Die Deutschen und ihre Mythen

Herfried Münkler writes about the Germans and their history through the lens of their myths. He brings ancient legends—such as those surrounding the Nibelungen—back to life, explores fateful places like Weimar, Nuremberg, and the Rhine, and features historical figures like Hermann the Cherusker, Frederick the Great, and the Pope; even the Deutsche Mark is included in this narrative. In a comprehensive historical analysis, Münkler demonstrates how myths have shaped our national identity and the motivating and mobilizing power they possess—both positively and negatively. In German history, myth and politics have always gone hand in hand. The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest and the dragon-slayer Siegfried served the internal militarization of the Germans, while the Barbarossa campaign led them directly to ruin. After 1945, the Federal Republic flourished in myth.