Prussia in many ways led the German states during the age of imperialism. This book takes us from monarchal rule to WW2. It highlights Prussia’s role as a political and militaristic power, how its various rulers engaged the noble class, the peasantry, and other nations. It was fascinating to learn how Prussia in many ways became the face of Germany and what that meant for Western Europe through the process and even implications for how Germany operates as a country today.

"To equate Hitler with Frederick the Great, and Nazi Germany with Prussia, is a ludicrous perversion of history. The idea that one of Europe’s most enlightened and gifted Monarchs prefigured one of the most repellent dictators in modern history is simply absurd."

Those words of Prof. Clark on BBC 4's documentary "Frederick the Great and the Enigma of Prussia" was the trigger that led mo to this book. I was instantly captivated by the way Prof. Clark delivering his history lesson on said documentary, and after some searching I finally found this book.

I've been interested with European History since forever, and the dissolution of this once very powerful force in Europe has been poking on my curiosity. Was it really necessary for the Allies to erase Prussia from history? Was Prussia really, like Churchill once said to the British Parliament, the core of Germany, and the source of its recurring pestilence?

This book, just like how I expected, delivers the history of a nation in a very intimate way, as if telling you the biography of a person. It tells how this nation was born, struggling to live and finally die. Unlike other history references about Prussia that seem to emphasize on its militarism, this book gives a better insight into the nation as a country (from its culture, its efficient government, its education system and its religious tolerance). With such a diverse topics, it is magnificent how this book could maintain our interest from wavering. This book was done in a Prussian manner; it's straightforward, orderly, reliable, uniquely sincere and of course, fascinating.

To make a long review short, this book offers a refreshing and interesting view of Prussia. Without trying to celebrate or mourn over the fading memory of this forgotten kingdom, Prof. Clark successfully deliver a rare objective view of the often misjudged Prussia.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history, or just trying to find a good read.

Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947 by Christopher Clark, is a magisterial history of the Kingdom of Prussia from its earliest beginnings as a union between Brandenburg and the former Polish Duchy of Prussia, to its dissolution as a political concept following Germany's defeat in WWII. Prussia as a state had a complex and fractious history of dizzying success and absolute failure. It played host to rampaging foreign armies during the Thirty Years War, losing a huge percentage of its population to disease, famine, war and migration. It was slowly able to wrench itself back together, and began to ascend as a more powerful regional player, and the eventual merger of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia into a Kingdom in 1701. Prussia expanded both into Germany in the West, and further east into former Polish territory. It inherited claims to far flung regions of Germany, including territories along the Rhine, and into southern Germany, making its borders complex, and creating numerous Prussian enclaves throughout Germany.

Diplomatically, Prussia was beset by greater powers on all sides. The Austrian Empire was still dominant in Germany, and a powerful military foe to the south looking to maintain hegemony in Germany while barring any state to compete with it for influence. The growth of Russia to the East also posed a growing threat to Prussia, and Russian diplomacy usually focused on maintaining the balance of power in Europe through a system of alliances and treaties. France was another major political actor, bringing Prussia to the brink of destruction again in the early 19th century as Napoleonic forces rampaged through Germany and redrew its borders. Couple this with competition from other regional German states, like the Kingdom of Saxony and the Kingdom of Bavaria, and threats from the north from expansionist Sweden and Denmark, and Prussia's existence as a state was tenuous. It therefore required a deft hand at diplomacy, and one that swung from power to power to ensure favourable negotiations. This allowed Prussia, over its history, to acquire territory in Pomerania in the north, Silesia, and in Poland, and to slowly expand its influence over other German states. It led to the partition of Poland with important territorial gains for Prussia in the East. It allowed Prussia to play France, Russia and Austria against each other for positive political and/or territorial gain. This was not always a winning strategy, however, as at some points, as in the Napoleonic Wars, Prussia remained relatively isolated diplomatically until the tide turned in 1806 and Napoleon's Empire crumbled.

From this point onward, Prussia sought to forge there own destiny. German nationalism was on the rise in the 19th century, and Prussia sought to exploit this through the creation of German customs unions and through military defense treaties with smaller German states. Prussia also exploited German nationalist crisis in the Danish controlled duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to gain more territory, and eventually to confront Austria-Hungary for control of Germany. Eventually, Prussia was able to bring much of Germany to heel through diplomacy and war. After Napoleon the III took power in France, Prussia under the auspices of Chancellor Bismark, began to maneuver into war footing both against Austria, and then France - defeating both in decisive wars that ensured the eventual unification of Germany under Prussian control. Prussia remained a powerful internal political entity within the German Reich after this point, right up until its dissolution as a political concept and its ceding as a region to Poland after WWII.

Clark examines this historical path in detail, chronicling both the historical points of note, and tying in important developments in religion, politics and culture within Prussia. The growth of absolutism and the eventual move toward the Prussian Diet was a long political road. The growth of Liberalism in Germany in general, and the revolutionary years of 1848 in Prussia led to massive concessions by the government, and the emergence of Liberal and Conservative factions within the Prussian Diet. Couple this with competing spheres of power from the King and his inner cabinet and what emerges is a political culture of competing spheres. Characters like Bismark emerge and are able to deftly swim the politics of both Germany and Europe, and make a fascinating read. The growth of Germany nationalism and the concept of being German is also interesting from Prussia's perspective. Much like Sardinia-Piedmont in Italy, Prussia sought to create a Germany dominated by Prussia, not one dominated by concepts of nationalism. This often put it both in support of, and at odds with, revolutionary or politically active nationalists throughout Germany. Nationalists were dangerous due to the speed in which they sought to unify Germany, something that would inevitably lead to diplomatic tensions with Prussia's powerful neighbours. Instead, Prussia often avoided radicalism in any form, and sought a slow and conservative growth in influence, marked by periods of rapid advantage seeking.

As Prussia grew, it took on increasing numbers of German's historically from other states, as well as people's from different cultures. Prussia struggled with its religious demographics, as the number of Catholics swelled. Lutherans, Calvinists and Protestants of all stripes could be found throughout the land, causing some strife within the country. The growth of Prussia east saw a swelling number of Jewish and Polish citizens, and Prussia struggled with concepts of acceptance, assimilation and indifference in terms of its cultural makeup.

Clark goes into more depth on each of these topics, and has written a wonderful history text on the growth and decline of Prussia as a State and as a political concept. This is certainly one of the better history books I have had the pleasure of reading, and I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to those interested in the topic.

Monarchy is stupidity and absolute monarchy is absolutely stupid to butcher a phrase. Nation building is always a messy business, anybody who's read up on early American government realizes that. In the case of the Prussians, the tendency of one powerful individual with control over the military seemed baked into their government and any attempts at liberalization were never really very successful. It's a bit surprising over roughly a 200 year period how few leaders the Prussians had at their peak. I'm sure this didn't help on top of the radical changes in governing style for every new ruler.

The cultural and religious aspects of the book are interesting, but are overshadowed by the military and political coverage. While a bit long-winded, it's a nice look at what a strongman government looks like from an evolutionary point of view.

This book goes through the entire history of Prussia. From the days of the electorate of Brandenberg, to the Northern German Confederation, to the German Empire, and to the Third Reich. As Germany progresses through the days, it changes and grows. This book holds many great lessons and also introduces many famous historical figures such as Great Elector Fredrick III/I, Fredrick the Great, Otto von Bismark, Albrecht von Roon, Helmuth von Moltke, Kaiser Wilhem II, and the infamous chancellor: Adolf Hitler. This book is a must read for all lovers of European history.

Overall, I think it is a good book about Prussia (and the Hohenzollern dynasty?). The book is quite balance between political and social history. Clark doesn't go too much into details neither he does a mere recount of facts. He doesn't focus on battles and marries neither he does on social and cultural elements. Maybe at the end of the book, once the German Empire is formed in 1871, this balance is broken. For example, the chapter about the Wiemar Republic was a little bit tedious to read with the many names of German politicians, revolutions and attempts of coups.

What I like the most is the fact that author tries to give a balance image about the complex history of Prussia and he give arguments both for and against about the different theories about this kingdom.

This is an enjoyable and comprehensive history of the Prussian state from its rise as an obscure way station between warring great powers to its own establishment as a great power and eventually its metamorphosis into the state of Germany. This book goes into great detail from the early years of Prussia and the surrounding German duchies and kingdoms and how they interacted with one another. The constant conflict between the Lutheran’s and the Protestants (only stopped when they fought the Catholics) marked much of the early years. Eventually the rise of Frederick the Great brings about a moderation of the religious infighting although it went on for far longer than I previously relegalized. The modernization of the state and the interactions with Napoleon followed by the power balancing of the concert of Europe were all well covered. Less time then was expected was spent on the Bismarck era and the build up to World War I but they are covered. Overall this is a great survey book on the rise and fall of Prussia. For those looking for a wider German history this is probably a little narrow for that purpose but a solid account of Prussia.

I can't say I was filled with excitement at the prospect of reading a thousand page history of Prussia. The state was famed for its bureaucrats rather than its brilliant or bloodthirsty leaders. I approached the book more out of a sense of duty than anything else, a slight feeling of shame for having lived in Germany for over five years and yet not having much more of an understanding of its history beyond World War 2.

But Clarke is a brilliant writer, fully able to express his fascination for the development of Prussian civilization, while capturing the poignant moments and surprising characters that helped and hindered it. More than that he successfully takes a modern stereotype, born of the later years of World War 2, that Nazism was the inevitable outcome of Prussianism, and destroys it. He does this not by painting a picture of ideal Prussian society, but by peeling back layer after layer of Prussian history and showing us exactly how and why events turned out the way they did.

In fact far from showing us a militaristic Prussian state that would inevitably lead us to World War 2, he instead shows us a weak, exposed Prussia, one that survived partly by luck, and partly by establishing a complex array of alliances. It shows us a Prussia that desperately wanted to avoid war, remaining neutral in many conflicts to the great annoyance of its allies. It shows us a Prussia that surged ahead with egalitarian Enlightenism, with advanced levels of religious tolerance and emancipation. It also shows us the missteps, the misplaced aggression, the growth of and failure to control the military, the flirtation with destruction both from without and within.

Although Clarke never actually argues this, it is clear from the evidence he presents that Prussia was fated not to manifest itself as Nazism, but to become entangled in World War 1 and fail in such a way as to never be able to recover. The mess of ever changing alliances that had allowed Prussia to succeed against the odds, when it started as nothing more than a patch of swamp surrounded by enemies, would inevitably lead to a system that would trigger its own apocalypse.

Probably the greatest scandal the book exposes, again without ever arguing this directly, is the way the myth of the warmongering, blindly obedient German obsessed with order has enabled the Allies to absolve themselves of all guilt regarding the rise of the Nazis. If we ignore the real nature of Prussian history we can convince ourselves that the way Germany was treated by the Versailles treaty, and the way that left the country exposed to the brutal ravages of a series of economic catastrophes, had nothing to do with the Nazis and the horrors they wrought upon the world.

Like Prussia's history the truth is a lot more complex than many of us would like to believe.

It is hard to believe that in 1947 the Allies signed a law abolishing the state of Prussia. It like imposing a similar ban on Texas. However, this longstanding bearer of militarism became a handy target and a scapegoat for both Germany and the Allies following WW2. A direct association was made with Hitler as an 'elective Prussian' in his mentality and the state was directly implicated based on the following: "habits of authoritarianism, servility, and obedience prepared the ground for the collapse of democracy and the advent of dictatorship."

The author balances the ledger by highlighting Prussia's incorruptible civil service, tolerance to religious minorities, and an enviable code of law. And he points out that contrary to stereotypes and generalities, the state worked hard at being relevant. However, many Germans found it synonymous with conquest, rigidity, and illiberality which the author attempts to combat with the argument, "The core and essence of the Prussian tradition was an absence of tradition."

There is clearly a disconnect between the assumed perception and the historic reality. Clark takes his time presenting the latter through a detailed review of the Prussian state. He attempts to explain Junker feudal priviledge but fails to remove the airs of superiority and entitlement it exuded. The book's pace picked up significantly in the mid-1850's and I was interested in the author's take on Hindenburg as a "man of image, manipulation and betrayal."

Clark concludes that "Prussia" and it's ideals had become so abstract, that it's very definition was "up for grabs". Then when it had found itself on the other side of freedom, a value from it's origins, it became a convenient target to eliminate as a "mental construct" so that German imagination could "deprussianize".

List of Illustrations
List of Maps
Acknowledgements
Introduction
A History of Brandenburg-Prussia in Six Maps

--Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947

Notes
Index

One of the few comprehensive accounts of Prussian history in English, written in exquisite quality. This book is by all means one of the best books to pickup for anyone interested in learning more about Prussian history, and is an essential read on the time period. The book gives a detailed overview of Prussian history all the way from its roots as Brandenburg, all the way up to the states dissolution by the Allied powers in 1947. Clark is notably kind to Prussia in his writings, providing a fresh, new perspective on the country and its history. Though the book is large at around 776 pages, it is by no means hard, tedious, or slow to read, and is captivating all the way through.

We hear the word "Prussian" today and think of a disciplined individual, someone with ramrod straight posture, a man abstemious with pleasure except for perhaps slapping his horse with a riding crop. Sort of like Corporal Himmelstoss from "All Quiet on the Western Front" on a bad day. Slightly deeper historical inquiries go so far as to say that Prussia was a military with a state as its rearguard, or a cult of the martial that led directly and inevitably to the rise of Adolf Hitler (which is a bit of a head-scratcher, since...well, since he wasn't Prussian, except in the way the vague adjective is applied today to mean "uptight.")

Christopher Clark's "Iron Kingdom" goes deeper into the details of Prussia, its military, politics, as well as its cultural developments, to reveal more about the last 350 years of Western European history than maybe any other contemporary secondary source. The book is nearly 700 pages in length, which seems long. Then you realize how much Herr Clark must describe, synthesize, and explain, and the work's size seems a bit miraculous.

Alas, while stating that this book will no doubt enrich and educate you, I should also add the caveat that mileage will vary based on your personal disposition. If you're wonkish and crave minutiae, passages describing the parceling of plots of lands and numbers regarding crop yields or excise taxes will put some spring in your step. If not, reading some section will require a cup of coffee. A large cup of coffee. Black.

On the other hand, if you are one of those readers who hears the words "Germany" and "History" together and expects as much carnage to be described as on a six-hour World War II marathon on the History Channel, you may find yourself disappointed. Battles, developments in military technology, and strategic innovations are all described, but they are integrated into a larger picture of Prussia's struggle to find her identity and define herself in a world where all of her neighbors were hostile and had a vested interest in not only keeping Prussia from developing an identity, but even existing. And considering the success of the empire, you can hardly blame some of these other lands for their paranoia or bellicosity toward Prussia when it looked small enough to crush.

My only personal quibble with the book is that the portions dealing with the 20th century were much too short. Clark rightfully weights his analysis to the years of Frederick the Great, and the various religious and confessional conflicts in Europe, and he does yeoman's work describing the reigns of Frederick the Great's successors, statesmen who (no matter how adept or inept) were bound to lives in the deep shadow of their quixotic forebear.

But it's almost as if, by the time the revolutions and upheavals of the 19th century were over, Clark found himself a bit exhausted. I know I was. Then again, perhaps he implicitly understood that while this epoch in German history was part of the Prussian narrative, it's also the moment where the modern reader starts to recognize some of the names and faces, with whom they're already probably at least somewhat familiar. In the end, Christopher Clark's decision to focus on the lesser known members of the Hohenzollern House, its intriguers, enemies, and heroes, may have been the right one. Recommended, in any case.