Germany: A Full-Color Illustrated History

Germany recounts the history of the German nation. From the war songs of the Teutoburg Forest to the European giant, Francia; from Otto, the Father of the Fatherland, to the Redbeard at the height of his power, Germany was born amid hardship, and its kingdoms took shape through war. From the humiliating journey to Canossa to the helplessness of the Interregnum; from the call of the Ninety-Five Theses to the establishment of the principle that the ruler determines the religion, royal power slipped away amid division, while the winds of the Reformation swept across the land. The unity forged in iron and blood was reduced to rubble by artillery fire. Weimar's desolation gave rise to the Nazi monster, and the clouds of war shrouded the earth. After the gloom came a rebirth from the ashes. Goethe's novels, Bach's dance music, Beethoven's symphonies, and Hegel's critiques: philosophy and art bloomed across German soil like twin snow lotuses. The statue of the Lionheart still stands quietly before Westminster Abbey, while Napoleon's banners have already risen along the Rhine. The verses of Beowulf are still sung by wandering minstrels, and stirring heroic melodies resound through Vienna's Golden Hall. From the ancient, weathered stones of Stonehenge to the opulent Palace of Versailles, from the dream ship Titanic to the fading fragrance of the aristocratic salon, each sealed chapter of history holds memories that will never be forgotten. With lively prose, the book tells the truth of history; with a professional eye, it explores the rise of great powers; with a fluid style, it portrays the figures who shaped their times; and through detailed historical sources, it investigates the mysteries of the past. More than 600 fascinating stories, over 2,000 precious historical images, and a nine-volume work spanning two million words offer a sweeping view of the upheavals and triumphs of 5,000 years of human history.