The story of Germany, a key player in international geopolitical and economic affairs, is crucial to our understanding of global history and the contemporary world. Boasting the world's third-largest economy, Germany's growing financial might is increasingly matched by its diplomatic importance. The country maintains a key position in European affairs and supports a multitude of global partnerships.

Jason P. Coy is associate professor of history at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of California in Los Angeles. Coy is the author of Strangers and Misfits: Banishment, Social Control, and Authority in Early Modern Germany, as well as several articles in scholarly journals.

A comprehensive exploration of the many events and figures that comprise Germany's history.
The story of Germany, a key player in global diplomatic and economic affairs, is crucial to our understanding of global history and the contemporary world. Covering more than 2,000 years of history, A Brief History of Germany provides a concise account of the events, people, and special customs and traditions that have shaped Germany from ancient times to the present.
Basic facts, a chronology, a bibliography, and a list of suggested readings round out this insightful and comprehensive resource.
Coverage includes:
Formation of a distinctive German language and culture during the Germanic migrations and the confrontation with Rome
Consolidation of medieval principalities in the wake of the collapse of Carolingian authority and the construction of the Holy Roman Empire
Tumultuous events of the Reformation and the devastation of the Thirty Years' War
Unification of Germany
Rise of Prussian imperialism in the 19th century
The two world wars, the rise of Nazism, and the Holocaust
Experience of a divided Germany during the cold war
The country's eventual reunification as the Federal Republic of Germany
Contemporary Germany.