Germany biography of a nation

- World War One. Germany is defeated and becomes a republic. Emperor William II abdicates and goes into exile.

- Treaty of Versailles: Germany loses colonies and land to neighbours, pays large-scale reparations.

Beginning of the Weimar Republic, based on a new constitution.

Its early years are marked by high unemployment and rampant inflation.

- Adolf Hitler, head of the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party, leads an abortive coup in a Munich beer hall.

France, Belgium occupy the Ruhr over failed reparation payments.

Germany: memories of a nation

Germany: memories of a nation

Instead of a chronological narrative, it presents the history of Germany from the perspectives of several distinct and very insightful cross sections of German.

Germany: memories of a nation review

Neil MacGregor explores years of Germany's complex and often challenging history.

This is an incisive account of how Germans have fashioned and refashioned their identity out of the materials bequeathed by the past.

Hyperinflation leads to economic collapse.

- Global depression, mass unemployment.

- Hitler becomes chancellor. Weimar Republic gives way to a one-party state. Systematic persecution of Germany's Jews escalates.

Hitler proclaims the Third Reich in

- Germany begins to re-arm. Nuremberg Laws deprive German Jews of citizenship.

- Annexation of Austria and Sudetenland.

Kristallnacht (Night of Broke