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Blood and Iron

The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871-1918

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Blood and Iron

By: Katja Hoyer
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton
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About this listen

In a unique study of five decades that changed the course of modern history, Katja Hoyer tells the story of the German Empire from its violent beginnings to its calamitous defeat in the First World War.

Before 1871, Germany was not a nation but an idea. Its founder, Otto von Bismarck, had a formidable task at hand. How would he bring thirty-nine individual states under the yoke of a single Kaiser, convincing proud Prussians, Bavarians and Rhinelanders to become Germans? Once united, could the young European nation wield enough power to rival the empires of Britain and France—all without destroying itself in the process?

©2021 Katja Hoyer (P)2022 W. F. Howes Ltd 19th Century Europe Germany Modern Imperialism

Critic reviews

"The best biography of the Second Reich in years.... It will undoubtedly become the essential account of this vitally important part of European history." (Andrew Roberts)
All stars
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Great book, and a decent narrator. BUT there is some minor background noises which is rather annoying. (And I am a person that is really bothered by this kind of stuff). But it serves as a great introduction to The Prussian Empire.

Great book BUT

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mediocre recording.

The narrative is great and well read but the quality of the recording is mediocre.

overall well worth the credit!

great book but..

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Well written, well read and about interesting subject - if you like history books (like myself) you must be delighted with it.

Great audiobook

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Really enjoyed this book. It gives a sense of the achievement of uniting Germany in the 19th century, and how this changed the course of Europe.

Amazing book!

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The narration was outstanding. It was detailed without being boring. Especially fascinating because in my part of the world German history is only taught from 1914-present and even then 1914-1919 is rarely discussed in much detail other than "trench warface=misery, end of story".

Would highly recommend!

Brilliant insight

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