History of Prussia [Hardcover]

H.w Koch (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0880291583 | ISBN-13: 978-0880291583 | Publication Date: June 1987 | Edition: New edition

In little more than two centuries Prussia rose from medieval obscurity and the devastation of the Thirty Years War to become the dominant power of continental Europe. Her rulers rose from Electors to Kings, and from Kings to Emperors. It is a dramatic story, and H. W. Koch fills a major gap in English-language literature with this comprehensive account. It traces the origins and rise of the Prussian state from the thirteenth century to the causes and consequences of its incorporation into the German Empire.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Dr Koch's book...should long remain the standard work in its field.' The Times Higher Education Supplement --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 326 pages
• Publisher: Barnes Noble; New edition edition (June 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880291583
• ISBN-13: 978-0880291583
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,075,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a breathtaking journey, March 18, 2004

By 

A Forest Roobit (St. Petersburg, Russia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of Prussia (Hardcover)

Although the book is clearly written from a (very) German and very Protestant perspective, and the author never lets the reader forget where his, the author's, sympathies and loyalties lie, K.W. Koch's A History of Prussia is a small masterpiece. From the origins of the Teutonic Knights through the medieval Order's politics, and then forward on to the Thirty Years War, unstoppable advancement of Sweden, the Great Elector Frederick William's statesmanship and his coronation as the king of Prussia, Prussia's own 18 century expansion, liquidation of Poland, trauma of Napoleonic experience, bitter Austro-Prussian rivalry, wars against the Danes, the Austrians and the French and finally on to creation of the unified German State, the modestly named A History of Prussia (that is one of many possible histories) - is an absolutely breathtaking journey documenting the meteoric rise of Prussia and, indirectly, the emergence of modern Germany. For a casual reader who is interested in German and in European history, K.W. Koch's work is an invaluable resource.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brian Wells, Esquire, reviews "A History of Prussia", December 16, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A History of Prussia (Hardcover)

This compact little book is an excellent primer to the history of the small kingdom which would over the course of 200 years (from the crowning of Frederick William, the Great Elector,in 1640 until the crowning of William I as Emperor of all Germany in 1871) would rise to the position of dominate power in Central Europe and a world power with aspirations toward a foreign empire on the order of the British Empire.

Dense with information, the book serves as a reference book rather than a book which is merely read once and place on the shelf. It provides an excellent companion book to have on hand while reading any other book on German/Prussian History. The very denseness ot the factual material may make reading the book for the first time somewhat difficult. Yet the book does have a good index by which information can be retrieved at a later point in time.

All in all it is a necessary addition to the German History section of any private library.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travels to Prussia and Europe, September 25, 2005

By 

F. A Castellon "Prime" (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of Prussia (Hardcover)

This book written by H.W Kock, I would say and I don't know if anyone can argue with this statement; that it is the definitive or top three books on Prussia. What is Prussia? What did it stand for? Why is it so important that because of Prussia, there is now a Germany? Read this book and you will surely find the answers to these questions and know a lot more about the History of Europe which was dominated by this small country in the 18th century. Is that too much to say? Read and see yourself.

Mr. Kock takes us back to the very begining, to the Teutonic Knights and ends it with the Unification of what is now Germany. In between he finds topics to fill this very luminous book from Frederick the Great, the Napoleonic Wars, the Enlightement and finally to the end of the French Second Republic and the begining of Germany. You will find that Prussia was involved in every facet of History in Europe since The wars of Revolution, not just France and Britain as it is believed today. The only part of this book that could add a little more would be more involment with the Bismark but I believe the author had a dislike of him so he is not touched very much. But let's not forget that the Iron chancelor was Prussian and worked hard to make his country the best it could be and succeded in doing so.

A very long read but very worth it. After you are done you will want to learn more of the facts that led to the Great War. Why was Prussia so aggresive? Simple, if you feel you are always surrounded and have no choice but to push back, at times, you push too hard and believe that you will always be victorious. In the end, that feeling of claustrophobia that Prussia had, led to it's demise by a king that "Was more German than Prussian and half English". That was the very sad truth about Prussia, a country whose name no one evokes and when one does many different feelings come to ones mind. Let's not remember the goose stepping but what it gave to Germany. It's greatest gift, it's unity.