This book offers a comprehensive analysis of how the so-called “German problem”—the challenge of integrating a powerful, historically aggressive state into a stable European order—was fundamentally transformed between 1945 and 1995. Banchoff traces the evolution of German institutions, domestic politics, and foreign policy across four critical periods: the early Cold War of the 1950s, the détente of the 1970s, the upheavals of 1989-90, and the first years after reunification. He argues that the new German problem is not a return to old patterns of dominance, but rather the challenge of managing Germany’s central role in Europe through democratic and multilateral institutions.

The book examines how Germany’s commitment to European integration, NATO, and democratic norms helped overcome fears of renewed aggression and facilitated the country’s acceptance as a “normal” power. Banchoff analyzes key turning points, such as the creation of the Federal Republic, Ostpolitik, and the process of unification, showing how domestic debates and institutional choices shaped Germany’s international behavior. The study highlights the interplay between internal reforms and external constraints, emphasizing that Germany’s transformation was not inevitable but the result of deliberate policy choices and international cooperation.