What are some good books to read on the rise of Prussia?

by MEmeZy123

It’s a topic I really would love to learn more about. Could anybody provide some good books to read upon it?

Rymmy37

I have answers but that depends when you define the start of Prussia

Overall, Christopher Clark's "The Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Fall of Prussia" is your best survey options.

This will cover the rises from the Great elector to the dissolving of the state.

However the "rise" of Prussia was like any state a series of ebbs and flows. There are high points and low points, and at least one high low point. Prussia was not some magical juggernaut born from pine Forrest that just needed time to bloom. Good leaders created a strong state, poor leaders let it wither. As such you can look at more specific rises, and which are more important/interesting to you.

Even within periods of decline in certain aspects, you can see rises in others. Case study: Late nineteenth and early twentieth century Prussia was in a political ebb, it was politically boxed in and the Kaiser was an insecure, indecisive and not prepared for the role. He was however a supporter of the sciences, and he helped support the growth of science in Germany in a big way. I would say that few periods in Prussia have the same kind of growth for science and engineering.

To reiterate, I can give better suggestions for books based on specific topics but for a broad scope book on Prussia, Clark is your best go to.