Blood and Iron

Katja Hoyer's well-researched and well-written book is the best biography of the Second Reich in years. She cogently argues that what started in Versailles' Hall of Mirrors need not have ended in the disaster of the Great War, and rightly rescues Bismarck from the ignominy of being a forerunner of Hitler. It will undoubtedly become the essential account of this vitally important part of European history -- Andrew Roberts, author of <i>Churchill: Walking with Destiny</i> Splendidly lucid and readable: Katja Hoyer has managed to compress fifty years of great complexity into a compelling and comprehensible narrative - and it is a story that every European needs to know and to understand -- Dr Neil MacGregor, author of <i>Germany: Memories of a Nation</i> Excellent ... Fluently written and convincingly argued, Blood and Iron is a brilliant account of an important period of history, and one that marks the arrival of a major new talent ... Hoyer provides a nuanced and thoughtful discussion of the causes of conflict in 1914 -- Saul David, <i>Daily Telegraph</i> Brisk, thoughtful and thoroughly engaging -- Dominic Sandbrook, <i>Sunday Times</i> Hoyer has mastered an intimidating jungle of material and written a balanced and hugely accessible introduction to the age when Germany became Germany ... Hoyer renders a vivid account of Wilhelm's overweening ineptitude. The Kaiser was so gaffe-prone that his ministers frequently had to issue the press with hastily rewritten transcripts of his improvised speeches -- Oliver Moody, <i>The Times</i> Katja Hoyer has written an excellent book on the rise and fall of the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 that is packed with detail and illuminating insights. She shows very effectively the changes in German foreign policy after Bismarck's fall from power, and the more provocative stance of Kaiser Wilhelm's world policy that contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, and brought out Germany's expansionist aims during the conflict. Overall, this book fills a gap in our understanding of the Second Reich, and it helps us to understand more clearly the reasons for its failure -- Professor Frank McDonough, author of <i>The Hitler Years</i> Hoyer brings this dense period of German history to life with a lightness of touch that complements her impressive scholarship. A deeply satisfying read, highly recommended -- Julia Boyd, author of <i>Travellers in the Third Reich</i> Concise and incisive, this sparkling examination of the rise and fall of the Second Reich is an excellent introduction to a crucial period of German history -- Professor Tim Blanning, author of <i>Frederick the Great</i> We ought all to know more about the rise of the Second German Reich, founded with blood and iron in Otto von Bismarck's words, because the great catastrophes of the 20th century flow from it. In entertaining prose, Katja Hoyer makes that history highly accessible, and paints lively portraits of the political genius Bismarck and the naive egotist Kaiser Wilhelm II -- Michael Portillo, author of <i>Portillo's Hidden History of Britain</i> Engaging and enlightening in equal measure, Blood and Iron is a brilliant synthesis of a complex history which will be welcomed by students and general readers alike -- Roger Moorhouse, author of <i>First to Fight: The Polish War 1939</i> Anyone, student or general "history buff", in search of a readable but authoritative guide to how modern Germany came into being need look no further than Katja Hoyer's Blood and Iron. The familiar political and military battlefields are all compellingly described. Bismarck and Co. have their due. However, the author also explores many fascinating and less well-known aspects of German culture and public life during that period - equally important factors in the epic story of how this vibrant, often turbulent, society on the

Katja Hoyer FRHistS is an Anglo-German historian. She was born in East Germany and read history at the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Visiting Research Fellow at King's College London. Her essays have featured in History Today and BBC History Extra, and she also writes for the Spectator, the Washington Post, UnHerd, Die Welt and other newspapers on current political affairs in Germany and Europe. Blood and Iron is her first book. She is based in Sussex, UK.