Willy Brandt: A Political Biography

by Barbara Marshall

Willy Brandt, the first Social Democratic Chancellor of West Germany (1969-1974) was perhaps the most charismatic German leader since Hitler. His life reflects German 20th-century history from the Weimar Republic to the new Germany as a result of unification with the GDR. He was mayor of Berlin when the Wall was built (1961) and as Chancellor he initiated Ostpolitik which indirectly contributed to the fall of the Iron Curtain. As Chairman of the North-South Commission he drew the world's attention to the plight of the Third World. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991

Genres: Biography

170 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a solid introduction to the life and politics of Willy Brandt. He seems like someone who escapes easy summaries, but the author provides an excellent introduction and conclusion that provides a bird's eye view of his political development (while occasionally relating it to his personality). I must say, as someone unacquainted with post-war German politics, I occasionally felt a little lost. This is not to discredit the author's work as they were not attempting to provide a survey of post-war German politics, but it is something to consider as one undertaked reading this biography. All-in-all I would recommend it to folks looking into Willy Brandt, social democratic politics, or my fellow Americans who might want to expand their political imagination.

[Legens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct analytical biography which effortlessly merges his character, his policies, and the wider context of German society, party politics, and international developments. The only misgiving I have is that I suspect the author of believing Brandt's self-presentation in his memoirs a little too much.