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On Germany
After the Second World War, Germany was an international pariah. Today, it has become a beacon of the Western world. But what makes this extraordinary nation tick?
On Germany tells the story of a country reborn, from defeat in 1945 to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the painstaking reunification of "the two Germanies" and the Republic's return to the world stage as an economic colossus and European leader. Giles MacDonogh restores these momentous events of world history to their German context, from the food and drink that accompanied them to the deep-rooted provincialism behind the national story.
Full of vivid and often whimsical vignettes of German life, this is a Germanophile's homage to the culture and people of a country he has known for decades.
On Germany tells the story of a country reborn, from defeat in 1945 to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the painstaking reunification of "the two Germanies" and the Republic's return to the world stage as an economic colossus and European leader. Giles MacDonogh restores these momentous events of world history to their German context, from the food and drink that accompanied them to the deep-rooted provincialism behind the national story.
Full of vivid and often whimsical vignettes of German life, this is a Germanophile's homage to the culture and people of a country he has known for decades.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2018
5 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Giles MacDonogh
26 books37 followersGiles MacDonogh (born 1955) is a British writer, historian and translator.
MacDonogh has worked as a journalist, most notably for the Financial Times (1988–2003), where he covered food, drink and a variety of other subjects. He has also contributed to most of the other important British newspapers, and is a regular contributor to the Times . As an historian, MacDonogh concentrates on central Europe, principally Germany.
He was educated at the City of London School and Balliol College, Oxford, where he read modern history. He later carried out historical research at the École pratique des hautes études in Paris.
MacDonogh is the author of fourteen books, chiefly about German history; he has also written about gastronomy and wine. In 1988 he won a Glenfiddich Special Award for his first book, A Palate in Revolution (Robin Clark) and was shortlisted for the André Simon Award. His books have been translated into French, Italian, Bulgarian, German, Chinese, Slovakian, Spanish, Russian and Polish.
Reviewing 1938: Hitler’s Gamble in Spectator Magazine , Graham Stewart said: "Giles MacDonogh has repeatedly shown himself to be in the front rank of British scholars of German history. The depth of his human understanding, the judiciousness of his pickings from source material and the quality of his writing make this book at once gripping and grave."
MacDonogh has worked as a journalist, most notably for the Financial Times (1988–2003), where he covered food, drink and a variety of other subjects. He has also contributed to most of the other important British newspapers, and is a regular contributor to the Times . As an historian, MacDonogh concentrates on central Europe, principally Germany.
He was educated at the City of London School and Balliol College, Oxford, where he read modern history. He later carried out historical research at the École pratique des hautes études in Paris.
MacDonogh is the author of fourteen books, chiefly about German history; he has also written about gastronomy and wine. In 1988 he won a Glenfiddich Special Award for his first book, A Palate in Revolution (Robin Clark) and was shortlisted for the André Simon Award. His books have been translated into French, Italian, Bulgarian, German, Chinese, Slovakian, Spanish, Russian and Polish.
Reviewing 1938: Hitler’s Gamble in Spectator Magazine , Graham Stewart said: "Giles MacDonogh has repeatedly shown himself to be in the front rank of British scholars of German history. The depth of his human understanding, the judiciousness of his pickings from source material and the quality of his writing make this book at once gripping and grave."
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 20, 2023
‘On Germany’ a very satisfactory attempt at trying to provide a survey of modern German history, society and culture from the perspective of a well-credentialed British authority on the nation. MacDonogh offers plenty of insights into his subject that are undoubtedly built on a strong connection with the country, both as an academic and as a frequent visitor to it. However there are some issues or perhaps more problematically flaws in the author’s narrative that limit the success of his book. When he writes on the past events including the political changes that have taken place since the end of WW2 McDonogh is in firm ground. When he shifts his narrative into a more touristic focus his book loses its way and leaves the reader somewhat disappointed. If only MacDonough and his editors knew what they should have achieved with this text instead of trying to join two disparate aims.
The success of this book is mostly attributable to the authors detailed and authoritative account of the history of Germany after World War II. He is able to develop an informative and highly readable narrative of German division and reunification in the 70 or so years after the fall of the third Reich. MacDonogh offers the reader a cohesive history of both the old BRD (West Germany) and DDR (East Germany) and it is hard to find any faults or problems with what he has written. The author explores the problems and the pluses of both independent separate German nations and then makes a very solid attempt to address what happened during and after Die Wende. MacDonogh establishes through his account of the two Germanies how the citizens of the two states reacted against the old Nazi regime whilst trying to find their own new sense of German nationhood all within the context of being in the frontline of the Cold War, it would be hard to find a better and more understandable history of East and West Germany in such a succinct and informative form. Illuminated by his own engagements with the two Germanies and relevant personal anecdotes the first half of ‘In Germany’ hits the mark kein problem.
There is still plenty to compliment in the second half of this book as MacDonough moves away from the political history of the Germany during its years of division, and then into the reunification era. The author offers lots of useful observations on how the old East Germany and its citizens were brought into a new single German state where the so-called Wessis established their economic superiority over the Ossis. MacDonough makes it clear that the Germany that emerged after the fall of the Berlin Wall was and still is a work in progress. The end of the DDR as a separate country has not lead entirely to its demise in the popular culture and memory of those who live east of the old border. Throw in the complications provided due to the changing demographics of the nation and the political complexities of being the strongest power in Europe and it’s easy to see through the narrative of this book that Germany is not the post-Cold War utopia that perhaps some thought it should become.
Unfortunately when MacDonough moves away from the political and economic history of Germany and tries to produce a social, cultural and intellectual picture of the Germans he loses his way. This is not to say that what he writes of is wrong, badly articulated, or irrelevant. The author is very informed on many aspects of German life and he has plenty to say about specific subjects such as art and wine. However when it comes to more popular or perhaps mundane experiences of German people he seems a little bit disconnected. Take as a case in point is almost total ignorance of sport in Germany, with specific reference to football. Frankly it’s rather ludicrous for someone to try and write about Germany and its people without at least making some effort at understanding this aspect of their national life. MacDonough is also rather underwhelming in his commentary on German cinema as well as non-classical music and domestic television. To ignore or downplay the more popular cultural activities of the Germans is not really satisfactory and the author should’ve done better.
The final part of the book is a kind of travel guide based in MacDonogh’s personal experience visiting Germany. He uses the rather ingenious scheme of dividing the nation into three areas defined by their alcoholic preferences. Germany is mapped by MacDonogh into segments focused in beer, wine or schnapps. The structural device is quite entertaining and interesting and the author does offer some useful anecdotes about the food and drink of the covered areas as well as major cities and tourist centres. Yeah the problem is after reading a book that is dominated by the history of Germany after WW2 a highly subjective tour guide seems out of place. Then, to strike one last discordant note in his book’s narrative MacDonogh closes ‘On Germany’ with an epilogue that tackles the rather silly idea of early 21sr Century Germany as a reinvigorated Fourth Reich. There’s no problem with trying to address and postulate where Germany is heading in its future however to use the motif of some sort of Neo Nazi resurgence is frankly ridiculous. It’s a rather silly end to what started out as a most enjoyable and fascinating study of a very complex country.
In conclusion I would suggest that if one wants to get the most out of McDonogh’s ‘On Germany’ then the first half of so of his book is where the gold is. Once the book’s cohesion and authoritative status is undermined by the author’s dalliance with travel writing the quality of his text suffers. This is still a readable book that is worthy of attention yet it might have been just that bit better if some of McDonogh’s narrative wandering had been curtailed.
The success of this book is mostly attributable to the authors detailed and authoritative account of the history of Germany after World War II. He is able to develop an informative and highly readable narrative of German division and reunification in the 70 or so years after the fall of the third Reich. MacDonogh offers the reader a cohesive history of both the old BRD (West Germany) and DDR (East Germany) and it is hard to find any faults or problems with what he has written. The author explores the problems and the pluses of both independent separate German nations and then makes a very solid attempt to address what happened during and after Die Wende. MacDonogh establishes through his account of the two Germanies how the citizens of the two states reacted against the old Nazi regime whilst trying to find their own new sense of German nationhood all within the context of being in the frontline of the Cold War, it would be hard to find a better and more understandable history of East and West Germany in such a succinct and informative form. Illuminated by his own engagements with the two Germanies and relevant personal anecdotes the first half of ‘In Germany’ hits the mark kein problem.
There is still plenty to compliment in the second half of this book as MacDonough moves away from the political history of the Germany during its years of division, and then into the reunification era. The author offers lots of useful observations on how the old East Germany and its citizens were brought into a new single German state where the so-called Wessis established their economic superiority over the Ossis. MacDonough makes it clear that the Germany that emerged after the fall of the Berlin Wall was and still is a work in progress. The end of the DDR as a separate country has not lead entirely to its demise in the popular culture and memory of those who live east of the old border. Throw in the complications provided due to the changing demographics of the nation and the political complexities of being the strongest power in Europe and it’s easy to see through the narrative of this book that Germany is not the post-Cold War utopia that perhaps some thought it should become.
Unfortunately when MacDonough moves away from the political and economic history of Germany and tries to produce a social, cultural and intellectual picture of the Germans he loses his way. This is not to say that what he writes of is wrong, badly articulated, or irrelevant. The author is very informed on many aspects of German life and he has plenty to say about specific subjects such as art and wine. However when it comes to more popular or perhaps mundane experiences of German people he seems a little bit disconnected. Take as a case in point is almost total ignorance of sport in Germany, with specific reference to football. Frankly it’s rather ludicrous for someone to try and write about Germany and its people without at least making some effort at understanding this aspect of their national life. MacDonough is also rather underwhelming in his commentary on German cinema as well as non-classical music and domestic television. To ignore or downplay the more popular cultural activities of the Germans is not really satisfactory and the author should’ve done better.
The final part of the book is a kind of travel guide based in MacDonogh’s personal experience visiting Germany. He uses the rather ingenious scheme of dividing the nation into three areas defined by their alcoholic preferences. Germany is mapped by MacDonogh into segments focused in beer, wine or schnapps. The structural device is quite entertaining and interesting and the author does offer some useful anecdotes about the food and drink of the covered areas as well as major cities and tourist centres. Yeah the problem is after reading a book that is dominated by the history of Germany after WW2 a highly subjective tour guide seems out of place. Then, to strike one last discordant note in his book’s narrative MacDonogh closes ‘On Germany’ with an epilogue that tackles the rather silly idea of early 21sr Century Germany as a reinvigorated Fourth Reich. There’s no problem with trying to address and postulate where Germany is heading in its future however to use the motif of some sort of Neo Nazi resurgence is frankly ridiculous. It’s a rather silly end to what started out as a most enjoyable and fascinating study of a very complex country.
In conclusion I would suggest that if one wants to get the most out of McDonogh’s ‘On Germany’ then the first half of so of his book is where the gold is. Once the book’s cohesion and authoritative status is undermined by the author’s dalliance with travel writing the quality of his text suffers. This is still a readable book that is worthy of attention yet it might have been just that bit better if some of McDonogh’s narrative wandering had been curtailed.
October 10, 2019
Having recently moved to Germany the reading of this book was to help me understand a little about my new home. Exceedingly well research and written it was a joy to discover so much about my new country. The style was perhaps little academic but the wonderful references to food, wine and especially beer was more at my level. I put the book down with a desire to discover move not that the book didn’t inform me, more it opened my mind to a whole new world of questions. I think I will enjoy reading more of Giles’s books on Germany.
November 20, 2018
Back on the shelf. Just not in the mood for the opening chapters.
March 24, 2020
Interesting first chapter, but became a way for the author to show off his experiences in Germany.
August 8, 2020
Actually, quite funny as well as informative.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews