Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Books/Modern Armies/Germany products

Vees-Gulani, Susanne: Icon Dresden 49,95 €

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:40:07 +0200

Icon Dresden explores how memory and politics in Dresden after its 1945 bombing are deeply intertwined with the citys urban history. It highlights the complex origins of Dresdens reputation as an exclusively cultural center, focusing on urban planning, marketing, tourism, and the citys visual archive since the 17th century. Based on this iconic status, a narrative of victimhood arose after its destruction that ignored responsibilities while highlighting the citys innocence. Despite its origin in Nazi propaganda, this narrative influenced postwar political discourse in socialist and post-reunification Germany. Icon Dresden also provides insight into Dresdens role under National Socialism and the GDRs evasive response to this history. It reveals how the strong presence of far-right movements in the city today stems from multiple discourses formed over centuries and communicated from generation to generation.

Drawing on urban, heritage, and tourism studies, visual and memory studies, and environmental psychology, Icon Dresden examines Dresdens history, identity, visual representations, and rebuilding decisions. It exposes the narratives that define its place in German and international memory and how, paradoxically, they support both Dresdens current image as a symbol of peace and reconciliation and its backing of nativist and far-right movements.

Susanne Vees-Gulani is Associate Professor of German and Comparative Literature at Case Western Reserve University.

Kushi, Sidita: From Kosovo to Darfur 44,95 €

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:40:07 +0200

Why are some violent crises more likely to prompt humanitarian military interventions than others? Conventional wisdom says that humanitarian military interventions occur due to national interests, shared values and norms, or economic benefits for the interveners. Yet neither of these factors can fully explain the selectivity of such interventions. The international community continues to ignore the decades-long suffering in Darfur, often dismisses the genocidal policies within Myanmar, and even perpetuates the suffering in contemporary Yemen, while undertaking humanitarian-laden missions in Libya, Syria, and the Balkans.

Using in-depth case studies and new data on all postCold War internal armed conflicts matched to third-party responses, From Kosovo to Darfur offers the first regionally sensitive analysis of humanitarian military intervention since the end of the Cold War. It shows that international military interventions in the context of acute humanitarian crises are driven by different pathways within the Western versus the non-Western world and fueled by elite perceptions of the crisis, making interventions closer to the geographic and cultural West most probable and most intense. As our international community becomes increasingly interdependent and aware of human suffering across borders, From Kosovo to Darfur points to new pathways of conflict trajectories and reveals vital implications for leaders, scholars, and nongovernmental actors advocating for or against international military intervention as a policy choice.

Sidita Kushi is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Mount Holyoke College.

Weisswange, Jan-Philipp: Feuerkraft des Einzelschützen 39,95 €

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 02:38:12 +0200

This book examines the history of the Bundeswehrspecifically its small arms and handheld anti-tank weaponsagainst the backdrop of security-policy, operational, tactical, and technical aspects of individual firepower. It features extensive details regarding weapons, effectors, ammunition, optics, and optronics, as well as information on tactical marksmanship, combat training, and equipment. The comprehensive appendix includes, among other things, an extensive chronology and provides references to further reading and noteworthy museums.

Brux, Stefan: Lagenstein 39,80 €

Sat, 30 May 2026 07:50:09 +0200

Sergeant Major Tobias Lagenstein fell in action on May 28, 2011, in Taloqan, Afghanistan, while serving as a team leader in the close protection detail for the Commander of Regional Command North. 2026 marks the fifteenth anniversary of his deatha fitting moment to look both backward and forward: at the attack itself, which continues to raise many questions; at his personal effects, which have now been examined for the first time; at his surviving family members and comrades, who share their thoughts in moving interviews; and at German veteran culture, which is evolving within the dynamic interplay of Bundeswehr tradition, German military history, and civil society. This book is addressed equally to civil society and the military; through the lens of Tobias Lagensteins life, it illustrates a specific chapter of our recent military history: the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The text offers insights and perspectives on what society and the armed forcesamidst this current era of profound geopolitical changecan take away from, leave behind, and further develop based on Germanys operational history of recent years.

Neumann, Konstantin: Fahnenfluchten in der DDR 45,00 €

Sun, 10 May 2026 08:25:09 +0200

The National People's Army, and especially the border guards, were a crucial pillar of the SED regime. Desertion was therefore imbued with political significance and severely punished. How did the justice system construct this offense? What prosecution practices resulted from this? What role did certain segments of the public play? Konstantin Neumann has statistically analyzed the cases of 1,111 convicted deserters. Using a sample of 97 individuals, he evaluates investigative and surveillance files, official records, legal commentaries, memoirs, and other sources, thus delivering a new research contribution to the GDR justice system in an empirically rich case study.

Henke, Klaus-Dietmar: Vergangenheitsabwehr 50,00 €

Sun, 10 May 2026 08:25:09 +0200

The Eichmann Affair: Bonn and the BND's Jerusalem Operation. Konrad Adenauer saw the Eichmann trial as a threat to the reputation of the Federal Republic, where many functionaries of the Nazi state had regained influence. Chancellor's Office Chief Hans Globke, who had been active at the heart of the racist agenda and had styled himself as a secret resistance fighter after 1945, had the most reason to fear potential revelations. He therefore allowed the BND to infiltrate the Defense Office, which then meticulously reported on the mental state of the Jewish murderer Adolf Eichmann and the strategy of his lawyer, even influencing it. The author paints a picture of a past that was not met with "repression," but rather with active defense.

Storkmann, Klaus: Kräfte und Fähigkeiten 50,00 €

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:00:07 +0200

How strong were the Bundeswehr and the NVA? Assessing the enemy's position, the forces at play, is fundamental to military situational awareness. Unlike the officers on both sides during the Cold War, historians today have the privilege of accessing the then top-secret documents. The resulting comparative analysis of the Bundeswehr and the National People's Army reveals their capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses at the time. The two German armed forces did not face each other alone at the inner-German border, but rather alongside their respective allies. Therefore, the comparison of forces also includes the US and Soviet ground forces. The Warsaw Pact's conventional superiority was frequently cited but was it accurate? Volume 7 of the series "German-German Military History." In cooperation with the Bundeswehr Center for Military History and Social Sciences.

Glaeseker, Gerd: Mythisierungen rund um den Kreuzerkrieg 1914 bis 1918 114,00 €

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:40:13 +0200

Volume 129 of the series "War in History." In this study, Gerd Glaeseker uncovers the historical roots and linguistic developments of myths that, while largely forgotten today, were once significant and emerged in the context of the cruiser warfare from 1914 onward. He traces their particular relevance to various social groups and sheds new light on the German perception and memory of the First World Warespecially naval warfare and naval history. Specifically, he identifies and analyzes the processes of mythologizing the light cruiser Emden, the submarines U-9/U-29, and the auxiliary cruiser Möwe, which continued into the Nazi era. These processes include the influence of traditional war and seafaring myths, national and international media conditions that fostered the formation of these myths, and prevailing discourses of the time, in which questions of heroism, community, morality, and military prowess were discussed using the cruiser warfare myths as a framework.

Wagner, Savita Diana: Eine Deutsche im Ukraine-Krieg 18,00 €

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:40:07 +0200

For nearly two years, Savita Wagner kept a diary from the front lines of the war in Ukraine. Shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, she volunteered as a humanitarian aid worker. Soon after, she joined the army and served as a combat medic, experiencing, among other things, the liberation of Bucha and the Battle of Kharkiv. On January 31, 2024, she was fatally wounded while attempting to rescue two wounded soldiers. In her letters and diary entries, Savita Wagner paints a vivid picture of this major war in Europe. Her experiences are representative of all those defending Ukraine against the aggressor, Russia.

Bier, Christian: Tiger 4.3 in Bosnien 1997 19,80 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

Very few reports have been published about the deployment of the German Armed Forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina, even though it is one of Germany's most successful foreign missions. In 1997, Christian Bier spent several months there as a platoon commander in the armoured task force. He describes his assignments in detail, which ranged from patrolling and monitoring arms deliveries to observing training exercises by the Bosnian-Croatian armed forces. The author also gives us an insight into how he led his soldiers in the face of extreme stress, especially in the face of death and injury. Killed comrades, the serious injury of a soldier that still affects him today, and a helicopter crash with several fatalities are experiences that still haunt the author. What helps him is sharing his memories with other veterans. Because camaraderie endures and never fades.

Hartmann, Uwe/Janke, Reinhold/Rosen, Claus von (Hrsg.): Jahrbuch Innere Führung 2025/26 29,80 €

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:40:07 +0200

The 2025/26 Yearbook of Internal Leadership aims to further strengthen the confidence of Bundeswehr soldiers in establishing and maintaining tradition and to encourage the troops to actively participate in this. To this end, key terms from the tradition decree are explained, existing prejudices are dispelled and the purpose of military tradition is justified. Above all, the yearbook provides practical suggestions for establishing and maintaining military tradition. One thing is clear: tradition does not fall from the sky. It depends on the soldiers of the German Armed Forces and their own awareness of tradition. They can and should be proud to establish and maintain tradition. There are many forms and ways open to them to do so. The Bundeswehr's foreign missions, especially the combat mission in Afghanistan, have highlighted how important tradition is for armed forces, particularly in terms of identity formation. It has even become apparent that maintaining tradition is a matter close to the hearts of many soldiers. Since the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine, the contribution of maintaining tradition to promoting combat readiness has become even more important. Not in the sense of more tinsel, but as a reaffirmation of the meaningfulness of their actions and the importance of soldierly virtues.

Bredow, Wilfried von: Reibungspunkte 16,80 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The relationship between a democratic society and its armed forces is always difficult for structural reasons. There is no such thing as democratic armed forces. Since its inception, the German Armed Forces have defined themselves as an army for democracy. Wilfried von Bredow describes the historical and current contours and consequences of this concept. The state and society also have a duty to ensure that no gap arises between the military and security policy guidelines for the German Armed Forces and the resources available to them to fulfill their mission. Otherwise, the German Armed Forces' loyalty to democracy will be jeopardized from within and without.

Francois, David: Red Army Faction. Band 1: Left-wing Urban Guerrillas in Germany, 1967-1998. The Baader-Meinhof Gang Era, 1967–1977 26,95 €

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:50:10 +0200

A volume from the series Europe @ War. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Red Army Faction (RAF) plunged Germany into a state of insecurity and mass hysteria with a series of bloody attacks. The radical left-wing terrorist group emerged in the early 1970s from the struggle against American imperialism, repression by the German police, capitalism and bourgeois society, which was described as new fascism. Emerging in the midst of a isolated Germany that was trying to bury its Nazi past, the RAF preferred action to rhetoric, urban guerrilla warfare to grand speeches. Its ultimate goal was to build, together with the masses, a Red Army capable of challenging the state army. Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof, Jan Carl Raspe, Gudrun Ensslin and Holger Meins. These names and faces haunt the collective memory of Germans to this day. On the one hand, they are demonised and regarded as communist murderers; on the other, they are revered as martyrs. How and why did a small group of intellectuals, students and artists become a group of fighters willing to kill? Red Army Faction Volume 1 draws on extensive documentation, memories of those involved and academic work to trace the history of this organisation, whose path was intertwined with the Cold War, revolutionary internationalism and the conflict in the Middle East. Illustrated with over 80 photographs and colour profiles, it describes a bloody and controversial aspect of contemporary history that continues to shape German memory to this day.

Francois, David: Red Army Faction. Band 2: Left-wing Urban Guerrillas in Germany, 1967-1998: The height and twilight of German Guerrilla, 1977–1998 26,95 €

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:05:11 +0200

A volume from the series Europe @ War. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Red Army Faction (RAF) plunged Germany into a state of insecurity and mass hysteria with a series of bloody attacks. The radical left-wing terrorist group was founded in the early 1970s to fight against American imperialism, repression by the German police, capitalism and bourgeois society, which it described as new fascism. Emerging in the midst of a isolated Germany that was trying to bury its Nazi past, the RAF preferred action to rhetoric and urban guerrilla warfare to grand speeches. Its ultimate goal was to build a Red Army together with the masses that would be capable of challenging the state army. Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof, Jan Carl Raspe, Gudrun Ensslin and Holger Meins. These names and faces haunt the German collective memory to this day. On the one hand, they are demonised and regarded as communist murderers; on the other, they are revered as martyrs. How and why did a small group of intellectuals, students and artists become a faction of fighters willing to kill? Red Army Faction Volume 2 draws on extensive documentary material, memories of those involved and academic works to trace the history of this organisation, whose path was intertwined with the Cold War, revolutionary internationalism and the conflicts in the Middle East. Illustrated with over 60 photographs and colour profiles, this unique study describes a bloody and controversial aspect of contemporary history that continues to shape German memory to this day.

Nowak, Daniel: Fahrzeug Profile 123: Das Kommando Feldjäger der Bundeswehr 13,80 €

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 06:55:05 +0200

The booklet provides a well-founded and vivid introduction to the German Armed Forces' military police, which is responsible for security, order and discipline within the armed forces. It gives a comprehensive overview of the diverse range of tasks performed by the approximately 3,000 military police officers, which range from traffic control and public order duties to specialised investigation and security tasks. In addition, the booklet provides a clear insight into the organisational structure of the corps, which is divided into three regiments, as well as into the central training facility in Hanover. Overall, the publication impressively demonstrates how the military police corps responsibly maintains its historical traditions while remaining firmly anchored in the democratic values of the modern German Armed Forces.

Egleder, Julia: Kameradschaft und Kampfgeist 24,95 €

Sun, 24 May 2026 08:30:08 +0200

The book highlights the current situation of women in the German Armed Forces and the extent to which they are integrated into all branches of the military today. It presents a series of female protagonists who, as strong women, are overcoming the specific challenges of their chosen careers. The focus here is on their own achievements: what are the specific strengths of women in this situation? Which issues are particularly important to them? What advantages and disadvantages do they see? Embedded in the current social debate surrounding the armed forces and conscription, women talk about their everyday lives.

Ahrens, Petra-Angela (Hrsg. u.a.): Was kann und was leistet Militärseelsorge? 39,00 €

Sat, 30 May 2026 07:50:09 +0200

Whether non-denominational or church members, soldiers almost unanimously approve of the presence of military chaplains in the British Armed Forces. A good half of them have already taken advantage of its services and would do so again, according to a large-scale representative survey conducted in autumn 2022 by the Centre for Military History and Social Sciences of the German Armed Forces in cooperation with the Social Science Institute of the Protestant Church in Germany. Around 7,000 soldiers took part in the survey on Pastoral Care and Religion in the Bundeswehr. What makes military chaplaincy such a sought-after church service, given that the two major churches in Germany are otherwise experiencing a decline in membership? What are the (religious) needs, life orientations and values of soldiers that military chaplaincy responds to? How do the troops perceive military pastoral care in everyday life, in mission support and in ethical education? How is its contribution to the internal leadership of the Bundeswehr experienced? And: What do the research results mean in terms of a Bundeswehr at a turning point, which must prepare itself for the case of national and alliance defence? These questions are being explored in depth empirically for the first time here.

Nerger, Uwe: Wehrpflicht 19,80 €

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:05:11 +0200

Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to make the German Armed Forces the strongest army in Europe, but there is a shortage of personnel. According to the Ministry of Defence, Russia will be in a position to attack Germany within the next four to five years. Uwe Nerger gives citizens an overview of conscription since its introduction in both parts of Germany. He then traces the arc from its suspension to the current Military Service Act. He justifies the necessity of conscription and provides arguments that go beyond party political positions. His book facilitates understanding of the current debate on conscription. His message is that we must de-emotionalise the conscription debate and subject it to a clear assessment of the situation.

Arnold, Dietmar/Müller-Enbergs, Helmut: Operation Gold 24,00 €

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:35:09 +0200

It was one of the most spectacular espionage operations of the Cold War: British and American intelligence services dug a tunnel from West Berlin that extended some 330 metres into East Germany. From there, they were able to eavesdrop on hundreds of thousands of telephone conversations between Soviet military personnel from May 1955 until the operation was exposed in April 1956. This book reconstructs the dramatic events and adds a missing piece of the puzzle that lay undiscovered for decades in the archives of the Berlin Underworlds Association: comprehensive documentation prepared for GDR Interior Minister Karl Maron contains previously unknown photos and reveals details about how the spy tunnel worked and how the Soviets tracked it down.

Lindner, Stefan: Der verschwundene Herr Hoffmann 22,80 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:23 +0200

From military police sergeant and long-time bodyguard to the Inspector General of the German Armed Forces in the fight against the third generation of the Red Army Faction (RAF) to head of the missing persons unit after the flood disaster on the Ahr, the author's service spans four decades of contemporary history. At the nerve centre of military power, he witnessed the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Germany. As a detective in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, he investigated spectacular cases, murders and cold cases. He was also involved in the investigations in the Ahr Valley after the worst natural disaster this country has ever seen. The author describes all this alongside many minor crimes and depressing crime scenes. He provides an insight into the work of the criminal investigation department as it really happens.