Wunderland

In the wake of unprecedented destruction, how does a nation rebuild its identity after the rubble has been cleared away?

The Weimar Republic and the Third Reich both loom large in German history, but what happened afterwards? How did a nation that had so recently been the centre of the biggest international war to date, one in which its leaders had perpetrated the greatest crimes against humanity the world had ever seen, transform itself into the modern, progressive nation we know today?

Wunderland reveals the transformations that took place, economically and culturally, from 1955–1967 as the nation came to grips with the legacy of Word War II. As rapid industrialisation transforms the world of work and commerce, an explosion of new media atomises communities and an essential reckoning with the Second World War’s dark legacy sharpens generational divides, Jähner takes us through each facet of German society, revealing how the nation experienced and navigated rapid change. He shows how the seeds of the biggest challenges Germany faces today were planted during this decade, and how the nation we know today emerged from this pivotal decade.

In a world rocked by the rise of authoritarian leaders around the world, Wunderland is a powerful reminder that when these regimes fall, they can leave in their wake an opportunity for rebirth, reconciliation and unprecedented growth.