Review

This book is comprised of chapters which first appeared in Mary Fulbrook's compilation German History since 1800 (1997). Presented here are those sections dealing specifically with the nineteenth century; a companion volume on the twentieth century, edited by Mary Fulbrook, is also available from this publisher. The essays appear here essentially unchanged, with the only additions being an introduction by John Breuilly and some slight alterations to some of the individual essays. Breuilly organizes the collection around the theme of "German," that is, the idea of the national. But he also reminds us that German history can only be understood in a European context, and that the "sub-national," or individual state and region, deserve equal attention. This analytical framework is a tall order for a modest collection of essays, but the selections included here go far in satisfying this goal. Nevertheless, Breuilly admits that, in a collection of this size (twelve essays by eleven authors), it is impossible to do justice to all aspects of German history during the so-called long nineteenth century. Hence a broad focus has been employed, that of politics and economics and how these contributed to a sense of "becoming German." Cultural trends are not ignored, with one chapter in each section devoted to an analysis of this area, but the editor himself admits that these entries fail to provide a full summary. Indeed, in the space of twenty pages, it would be naïve to expect more than an overview.	1
The book's first section is comprised of seven individual essays and covers the period of the late eighteenth century to German unification. Entries average 20–25 pages in length, and the section moves chronologically towards 1871. Exceptions to this are two essays, one which covers economic change, and the other on cultural trends. In general, the chapters are well-organized and read well; especially good in this respect are Whaley's piece, on German lands before 1815, and Siemann's entry on the complicated theme of 1848. On the other hand, the chapters by Lee, on economic development, and Friedrich, covering culture, are less approachable. Part II covers the years from unification to the end of the Kaiserreich in 1918. Most entries here also range from 20–25 pages, and organization is chronological. Thematically, the dividing line here is 1890, with one main chapter on Bismarckian Germany and another covering the Wilhelmine period. Essays on economic themes, culture, and World War One complete this second half of the book. Quality here varies—Chickering's chapter on the 1914–18 war is nicely organized and readable, for example, while Berghahn's essay, entitled "Demographic Growth, Industrialization, and Social Change," tries to include too much information in fourteen pages and fails in the attempt.	2
How useful is this book for teaching about German history? Breuilly's 19th Century Germany would be suitable for graduate as well as upper-level undergraduate history students. The individual essays stand alone, meaning selected chapters could be assigned to read. In addition, there are several maps included, and each essay concludes with a select bibliography of important recent scholarship in English. But lower-level undergraduates or high school students might struggle with the writing level in this book, and they would certainly be perplexed by the frequent references to other authors, events outside Germany, and different interpretations. On the other hand, because the essays are thematic in nature, both high school and college faculty members would find this collection attractive for background reading or the preparation of lecture material. In sum, 19th Century Germany is a welcome addition to the ever-growing literature on Germany before 1918. The overall quality of the individual entries is generally high, the thematic coverage is broad, and the suggestions for further reading inclusive and up-to-date. For students who possess the necessary background knowledge, and for faculty who desire a detailed treatment in fewer than 300 pages, this would be a good choice.	3
Concordia University, St. Paul Thomas Saylor

Content in the History Cooperative database is intended for personal, noncommercial use only. You may not reproduce, publish, distribute, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, modify, create derivative works from, display, or in any way exploit the History Cooperative database in whole or in part without the written permission of the copyright holder.