This is a really excellent short introduction featuring outstanding illustrations.

Wer die Gegenwart verstehen will, muß die Vergangenheit kennen. Nach den turbulenten Entwicklungen der letzten Jahre mit der Entstehung eines neuen deutschen Nationalstaats und auch im Blick auf die Zukunft in der EU ist das wichtiger denn je. Dem Autor, Professor für Neuere Geschichte an der Freien Universität Berlin und einer der renommiertesten deutschsprachigen Historikern der Gegenwart, ist es gelungen, 2000 Jahre deutscher Geschichte von den Anfängen bis zur Vereinigung des geteilten Deutschland im Jahre 1990 zusammenzufassen, in ihren Grundzügen darzustellen und alle wesentlichen Aspekte prägnant und anschaulich zu schildern. Diese leicht lesbare Darstellung beschränkt sich nicht auf die politische Geschichte, sondern bettet das politische Geschehen ein in demographische, gesellschaftliche, wirtschaftliche, auch kulturelle Entwicklungen. Die lettische Ausgabe erschien 2012 im Verlag Jumava.

Definitely written from a German perspective. Little things he said were annoying me so I didn't finish it. ( )

In "Germany: A New History", Schultze looks at German history from Roman times onwards. His theme is the way in which the people of this region have identified themselves, and it's a surprise to discover that the term "German" would only have had meaning for them from the mid 19th Century onwards.

Previously, this patchwork of principalities, duchies, bishoprics, counties, imperial cities and military religious districts such as the Knights of the Teutonic Order were part of the "Holy Roman Empire" - inheritors of the Roman Empire, with a weak elective kingship and strong neighbouring countries that were happy to keep it that way.

He shows how the Napoleonic invasion sparked ideas of nationality with the concept of Germany only arriving with the Prussian defeat of France in 1871. An unstable nationalist Germany crashed spectacularly (twice) before miraculously becoming the foundation stone of a new democratic European Community.
A first rate book about Germany and its people. ( )

The best, short German history that I have been able to find so far. From the early beginning of Germany (Battle of Teutoburg, 9AD) to the reunification. ( )