German economic miracle after ww2 books

Discover librarianselected research resources on postwar germany from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. German economic miracle german wirtschaftswunder 1948. Briefly before the great war started, germany became the bigges. In the second half of the 1930s germany experienced high economic growth rates and a rapid decline of unemployment that were unparalleled in europe. The need to produce war supplies had given rise to a huge militaryindustrial complex a term coined by dwight d. Table 1 shows the accelerated growth and the unprecenden ted levels of per capita income reached since the war. Top 10 books about postwar britain books the guardian. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five. Normally, when people talk about the german economy after world war ii, they mean the west german economy. After the fall of the berlin wall the anticipated miracle enjoyed by west germany following world war ii failed to materialize for dessau, and it is in the process of demolishing some 10,000 empty homes and turning the lots into parks.

Postworld war ii economic expansion project gutenberg. Dessau, a small and steadily shrinking town in the german state of saxonyanhalt in what used to be east germany, is doing the best it can. Yet twenty years later its economy was envied by most of the world. The postwwii japanese economic development was a process of catchup to the other industrialized economies. Devastated in terms of material loss and human wellbeing, germany put its name in the books of economic history as a success story of development. Its very convenient to think of wars as having neat beginnings and endings but thats rarely the case, especially world war ii. May 11, 2019 based on data from the oecd, heres a look at the comparative economic output in east germany and west germany. After the extensive development of the railway network during the 1840s, rapid economic growth and modernisation sparked the process of industrialisation. Based on data from the oecd, heres a look at the comparative economic output in east germany and west germany. Moreover, a large percentage of germany s workingage men were dead. The best books on the aftermath of world war ii five books expert. How was the economic miracle possible for japan and germany. By any standard, but especially given the extent of wartime destruction, the federal republic of germanys economic development has been extraordinary.

Readers respond to my article on german economic miracle. I do not want to belittle the economic achievements of the german market economy. But you should be aware that there was a different situation in east germany, a communist country controlled by the russians. When world war ii ended in europe in may 1945, all the antifascist parties formed a predominantly northern government led by the resistance hero and party of action leader ferruccio parri. Europe, after what we call the ending of the war, was a continent in complete chaos. The postworld war ii economic expansion, also known as the golden age of capitalism and the postwar economic boom or simply the long boom, was a broad period of worldwide economic expansion beginning after world war ii and ending with the 19731975 recession. Culture what germanys postwar refugees taught us about integration. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This was the era of the wirtschaftswunder or economic miracle. Between 1950 and 1960 the west german economys real output more than doubled, growing.

After germany surrendered in 1945, it was divided into four occupation zones controlled. Jeffrey diefendorf has written several books about the reconstruction of both germany and japan after world war ii. The wages of destruction is divided into 20 chapters and has 22 supporting tables and 22 additional figures. The forgotten story of the german economic miracle. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. The prices of 1936 made little economic sense, particularly after germany was at war. This year marks the 40th anniversary of ludwig erhards sweeping free market reforms which gave economic freedom to over 80 million germans and began west germanys 30year postwar economic miracle. Hitler opted for germanys financial independence and therein lays his economic miracle. Giles macdonogh is a bon viveur and a historian of wine and gastronomy, but in this book, pursuing his other consuming interest german history he serves a. People will vote for or join a political party that they believe will increase their wealth, power, and prestige. A fter world war ii the german economy lay in shambles. Some in the west, including the united states treasury secretary, henry morgenthau, thought germanys industrial capacity should be completely dismantled to prevent it from ever again becoming a military threat. But germany was the first country to challenge international banking usury. Learn about the countrys quick rise to the third strongest economy in the world.

Ill also assert that the blue line probably exaggerates east german economic output. As you might imagine, the economic situation in germany was very difficult after the war. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. The postwar economic miracle in west germany by basainey. And less than ten years after the war people already were talking about the german economic miracle. Youll notice that i added some dotted lines to illustrate that both nations presumably started at the same very low level after wwii ended. Europe in the aftermath of world war ii by keith lowe. He worked to restore the west german economy from the destruction of world war ii to a central position in europe, presiding over the german economic miracle. He is the author or editor of eight books, including in the wake of war. The 18th century was the time in which germany as an economy was rural and only a few countries traded in this country but as soon as 19th century arrived the. Apr 01, 2017 he worked to restore the west german economy from the destruction of world war ii to a central position in europe, presiding over the german economic miracle.

World war ii aftermath in germany economic collapse. Jan 27, 2020 the united states also recognized during the postwar period the need to restructure international monetary arrangements, spearheading the creation of the international monetary fund and the world bank institutions designed to ensure an open, capitalist international economy. What impact did the nazi party have on germanys economy. After world war ii, 12 million refugees and expellees came to germany a country that was in tatters and hardly had any food. Jan 08, 2012 readers respond to my article on german economic miracle posted on january 8, 2012 by bill george 0 comments filed in. But the german economic comeback in spite of the remaining shackles gives us reason to contemplate on what the recovery would have been if the policies had been libertarian throughout.

Nov 21, 2019 this column, part of a vox debate on wwii, lays out three factors that made this paradox possible. Christoph buchheim on the other hand characterizes the german economic development during the nazi period as deformed growth, supposing huge investments in armament branches, which were useless under normal economic conditions such as in germany after the war. After germany surrendered in 1945, it was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the ussr, britain, the united states, and france. Labor administration from bismarck to the economic miracle berghahn books. From the prosperity of the empire during the wilhelmine era 18901914, germany plunged into world war i, a war it was to lose and one that spawned many of the. The post world war ii economic expansion, also known as the golden age of capitalism and the postwar economic boom or simply the long boom, was a broad period of worldwide economic expansion beginning after world war ii and ending with the 197375 recession. Did eastern germany experience an economic miracle.

The year 1945 marked the end of the worst military conflict in history, which brought unprecedented destruction and loss of life. Food production per capita in 1947 was only 51 percent of its level in 1938, and the official food ration set by the occupying powers varied between 1,040 and 1,550 calories. Italy since 1945 the first decades after world war ii birth of the italian republic. Germany was able to recover that good because the knowledge and industrial capacity were already build before the first world war started. Half the countrys debts were canceled 60 years ago this week the foundation of the economic miracle. The term wirtschaftswunder, also known as the miracle on the rhine, describes the rapid reconstruction and development of the economies of west germany and austria after world war ii.

The expression referring to this phenomenon was first used by the times in 1950. Until the early 19th century germany, a federation of numerous states of varying size and development, retained its preindustrial character, where trade centered around a number of free imperial cities. Moreover, a large percentage of germanys workingage men were dead. So there economic calculations using the official prices were meaningless. Phase i of the economic development after wwii was from 1945 through the 1960s. Under this name he entered german history books in the nazi movement. Nazism and the german economic miracle by henry c k liu click here for previous partsthis article appeared in atol on may 24, 2005 the term social market economy was coined by one of german chancellor ludwig erhards close associates, economist alfred muellerarmack, who served as secretary of state at the economics ministry in bonn from 195863. By the early 1960s, germany was the third greatest economic power in the world. Postworld war ii economic expansion project gutenberg self. Until the economic effects of unification became apparent in 1991 and 1992, germany had an enviable record of generally sustained growth, high employment, and low inflation.

Sep 14, 2011 the economic catastrophe that germany cant forget. The performance of the german economy under the nazi regime has been. And gernmany in just a few years as the german economic miracle took hold found it had the most modern industril base in the world. This year marks the 40th anniversary of ludwig erhards sweeping free market reforms which gave economic freedom to over 80 million germans and began west germany s 30year postwar economic miracle. An economic miracle how germany developed after world war ii bikal. Apr 18, 2007 giles macdonogh is a bon viveur and a historian of wine and gastronomy, but in this book, pursuing his other consuming interest german history he serves a dish to turn the strongest of stomachs. The aftermath of world war ii was the beginning of a new era, defined by the decline of all european colonial empires and simultaneous rise of two superpowers. What had not ben desttroyed was germanys tremendous reservoir of industrial expertise and intelectyal talent.

Germany now became the frontline between usa democracy and communism. Planet money to understand why germany is so freaked out by what europes central bank is doing, you need to go back nearly a century. Why did germany experience an economic miracle after ww2. The wirtschaftswunder economic miracle was underway. You read books about germany after ww2, and for all the fanaticism of nazism, there was no resistance. The first section covers the german economic recovery after hitler came to power. Readers respond to my article on german economic miracle posted on january 8, 2012 by bill george 0 comments filed in. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. German economist walter eucken is credited with developing the social. The forgotten story of the german economic miracle acton. The wirtschaftswunder economic miracle that started in the early 1950s is a topic that has been intensely studied by scholars. Perhaps you could describe for us continental europe in the months and years immediately after ve day in may 1945, the date when hostilities officially ended. The economy of west germany grew at an impressive rate after the second world war until the first oil crisis in 1973.

Once again germany became one of the globally leading industrial nations. One of the most important reasons why the nazi party gained in popularity in the late 1920s was because of the economic chaos in germany after the. A shocking account of a massive and brutal military occupation, after the reich draws on an array of contemporary firstperson accounts of the period to offer a bold reframing of the history of world war ii and its aftermath. Highly indebted, without access to capital, viewed suspiciously by creditors that was germany in 1953. And all of this occurred while west germany was assimilating hundreds of thousands of east german refugees. The americans who funded hitler, nazis, german economic miracle, and world war ii. Food production per capita in 1947 was only 51 percent of its level in 1938, and the official food ration set by the occupying powers varied between 1,040 and 1,550 calories per day. For a list of post world war two economic miracles, see economic miracle. The reconstruction of german cities after world war ii, the rebuilding of europes bombed cities, rebuilding urban japan after 1945. Germany was a liberated nation rather than a defeated and divided one after world war 2. Beginning with the replacement of the reichsmark with the deutsche mark in 1948 as legal tender, a lasting era of low inflation and rapid industrial growth was overseen by the government led by west german chancellor konrad adenauer an. The german economic miracle refers to germanys rebirth as a global economic power after the devastation of world war ii.

Hayek but, most of all, books and articles written by ropke in exile in switzerland. The nazis and the german economy history learning site. How three million germans died after ve day telegraph. The marshall plan certainly helped, but its influence was not great enough to cause the german miracle. By the mid1950s, west germany had risen from the ashes to become western europes economic powerhouse. Historians remember nothing, and paint hanfstaengl as a joker, forgetting that such a role is the most convenient for the hidden influence of a puppet. In 1948, the german economy was a basket case, not merely because of the damage from war but because economic policy was thoroughly confused. No matter how they stumbled upon capitalism, its fruits are real. This column, part of a vox debate on wwii, lays out three factors that made this paradox possible. Feb 12, 2020 the german economic miracle refers to germanys rebirth as a global economic power after the devastation of world war ii. How was the economic miracle possible for japan and. The americans who funded hitler, nazis, german economic. Germanys economy was in a mess when hitler was elected chancellor in january 1933.

Origins of the german economic miracle foundation for. The pamela shulman professor in european and holocaust studies at the university of new hampshire, he has looked at the way planning shaped the rebuilding of postconflict societies. And less than ten years after the war people already were talking about the german economic. Many germans are still proud of the socalled economic miracle. List of books and articles about postwar germany online. However, the quartercentury that followed is known as the most remarkable period of economic growth and social progress in europe. In particular, the profitability of a product was of no significance in determining whether it should be produced or not. Economic policies and corporate strategies were geared to this utmost mandate in our mindsto catchup. The forgotten story of the german economic miracle acton institute.

By 1944, almost 25 percent of germany s workforce consisted of slave labor, primarily concentration camp inmates and forced laborers from conquered territories. Behavioural economics development economics economic history finance. The contrast with britain, which moved in a socialist direction after the war and didnt abolish rationing until 1954, was stark. How the revival of postwar germany began the new york times. The subsequent combination of growth and stability made. The war, along with hitlers scorchedearth policy, had destroyed 20 percent of all housing. Economic crisis, press my sincere thanks to all of you who responded to my article on what minnesota can learn from the germany. This general goal was shared by all economic agents as a national consensus. At the end of world war ii, germany was in a shambles.

Hitler what the fuhrer means for germans today christmas. Erhard was quoted as saying that the highly proclaimed economic miracle was in fact not a miracle, but rather, the natural and scientific result of the free market, free international trade, competition and monetary stability that prevailed in postwar west germany. Six great powers in international comparison studies in. Miti and the japanese miracle the growth of industrial policy 19251975. Hitler and nazi propaganda had played on the populations fear of no hope. Contemporary observers, both inside and outside germany, believed to witness awirtschaftswunder economic miracle.

Following the rising, the ussr attempted to improve east german economic conditions, especially. Unemployment peaked at 6 million during the final days of the weimar republic near enough 33% of the. After world war ii the german economy lay in shambles. In the end this proved more important than the destroyed factories. West german leader responsible for the economic miracle. The clns continued to administer the northern regions and the larger northern factories for a short time. The postworld war ii economic expansion, also known as the postwar economic boom, the long boom, and the golden age of capitalism, was a period of economic prosperity in the mid20th century which occurred, following the end of world war ii in 1945, and lasted until the early 1970s. An interview with germanys first post war chancellor. My sincere thanks to all of you who responded to my article on what minnesota can learn from the germany.

And gernmany in just a few years as the german economic miracle took hold. The social market economy never in german economic history have so many people reached so high a standard of living. Comparing the economic growth of east germany to west germany. Hitler wanted to spend 510 percent of germanys gdp on rearmament, but the economy was wobbly. As japans economy began to take off in the 1970s, a series of laudatory books cemented this benign image in the american mind and created a number of management myths that persist to this day. Which nation experienced an economic miracle after world war ii. Germany even after world war i had the largest industrial establishment in europe. At the time, observers thought that germany would have to be the biggest client of the u.