Kleine Geschichte der Ukraine

The best book available in German on the national history of this country. Tobias Rapp, Der Spiegel. Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe, yet until the Russian invasion in February 2022, it existed in the German consciousness largely in the shadow of Russia. This also applied to its history—a neglect that can be corrected with the present standard work by the renowned Eastern European historian Andreas Kappeler.

The book informs about the most important events and contexts, offering a Ukrainian perspective in contrast to the still prevalent Russia-centric view, while also critically examining national myths of Ukraine. It covers not only the history of Ukrainians from the Middle Ages to the present but also that of Poles, Russians, Jews, and Germans living in Ukraine. The book includes a new preface and a new afterword.

This knowledgeable, well-written, and calm book should be read by anyone who wants to establish a solid foundation of knowledge. Reinhard Veser, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Current edition with a new afterword. The standard work on Ukrainian history. Andreas Kappeler is one of the leading historians of Eastern Europe.