This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
With the construction of the Berlin Wall, the separation of the 2 German states appeared complete & their ever-deeper integration into opposing economic & geopolitical blocs was set to drive them further apart. Hermetically closed-off, the GDR was able to consolidate & allow a degree of internal liberalisation while, after the end of the Adenauer era, West Germany experienced what contemporaries regarded as a cultural revolution. When Willy Brandt became chancellor in 1969 his social democrat-led government embarked on an ambitious domestic reform & a policy of accommodation with Eastern Europe, including the normalisation of relations with East Germany. Decades of post-war growth came to an end with the oil price shocks & the challenge of left-wing terrorism, while Détente came to an end with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In a climate of rising East-West tensions, with Germany the potential battlefield in a nuclear confrontation, a powerful peace movement arose in the West opposing the deployment of US missiles, linked to which the Green Party emerged as a new political force. In East Germany ecological concerns peace advocacy resulted in small independent groups beginning to challenge the monopoly of the state-sponsored mass organisations. When the politically hard-line & economically hard-pressed GDR leadership found itself in conflict with the reform-minded Soviet leader Gorbachev while increasing numbers of East Germans were seeking to escape the country, grew in strength which eventually brought the Berlin Wall down. Civil rights activism was, however, soon overtaken by a desire to share in the prosperity of the West,& after complex intra-German & international negotiations re-unification came to pass. The economic, social & mental legacies of 40 years’ separation took much longer to overcome,& some remain even as United Germany faces new challenges with the approaching end of the long age of Merkel.
What will we cover?
Life behind the Wall: The GDR 1960-1971
The Sixties in West Germany
Domestic Reform and Ostpolitik under the Brandt Government
The Normalisation of intra-German Relations
Economic Challenges and the Terror Threat of the 1970s
The Two German States in the Second Cold War
Gorbachev and the Disintegration of the GDR
1989-90: The Road to Reunification
Overcoming the Legacies of Division
The Age of Merkel
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Identify the main features, leading personalities and key stages in the development of both East and West Germany; • Express an informed view about the underlying fragility of the GDR; • Explain the relative stability of West Germany through serious economic and political challenges. • Understand the national and international complexities of the reunification process; • Engage with ongoing arguments and controversies concerning the legacies of division.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. An ability and willingness to explore relevant shared resources will increase what you get out of the course.
However, as with most of our history, politics, philosophy and current affairs courses, an open mind and a respectful willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.
Given the nature of some of the topics the course will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect, sensitivity and the willingness to learn from others.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
PowerPoint-supported interactive lecture
Students will be advised on supplementary reading and plenty of online material will be provided for individual study.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no other costs, and students need not bring anything to class apart from an open mind and a readiness to learn.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Other courses in German or European history starting in September/October. Please see the City Lit website.
Dr. Rudolf Muhs, Emeritus Reader in Modern European History at Royal Holloway, University of London, studied at the universities of Freiburg and Edinburgh and has been teaching German history in England since 1987.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/post-war-german-history-1961-to-reunification-and-beyond237008Post-war German history: 1961 to reunification and beyondhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpg279279GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/European history/Courses/vm/Courses in democracy, rights and representation22851177117811821368112285117711781653This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.153085444Post-war German history: 1961 to reunification and beyond279279https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2027-04-30T00:00:00+00:00Apr 2027Culture, history & humanitiesHEH48279279Post-war German history: 1961 to reunification and beyond223181279Rudolf Muhspost-war-german-history-1961-to-reunification-and-beyond/heh48-2627This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.0000-Available|2027-04-30 00:00:00<p>With the construction of the Berlin Wall, the separation of the 2 German states appeared complete & their ever-deeper integration into opposing economic & geopolitical blocs was set to drive them further apart. Hermetically closed-off, the GDR was able to consolidate & allow a degree of internal liberalisation while, after the end of the Adenauer era, West Germany experienced what contemporaries regarded as a cultural revolution. When Willy Brandt became chancellor in 1969 his social democrat-led government embarked on an ambitious domestic reform & a policy of accommodation with Eastern Europe, including the normalisation of relations with East Germany. Decades of post-war growth came to an end with the oil price shocks & the challenge of left-wing terrorism, while Détente came to an end with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In a climate of rising East-West tensions, with Germany the potential battlefield in a nuclear confrontation, a powerful peace movement arose in the West opposing the deployment of US missiles, linked to which the Green Party emerged as a new political force. In East Germany ecological concerns peace advocacy resulted in small independent groups beginning to challenge the monopoly of the state-sponsored mass organisations. When the politically hard-line & economically hard-pressed GDR leadership found itself in conflict with the reform-minded Soviet leader Gorbachev while increasing numbers of East Germans were seeking to escape the country, grew in strength which eventually brought the Berlin Wall down. Civil rights activism was, however, soon overtaken by a desire to share in the prosperity of the West,& after complex intra-German & international negotiations re-unification came to pass. The economic, social & mental legacies of 40 years’ separation took much longer to overcome,& some remain even as United Germany faces new challenges with the approaching end of the long age of Merkel.</p>This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.<ol><li>Life behind the Wall: The GDR 1960-1971</li><li>The Sixties in West Germany</li><li>Domestic Reform and Ostpolitik under the Brandt Government</li><li>The Normalisation of intra-German Relations</li><li>Economic Challenges and the Terror Threat of the 1970s</li><li>The Two German States in the Second Cold War</li><li>Gorbachev and the Disintegration of the GDR</li><li>1989-90: The Road to Reunification</li><li>Overcoming the Legacies of Division</li><li>The Age of Merkel</li></ol>• Identify the main features, leading personalities and key stages in the development of both East and West Germany; <br>• Express an informed view about the underlying fragility of the GDR; <br>• Explain the relative stability of West Germany through serious economic and political challenges.<br>• Understand the national and international complexities of the reunification process; <br>• Engage with ongoing arguments and controversies concerning the legacies of division.<p>This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. An ability and willingness to explore relevant shared resources will increase what you get out of the course.</p><p>However, as with most of our history, politics, philosophy and current affairs courses, an open mind and a respectful willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills. </p><p>Given the nature of some of the topics the course will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect, sensitivity and the willingness to learn from others.</p><p>PowerPoint-supported interactive lecture</p><p><strong>Students will be advised on supplementary reading and plenty of online material will be provided for individual study.</strong></p>There are no other costs, and students need not bring anything to class apart from an open mind and a readiness to learn.<p>Other courses in German or European history starting in September/October. Please see the City Lit website. </p>HistoryEuropean historyvirtual223279181HEH48NONEFri30/04/27 - 02/07/2715:00 - 17:0015:0017:0010 sessions (over 10 weeks)105-10 weeksDaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetRudolf MuhsAvailable courses2027-04-30T00:00:00+00:00Apr 2027Culture, history & humanities279279Post-war German history: 1961 to reunification and beyondpost-war-german-history-1961-to-reunification-and-beyond/heh48-2627This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.0000-Available|2027-04-30 00:00:00<p>With the construction of the Berlin Wall, the separation of the 2 German states appeared complete &amp; their ever-deeper integration into opposing economic &amp; geopolitical blocs was set to drive them further apart. Hermetically closed-off, the GDR was able to consolidate &amp; allow a degree of internal liberalisation while, after the end of the Adenauer era, West Germany experienced what contemporaries regarded as a cultural revolution. When Willy Brandt became chancellor in 1969 his social democrat-led government embarked on an ambitious domestic reform &amp; a policy of accommodation with Eastern Europe, including the normalisation of relations with East Germany. Decades of post-war growth came to an end with the oil price shocks &amp; the challenge of left-wing terrorism, while Détente came to an end with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In a climate of rising East-West tensions, with Germany the potential battlefield in a nuclear confrontation, a powerful peace movement arose in the West opposing the deployment of US missiles, linked to which the Green Party emerged as a new political force. In East Germany ecological concerns peace advocacy resulted in small independent groups beginning to challenge the monopoly of the state-sponsored mass organisations. When the politically hard-line &amp; economically hard-pressed GDR leadership found itself in conflict with the reform-minded Soviet leader Gorbachev while increasing numbers of East Germans were seeking to escape the country, grew in strength which eventually brought the Berlin Wall down. Civil rights activism was, however, soon overtaken by a desire to share in the prosperity of the West,&amp; after complex intra-German &amp; international negotiations re-unification came to pass. The economic, social &amp; mental legacies of 40 years’ separation took much longer to overcome,&amp; some remain even as United Germany faces new challenges with the approaching end of the long age of Merkel.</p>This course offers a broad survey of German history from the sealing of the country’s division by the Berlin Wall to its unforeseen reunification in 1989-90 and its aftermath.<ol><li>Life behind the Wall: The GDR 1960-1971</li><li>The Sixties in West Germany</li><li>Domestic Reform and Ostpolitik under the Brandt Government</li><li>The Normalisation of intra-German Relations</li><li>Economic Challenges and the Terror Threat of the 1970s</li><li>The Two German States in the Second Cold War</li><li>Gorbachev and the Disintegration of the GDR</li><li>1989-90: The Road to Reunification</li><li>Overcoming the Legacies of Division</li><li>The Age of Merkel</li></ol>• Identify the main features, leading personalities and key stages in the development of both East and West Germany; <br>• Express an informed view about the underlying fragility of the GDR; <br>• Explain the relative stability of West Germany through serious economic and political challenges.<br>• Understand the national and international complexities of the reunification process; <br>• Engage with ongoing arguments and controversies concerning the legacies of division.<p>This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. An ability and willingness to explore relevant shared resources will increase what you get out of the course.</p><p>However, as with most of our history, politics, philosophy and current affairs courses, an open mind and a respectful willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills. </p><p>Given the nature of some of the topics the course will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect, sensitivity and the willingness to learn from others.</p><p>PowerPoint-supported interactive lecture</p><p><strong>Students will be advised on supplementary reading and plenty of online material will be provided for individual study.</strong></p>There are no other costs, and students need not bring anything to class apart from an open mind and a readiness to learn.<p>Other courses in German or European history starting in September/October. Please see the City Lit website. </p>HistoryEuropean historyconfigurable
11821178European historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/european-history1/2/285/1177/1178/11821/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/European history
