The recent reunification of Germany has given rise to heated debate, inspiring new hopes and renewing old fears. But how many understand the critical post-war events which set the stage for today's events? "Germany 1945-49: A Sourcebook" examines the crucial post-war period when, as today, the German people were ready to break with the past and reassess what it means to be German. Malzahn uses numerous documents from the immediate post-war years to elucidate the political and social currents of the time and to illustrate how the Nazi state was dismantled and refashioned into two separate countries. The documents, many of which were previously unavailable in English, reflect life at all levels from politics to fashion, presenting the viewpoints of both the Allied forces and the Germans. Unprecedented in English, this comprehensively annotated and illustrated work shows the complex reality of post-war Germany, bringing that critical period alive once again.