I am beginning on a research essay comparing the governmental and administrative structures of the German Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. I tried a few searches online, but could not come up with much. Suggestions for this topic are greatly appreciated! Thanks! (Also any book suggestions on German unity and Bismarck are appreciated as well because it's one of my favourite periods in history!)
First of all, if you're interested in modern German history, you might want to check out Richard Evans, Rereading German History, 1800-1996: From Unification to Reunification. Evans is of course best known for his majestic trilogy on Nazi Germany. This book, though, is a series of historiographical essays on a much wider variety of topics. Especially since "German history" (especially in the 19th century) can in some cases be kind of a stand-in for "flirting with neo-Nazi ideas," Evans' essays will be a REALLY useful guide for you in helping sort through the politics behind different things historians say/the way they tell the stories.
Moving on: you didn't specify what era of the HRE you're interested in. So with that in mind:
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