Alongside France, Germany is responsible for most of European history. Between the collection of Teutonic states, the Holy Roman Empire and Prussia, we can cover large chunks of what happened on the continent.

I’ve been travelling to Germany since the early 1990s and have always loved this country of stereotypes, sausages and great beer.

Articles about Germany, by region

Select one of the German regions to drill down and see articles and stories connected to it.

All my articles about Germany

• From a Duchy to a Kingdom August 7, 2024 - In the 12th century, Otakar I was the Duke of Bohemia. Through wily politics, he elevated his duchy to a kingdom, forever enhancing Bohemia in… Continue Reading
• RAF hijacking in Prague May 22, 2024 - In 1950, three ex-RAF pilots, persecuted by the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia, coordinated the hijacking of three flights, leading to a daring escape to the… Continue Reading
• The Samo Empire February 21, 2024 - Samo, a French arms dealer, became king after leading a Slavic federation to victory against the Turks. He established the first Slavic state, which dissolved… Continue Reading
• The fake and fatal border crossing July 20, 2023 - The way a communist state handles border control is key to handling internal dissidents. It's always about tracking who goes out, as well as who… Continue Reading
• Air Battle over the Ore Mountains March 24, 2023 - On 11 September 1944, a massive, intense air battle took place over the mountains between Germany and what was then Czechoslovakia. The memory of this… Continue Reading
• The German expulsion December 28, 2022 - I've written lots about how Germany and German influences affected Bohemia and Czechia. This is what led to a backlash after World War II. This… Continue Reading
• The Czech-German tri-point July 13, 2022 - Accidents of geography have determined as much of world history and culture as anything else. Rivers and mountains became natural, then political, borders. The Czech… Continue Reading
• Who would rule Italy? July 7, 2022 - In 1024, Italy tired of German rule and wondered if French nobility would like to be the King of Italy. Would this have been good… Continue Reading
• The ultimate story of Czech heros February 1, 2021 - Many countries have memorials to fallen heros, and stories of bravery from wartime. Czechia is unusual in that it has heros from both sides of… Continue Reading
• Operation NEPTUNE January 4, 2021 - You may think 'fake news' is a modern invention, but you'd be wrong. One of Czechoslovakia's most famous disinformation campaigns was Operation NEPTUNE. This article… Continue Reading
• Why did the Pope want to move to Malta? June 1, 2020 - In the 19th century, various states on the Italian peninsula united to become a single, new country. While some papal states merged with the others,… Continue Reading
• The Allied bombing of Prague May 18, 2020 - During World War II, Prague wasn't as affected by bombing as many other European cities were. This was because planes didn’t have the range to… Continue Reading
• Preserving Malta’s money supply March 23, 2020 - European geopolitics in the 1930s caused plenty of uncertainty. The British worried about riots in the Middle East, and the possibility of another major war… Continue Reading
• The startling story behind the Hebrew inscription February 3, 2020 - One of the more curious sights on Prague’s Charles Bridge is that of Hebrew script on a Roman Catholic crucifix. The crucifix is a religious… Continue Reading
• The truth behind the Sudetenland November 4, 2019 - Before living in Prague I thought I knew about the Sudetenland and how Hitler annexed it before World War II. There’s a lot I’ve learnt… Continue Reading
• The Punctation of Olomouc: Prussia vs Austria October 21, 2019 - The small town of Olomouc in Moravia is the place were the issue of German unity became a sore point in the 19th century between… Continue Reading
• Prehistoric memes – the Funnel Beaker culture September 23, 2019 - We can only identify ancient civilisations by what they leave behind. It sounds obvious to say this in the absence of written records. Archeologists also… Continue Reading
• Milada Horáková: Czech resistance fighter September 2, 2019 - People who speak out against a regime ? are targeted. We think this happens in dictatorships but a democratic society can face the wrath of… Continue Reading
• The Lasting effects of the Thirty Years’ War November 26, 2018 - I've written plenty of articles about the effects of the 30 Years' war on Prague and Czechia in general. I knew bits and pieces of… Continue Reading
• For people interested in World War II stories October 22, 2018 - There's a plaque on the wall in the castle in Ghent, Belgium, thanking the city for the symbolic establishment of the SAS. In Belgium. The… Continue Reading
• How did the British take control of Malta? October 8, 2018 - I often discuss Maltese history with others and have written about unusual parts of it here. Often people claims that ‘the British illegally took control’ of… Continue Reading