cover design by Sarah Smith | Text design by Old Street Publishing, LTD
Cover illustration, and original maps and illustrations by James Nunn
Manufactured in the United States of America
First printing March 2019
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To the memory of my father, Maurice Hawes,
and the future of my third son,
Karl Maurice Hawes v. Oppen,
whose lives crossed for a few hours on February 25, 2015

contenTs
Preface: If Not Now, When? xi
In the Proto-Beginning . . . xiii
part one 1
The First Half-Millennium (58 bc–526 ad)
The Romans Create the Germans,
Then the Germans Take Over Rome
part Two 27
The Second Half-Millennium (526 ad–983 ad)
The Germans Restore Rome
part Three 45
The Third Half-Millennium (983 ad–1525 ad)
There Is a Battle for Germany
part four 71
The Fourth Half-Millennium (1525 ad–Present)
Germany Goes Two Ways
Acknowledgments 229
Permissions Acknowledgments 230
Index 232
About the Author 240