In The Wake Of War: The Reconstruction Of German Cities After World War II Hardcover

Jeffry M. Diefendorf

This is the first comprehensive study of the rebuilding of West Germany's cities following the Second World War. Most major urban centres had been reduced to rubble by the end of the war, yet they were rebuilt faster than anyone thought possible. Diefendorf presents a wealth of material on all aspects of reconstruction - from the bombing itself and removal of debris, to urban planning, architecture, and execution. Using the designs of city planners, the author examines continuities in urban planning and architecture that lead back into the Nazi era and before. The text is accompanied by numerous photographs selected from hundreds in Diefendorf's collection.

9780195072198

English

Oxford University Press Inc

01 Jun 1997

424

Focusing on the experience of over thirty of Germany's largest cities, this is the first general account in English of the might efforts to rebuild urban Germany after 1945. The research effort and the command of detail are impressive and Professor Diefendorf tells the involved tale with clarity and style. * William Forsyth, University of York, EHR June '96 * 'A chapter on the post-war agencies of reconstruction and a short conclusion on the success and failure of the reconstruction programmes gives the book a happy symmetry ... a welcome contribution to the English-language literature on post-war German urbanism.' ITimes Literary Supplement 'The book succeeds splendidly in its objective of explaining the roles played by the architects, planners and government officials who were responsible for this swift transformation ... it will be of enormous interest to historians of modern Germany, urban geographers, town planners and architects. This impressive study is supported by a wide range of maps, diagrams, tables, photographs and sources culled by the author from over thirty archives. All this is woven into a detailed and fascinating analysis.' Frank McDonough, History Today, August 1994 'This is the first comprehensive study of the rebuilding of West Germany's cities following World War II ... Diefendorf presents a wealth of material on all aspects of reconstruction ... this is a detailed and scholarly study of social policy in Weimar Germany ... Elizabeth Harvey's lucid and scholarly analysis provides new insights into the troubled development of the Weimar welfare state, and adds important evidence to the debate over continuities in social policy between Weimar Germany and the Third Reich.' History: European