Three Germanies: From Partition to Unification and Beyond

An ambitious, valuable history of a major European power

Following the defeat of the Third Reich in 1945, Germany has experienced recurring turmoil and reinvention. In this ambitious book, Michael Gehler explores the political path Germany has taken since the Yalta Conference, observing the different Germanies against the background of the Cold War, European integration, and international relations.

Written from an independent perspective, it provides a valuable assessment of our own times, as he shows how the three Germanies (Bonn, Pankow, and today’s ‘Berlin Republic’) sought to establish governments that could create stable states.

‘A really superb overview of post-war German politics and political culture.’ - European Review of History

‘Michael Gehler’s Three Germanies tells the stories of East and West Germany in parallel…His description of how the two republics contributed to the division of Germany during the fluid early phase of the cold war…is especially perceptive.’ - New Statesman