Dictatorships and Authoritarianism in Modern German History

Dictatorships and Authoritarianism in Modern German History provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the history of dictatorships in Germany since the French Revolution. Dictatorships have been a defining feature of modern German history. The Nazi dictatorship between 1933 and 1945, which brought about the Second World War and the Holocaust, is still taught in schools and universities as the prime example of the destructiveness of ideologically driven regimes in the 20th century; the state-socialist regime in the German Democratic Republic that lasted for over 40 years bore many of the same dictatorial features. Understanding the factors that made these two regimes possible, their inner workings, but also their impact on the lives of many people, is key to understanding the course of modern German history as a whole and this is discussed at length in this absorbing volume. The book moves beyond the familiar historical narratives to incorporate analysis of key political thinkers and their interpretations of the problem of authoritarian and totalitarian rule. The discussion of these political dimensions is given further depth with the examination of the impact of dictatorship on German society as well as key figures of the 20th century.

Product details

• Authors: Andre Keil, André Keil
• Assisted by: Jennifer V Evans (Editor), Matthew P Fitzpatrick (Editor), Daniel Siemens (Editor)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 16.10.2025
• EAN: 9781350267732
• ISBN: 978-1-350-26773-2
• No. of pages: 272
• Series: The Bloomsbury History of Modern Germany Series
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, HISTORY / Europe / Germany, European History, Germany, HISTORY / Modern / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, Social and cultural history, Political structures: totalitarianism and dictatorship, General and world history, Political science and theory