After the Wall: Germany, the Germans and the Burdens of History

by Marc Fisher

A firsthand account of the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall, by the award-winning Washington Post correspondent who covered the dramatic events of 1989 and the unification of Germany. "After... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684802910
• ISBN13: 9780684802916
• Release Date: June 1995
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 350 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

The truth is not always beautiful

I stumbled upon this book researching the reunification, and I found it to be wonderful. Every sentence begs the reader to ask questions, not only about German culture, but also our own. My German friends who have read it found it to be a harsh, but extremely accurate portrayal of German society. It is an interesting look at the psychology of an entire nation, and the troubles that can arise from a philosophy of avoidance. Anybody who wishes to see the Germany that lies beneath the façade of lederhosen and biergartens should read this book.

Excellent overview/intro to modern German social currents

Well-organized, easy to follow and thoroughly engrossing (read it in two days), Fisher's book gives a wonderful overview of social tensions and issues within 90s Germany. The identity crises of individuals and the country as a whole are made understandable, and the anecdotes are constructive, enjoyable additions to the book. Covers not only post-unification problems but some WWII/Holocaust repercussions as well. This was the first book I found that addressed this material, and the best I've come across yet.

Amazing parallels

My wife and I lived in Germany during the same critical period in history that Mr. Fisher has chronicled in his book -- almost all of his anecdotes paralleled our own experiences as Americans living in Germany during the great transition from the Cold to Post-Cold War era. Anyone who has looked at Germany from the outside, or lived there as a foreigner, will find a little of themselves in Mr. Fisher's book. The previous reviewer, obviously German, seemed a little sensitive to Fisher's observations of what it means to be a German in Germany; so be it, but for the rest of us, his book is on the mark, well written, and definitely worth a read...

The kind of book you want to read and read again. Wow.

I don't often find books that are this compelling. This book not only tells the story of a country and its history at an amazing time, it also takes you right inside the lives of people who you really grow to care about. Germany is a strange place, but for the first time, I felt like I understood it.