A synopsis of the ten most important events and developments that have shaped Germany over the past 150 years Since the middle of the 19th century, Germany has found itself variously engaged at the vanguard of the Industrial age, at the heart of the European nationalistic contest, as the birthplace of the Holocaust and World War II, and as the symbolic setting of the Soviet Union's fall; but wherever one places Germany's foremost significance today, there is no denying the fact that an understanding of German history over the past 150 years is central to an understanding of Europe over that same period. Editor Frank Thackeray has put forth an excellent aid for students and general readers alike interested in learning what Germany is, what it was, and what the factors were that led to its several modern manifestations upon the world's stage. Also included in this volume are a timeline of major events, supplementary illustrations, and introductions that present relevant factual material for the topical chapters in a clear, concise, chronological order. Selected bibliographies follow every chapter, and two appendices complete the work - one containing a glossary of names, events, organizations, and terms beyond the glossary, and the other containing a statistical compendium of elections from 1871 to 2003. Addresses the profound role Germany has played in shaping modern European and world history