This is the first full-scale study in English of the reign of Frederick William IV, King of Prussia from 1840 to 1861, and arguably the most important German monarch in the century between the death of Frederick the Great and the accession of William II. Although Frederick William has long been criticized as a Romantic reactionary who was utterly out of touch with his times, this study reaches different conclusions, arguing that he was in fact a modern, and in many ways, 'successful' monarch. The book is not a biography in the traditional sense. Rather, it focuses on the structures, institutions, and transformations of the monarchical system in Prussia during a time of revolutionary change. It thus represents a contribution to our understanding of the structures of the nineteenth-century European state, and the strategies by which conservative elites were able to adjust themselves to new circumstances.

" . . . a rich, complex, authoritative, scholarly survey of Germany's socialist heritage." - The Midwest Book Review "Can twenty-three essays present the history of German socialism and communism, as well as those movements' members, supporters, and policies in the context of social history? This fine collection comes close to achieving that difficult task . . . A very high quality work." - Central European History "Certainly the best collection of essays on the SPD and KPD . . . The editors and contributors . . . have provided fresh intrepretations . . . and have set a high standard for present and future scholars." - H-Net Reviews The powerful impact of Socialism and Communism on modern German history is the theme which is explored by the contributors to this volume. Whereas previous investigations have tended to focus on political, intellectual and biographical aspects, this book captures, for the first time, the methodological and thematic diversity and richness of current work on the history of the German working class and the political movements that emerged from it. Based on original contributions from US, British, and German scholars, this collection address a wide range of themes and problems. David E. Barclay is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Western European Studies, Kalamazoo College. Eric D. Weitz is Professor of History at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

The powerful impact of Socialism and Communism on modern German history is the theme which is explored by the contributors to this volume. Whereas previous investigations have tended to focus on political, intellectual and biographical aspects, this book captures, for the first time, the methodological and thematic diversity and richness of current work on the history of the German working class and the political movements that emerged from it. Based on original contributions from U.S., British, and German scholars, this collection address a wide range of themes and problems.

These essays analyze how German and American views of each other developed and periodically shifted, providing a fresh analysis of the often complex German-American relationship. The images--found in travelogues, private letters, diaries, diplomatic reports, newspaper articles, and movies--that resulted from each encounter frequently reflected the contemporary relations, often foreshadowed future trends, and illustrate how political agendas, prejudices, stereotypes, and pragmatic forces influenced each society's perceptions.

These essays analyze how German and American views of each other developed and periodically shifted, providing a fresh analysis of the often complex German-American relationship. The images--found in travelogues, private letters, diaries, diplomatic reports, newspaper articles, and movies--that resulted from each encounter frequently reflected the contemporary relations, often foreshadowed future trends, and illustrate how political agendas, prejudices, stereotypes, and pragmatic forces influenced each society's perceptions.