Deutsche Mythen seit 1945

How and why are myths constructed? Every nation has founding narratives that are meant to support the nation’s self-conception. While neighboring European countries are able to look far back into history, Germans – as a reaction to the experiences under National Socialism – concentrate on the new beginning after 1945. “Economic miracle” or “republic of workers and peasants” – are myths of the Federal Republic and the German Democratic Republic.
Eleven renowned authors analyze German myths starting from the “zero hour,” to the “anti-fascist state,” to the “German revolution of 1989,” and the role as “paymaster of Europe.” Object histories connected with individual myths supplement the richly illustrated texts.