Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
Sam A. Mustafa examines the changing role of Prussia in the lives of German people, from the founding of the empire in 1871 to the present. He addresses the steady diminution of Prussia's power within the Reich, its crisis during the Weimar Republic, and the symbolic uses of Prussia by the Nazis. He also explores the historical preservation efforts and the revisions of Prussia in East and West Germany, and the remnants of Prussia in landscapes and popular culture. Mustafa concludes by analyzing the restoration of Prussian structures after 1990 and the surprising return of Prussia to the public consciousness in the twenty-first century.
“This book is an original, lively, and well-researched exploration of Prussia’s disappearance, reappearance, and complex legacy throughout contemporary German history. Rather than offering a conventional political or institutional narrative, it traces the erasure and reimagining of Prussia across landscapes, memory, and cultural discourse—from Berlin and Potsdam to textbooks, monuments, and media. With the insight of a historian attuned to the politics of memory, the author guides readers through a multidimensional account that is both intellectually rigorous and narratively engaging.” • Eric Kurlander, Stetson University
Sam A. Mustafa is Professor of History at Ramapo College of New Jersey, specializing in modern European history, with an emphasis on Germany. He has lived and worked extensively in Germany. Losing and Finding Prussia in the 20th Century is his sixth book.
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Notes on Translation
List of Abbreviations
Prologue
Chapter 1. Losing Power: 1871-1929
Chapter 2. Losing Purpose: 1929-1945
Chapter 3. Losing Identity: 1945-1970 in West Germany
Chapter 4. Losing Heritage: 1945-1970 in East Germany
Chapter 5. Finding the Prussians: 1970-1990
Chapter 6. The Return of the Kings: 1990-2026
Epilogue
Bibliography