Aftermath

Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955

By: Harald Jähner, Shaun Whiteside - translator

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

How does a nation recover from fascism and turn toward a free society once more? This internationally acclaimed revelatory history of the transformational decade that followed World War II illustrates how Germany raised itself out of the ashes of defeat and reckoned with the corruption of its soul and the horrors of the Holocaust.

The years 1945 to 1955 were a raw, wild decade that found many Germans politically, economically, and morally bankrupt. Victorious Allied forces occupied the four zones that make up present-day Germany. More than half the population was displaced; 10 million newly released forced laborers and several million prisoners of war returned to an uncertain existence. Cities lay in ruins - no mail, no trains, no traffic - with bodies yet to be found beneath the towering rubble.

Aftermath received wide acclaim and spent 48 weeks on the best seller list in Germany when it was published there in 2019. It is the first history of Germany's national mentality in the immediate postwar years. Using major global political developments as a backdrop, Harald Jähner weaves a series of life stories into a nuanced panorama of a nation undergoing monumental change. Poised between two eras, this decade is portrayed by Jähner as a period that proved decisive for Germany's future - and one starkly different from how most of us imagine it today.

©2022 Harald Jähner; Shaun Whiteside - translation (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

2021, The Baillie Gifford Prize, Shortlisted

2022, Cundill History Prize, Shortlisted

A Best Book of the Year: New Statesmen, Financial Times, The Times, The Telegraph, the Irish Independent

“[Jähner] does double duty in this fascinating book, elegantly marshaling a plethora of facts while also using his critical skills to wry effect, parsing a country’s stubborn inclination toward willful delusion. Even though Aftermath covers historical ground, its narrative is intimate, filled with first-person accounts from articles and diaries.”—Jennifer Szalai, New York Times

“The national psyche is the principal protagonist in Harald Jähner’s subtle, perceptive and beautifully written Aftermath. Mr. Jähner, like Mr. Ullrich a German journalist and author, describes Germany’s first postwar decade, with more of an emphasis on its social and cultural landscape (particularly in its western segment) than the usual early Cold War tussles. Aftermath is a revelatory, remarkably wide-ranging book crammed with material, much of which will, I imagine, be new to an international audience.”—Andrew Stuttaford, The Wall Street Journal

“Harald Jähner’s highly readable account of how Germans went about leaving Nazism behind . . . is about the price and the accomplishment of a new beginning when the aggressive war the Germans had waged was reversed to utter defeat in 1945. . . . Jähner is counterintuitive but thoughtful.”—Peter Fritzsche, New York Times Book Review

learned a lot

I learned a lot from this book. It answered some of my questions, but I still have more.

Ought to be required reading!

I was absolutely shocked to learn of the struggles of the German people after world war 2. So often, the American image of Germany is one of hyper efficiency and of engineering marvels.
The suffering, cleanup, self evaluation and reemergence of the German people was eye opening and emotional to read of.

An Ambitious Work on a Largely Untold Story

We know lots about the build-up to WWII and the war itself. We know little of how the German people moved forward following their defeat. This book delves into the psychology of Germans climbing out of the rubble, and addressing—or perhaps better put, not addressing—the moral plague of 1933 to 1945. The book includes numerous anecdotes supporting the author’s views.

This is an important chapter of 20th century history, and I applaud the author for his excellent reporting. I found a chapter on post-war modern art not particularly relevant and somewhat out-of-place, but with that one exception, I really enjoyed Aftermath. We need more books like this that cut new ground!

Very informative essential reading

This book is essential those who want to understand how modern Germany was born. The anger, the hatred, the need for revenge, the need for justice, the broken men, the pillaged women, the killers, the merciful, the gangsters, the black market dealers, the liars and the redeemed, it is all here they are all here, and the world is both lucky and glad the democratic government made it through the Aftermath.

Three and One-Half Stars

I bought this as a companion to Eight Days in May by Volker Ullrich, as the books were reviewed together by the Wall Street Journal. Ullrich's book was OK, but almost unlistenable due to the narration.

Fortunately, this book is well narrated. The substance is generally decent, but I would have to say that it meanders a bit, and certainly follows no definitive chronology. As such, it repeats itself at points. I think the book also at times wanders a little too much into the present day and perhaps indulges in a little overanalysis of the German psyche.

It's a good book with an interesting subject matter. But I wouldn't call it great or profound. A talented editor would have helped.

Long neglected narrative of post war Europe

The German people were obvious victims of WW II but a detailed account of their sufferings is rarely told in America. How a scientifically advanced, cultured and literate society could be swept up in the fanaticism of the Nazi’s deserves explanation. “Aftermath” fills that void brilliantly.

Insightful

A delightful peek into an often neglected time period. How did a nation guilty of such horror start anew? While this gets close, and maybe as close as we can get to the answer it left me wanting more. Excellent narration.

german

the narrator does not speak German, it sounded awful, his German or trying to say it in German was truly irritating. A narrator who speaks the language should have been chosen, it really made listening difficult to say it mildly.

Intriguing review of post-war Germany

A fascinating look at a fascinating time. Broad and deep where necessary. Insights into everyday existence, the role of art, and the complexities of denazification all stand out. (NB: The narration is done well. His is a pleasant voice to hear. But if you know how German is pronounced, be prepared for the butchery of the not infrequent German words.)

A Riveting, Surprising, and Thought-Provoking Book!!!

If you care at all about history, psychology, and present-day humanity, I hugely recommend this book to you. I have studied history - especially that of the 20th century - extensively, and there was a lot in this book that I learned for the first time. Hearing this unflinching portrait of Germany’s journey out of Nazi-ism was fascinating, and challenges many preconceived notions, particularly of how a society and a people can move beyond even the most brutal, murderous, rapacious, and authoritarian past. (It’s not in the way you would imagine.) The narrator was also rock solid.