Book excerpt: A Brief History of Germany, Second Edition provides a clear, lively, and comprehensive account of the history of Germany from ancient times to the present day. It relates the central events that have shaped the country and details their significance in historical context, touching on all aspects of the history of the country, from political, international, and economic affairs to cultural and social developments. Illustrated with full-color maps and photographs, and accompanied by a chronology, bibliography, and suggested reading, this accessible overview is ideal for the general reader. Coverage includes: Prehistoric Germany Germania: Barbarian Germany Medieval Germany Reformation Germany Confessional Germany and the Thirty Years' War Absolutism and Enlightenment Napoleonic Germany and the Revolution of 1848 Unification and Empire The Great War and Weimar Germany Nazism and World War II The Cold War: Division and Reunification Contemporary Germany