'Cassell's dictionary of modern German history' is a guide to the people, events, movements and ideas which have shaped modern Germany. Taking as its starting-point the expansion of Prussia under Frederick the Great in the mid-18th century, the dictionary guides the reader through the turmoil of the late 18th and 19th centuries - examining the traumatic impact of the Napoleonic Wars on German-speaking Europe and the achievement of German unification under Bismarck - and goes on to chart the rise of German militarism and its role in instigating two calamitous 20th-century global conflicts. In addition the volume chronicles in detail the fortunes of the divided Germany of the cold War period, the years of the West German Wirtschaftswunder, the events that led to the dismantling of the Berlin Wall and reunification in 1989-90, and finally Germany's role in the integration of Europe and the adoption of a single currency in the early 21st century. The dictionary contains over 1800 articles focusing not only on major political, diplomatic and military topics but also on economic, social and cultural matters. Extensive thematic articles on core subjects such as absolutism and anti-Semitism blend clear and readable narrative with trenchant analysis, whilst a wealth of briefer entries define essential terms from appeasement to Alltagsgeschichte, provide biographical data on figures as diverse as Hegel and Himmler, and deliver essential facts about key battles, treaties and locations from Sadová to Stalingrad and from Danzig to Dresden. Extensively cross-referenced and with a full complement of maps, tables and other appendices.

This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Contemporary Germanyprovides a comprehensive overview of most aspects of life and institutions in contemporary Germany. It also introduces the reader to the historical development of both East and West Germany between 1949 and 1990, and addresses the various issues arising from reunification. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Contemporary Germany contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Germany.

A wealth of information is presented in this guide in a variety of formats, including a concise narrative history, a chronology and A to Z entries, to provide readers with a greater understanding of German history, from the Renaissance to the present day.

Presenting an advanced and authoritative perspective, this definitive study chronicles the rise and fall of the Order of the Illuminati, a mysterious Enlightenment-era guild surrounded by myth. Describing this enigmatic community in meticulous detail, more than 1,000 endnotes are included, citing scholars, professors, and academics. Contemporary accounts and the original documents of the Illuminati themselves are covered as well. Copiously illustrated and featuring biographies of more than 400 confirmed members, this survey brings to light a 200-year-old mystery.

Rudolf Witzig entered the history books as the heroic captor of Belgiumês supposedly impregnable fortress Eben Emael in May 1940 _ the first time that glider-borne troops were used in the war. To many people, he is also known as the commander of the battle group that fired the first shots of the Tunisian campaign. Remarkably, next to nothing has been written about him as an individual. This biography, completed with the full support of Witzigês widow and son, is a comprehensive history of the man and also provides important new detail on the German parachute arm that he served. In the course of his service, he was awarded the coveted Knightês Cross of the Iron Cross. He could not be awarded the decoration because he had not yet earned the Ironês Crosses 2nd and 1st class _ to resolve the problem he was awarded all three on the spot. Witzig was involved in Operation Mercury, the invasion of Crete, but was injured during the fighting. After his recovery, he was sent to Tunisia where he was credited with several successful defensive actions. He ended the war in captivity, surrendering to the Allies on 8 May 1945, the day after his name was placed on the Honour Roll of the Luftwaffe. Rudolf Witzig was born on 14th August 1916 in Westphalia. His military career started in 1935 when he was accepted as an officerês candidate. He went on to win the Knightês Cross, which was awarded by Hitler personally. Witzig died on 3rd October 2001 at the age of 85. Gilberto Vilhermosa is a serving member of the US military in Yemen. This is his second book.