The Rise and Fall of the German Democratic Republic 1945-1990

by Mike Dennis

This new book investigates communist rule in East Germany from its establishment as a sphere of Soviet influence after World War II to its rapid collapse after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Using newly available archive material, the early chapters trace the emergence of the GDR out of the Soviet zone of occupation. Later chapters cover the dramatic episodes of the 1953 uprising against Soviet dominance and the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The subsequent stabilisation of the GDR and the establishment of an uneasy compromise between the ruling elites and the population in the later 1960s and 1970s are explained with reference to a range of internal social, economic and political factors. The disintegration of the regime in 1989 is explained in the light of : The chronic weakness of Gorbachev's Soviet Union. The bravery of the protestors. The enduring appeal of West Germany's social market economy. Political pluralism.

Genres: Germany, History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Professor of Modern German History, School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, University of Wolverhampton.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Reviews

[Avesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Dennis' 'The Rise and Fall of the GDR' is perhaps one of the best books I will read in my lifetime. It is incredibly detailed and thorough, yet absolutely unbiased and fair, which separates it from the rest of the similar books on the market, as well as the media itself.

The media, and other books, often portray the GDR as an evil state which constantly and remorselessly abused its population - but Dennis portrays the GDR as to what it truly was - without exaggerating any of the atrocities committed by the regime to the extent of the rest of media; and instead also highlights the great things achieved by the regime, as well as how attitudes and prosperity improved over the 40 years of its existence.

5/5. An absolutely breathtaking read - and I will no doubt be sending Mike Dennis a letter of gratitude and thanks, for providing us with such a valuable and important book. I highly recommend this to anyone who has the slightest interest of what things were like in the GDR, and cannot express just how important such unbiased books are.

Absolutely amazing.