Description:
This richly illustrated volume explores the invention, evolution, and politicization of Germany's favorite national holiday. According to Perry, Christmas played a crucial role in public politics, as revealed in the militarization of "War Christmas" during World War I and World War II, the Nazification of Christmas in the Third Reich, and the political manipulation of Christmas during the Cold War. Perry offers a close analysis of the impact of consumer culture on popular celebration and the conflicts created as religious, commercial, and political authorities sought to control the holiday's meaning.
Brief description: Joe Perry is associate professor of modern German and European history at Georgia State University.
Review Quotes: "Excellent cultural history. . . . There is much to enthral, surprise and shock in this meticulously researched work, which reveals both the genuine beauty and darker shadows cast by the Tannenbaum and the somber echoes contained within sweet renditions of 'Silent Night.'" -- Times Literary Supplement