Germany’s relationship with its eastern neighbours are important for a peaceful Central Europe. This book analyses one of those relationships in detail – that of Germans and Czechs, with particular emphasis on the role of the so-called Sudeten Germans. A contribution in English by Claudia Major

If central Europeans are to live peacefully, then Germany’s relationship with its eastern neighbours needs to be both constructive and convivial. This book analyses one of those relationships in detail – that of Germans and Czechs, with particular emphasis on the role of the so-called Sudeten Germans. Not only did the German-Czech relationship play a crucial role in the origins of WWII, it also influenced the debates on when and under what conditions the Czech Republic should enter the EU. The end of the Cold War and the prospect of EU enlargement also gave a new impetus to the campaigns of Sudeten Germans for a revision of ‘historical wrongs’ done to them. In specific terms they attempted to block Czech entry unless a restitution of confiscated properties took place.  More generally speaking, debates on the injustices inflicted on German expellees post-WWII also increased in salience, prompted by events such as the publication of Grass’ novel ‘Crabwalk’ and discussions on creating a memorial for expellees.

From 1918 to the 1990s

After an introductory chapter giving an historical overview of German settlements in what is now the Czech Republic, Tampke focuses primarily on the period from 1918 to the mid-late 1990s. He examines the founding of the first Czechoslovak Republic in 1920, its dismemberment by Nazi Germany in 1938-39, the incorporation of the Sudeten German territories into Hitler’s Reich and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. The second part of the book deals with the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans and their integration into Germany, their political organisation and impact on post-war German politics and society.

Vivid picture of the difficulties

By providing a balanced picture of the political position of Sudeten Germans, Tampke impressively addresses allegations of extremism levelled at many (although not all) Sudeten Germans before and after 1945. He paints a vivid picture of the difficulties they experienced in settling down and coming to terms with life in the new Germany, while still hoping to return to their former homelands. By describing the rise and fall of the salience of the expellee politics in the political life of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) he also helps to throw light on how Germans sought to come to terms with their past and how the FRG developed into a genuine European state.

The book none the less appears to come at the issue almost explicitly from the German side, using many more German sources than Czech (although the work of the official Czech-German Commission of historians is utilised). The book also concentrates – for the most part – on the Sudeten Germans who, although clearly of great significance for the German-Czech relationship, are not the only part of it.

Occasional sloppiness

The rather wordy style makes the book at times a little difficult to read, with dates and details thrown at the reader remorselessly: a thematic approach to the key tenets of the German-Czech relationship may well have helped to make the book a little easier to digest. Several small inaccuracies and the occasional piece of sloppiness also detract from the text’s rigour: the definition of the CSU as ‘Bavarian wing of the CDU’, for example, is not strictly true (it is the sister party, and is fiercely proud of its independence). Somewhat inconsistent is the persistent use of German language terms while avoiding the use of Czech ones. An example of this is that the names of Czech institutions are given in English while the Germans ones are left in German – that really does seem a little odd.

Linguistic issues are occasionally discussed in detail (such as the difficulty of translating ‘Vertreibung/Umsiedlung’) yet the reader is expected to understand other no less difficult words such as ‘Heimat’. On the other hand, translations of several words into German are sometimes simply not necessary (and thus bemusing), particularly where the meaning is clear and unambiguous (such as Motorways/Autobah-nen).

Next time: broader approach

One wonders if it might not have been more conducive to have discussed the role of the Sudeten Germans within the context of other minorities in the Czech(oslovak) Republic and/or German expellees from elsewhere (particularly Poland). Putting the Sudeten German question into the broader picture of the expulsion of Germans generally, while contrasting it with the history and integration of other expellee groups would have thrown greater light, not only on the particularities of the Sudeten Germans, but it would also have facilitated a more profound understanding of Germany’s relationship with the Czech(oslovak) state. Finally, it is regrettable that well-known advocates of reconciliation and peaceful acceptance of the loss of former German territories (even if mostly with regard to Poland) such as Gräfin Dönhoff are not mentioned, if only as they influenced public debate so prominently.

Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. Pp. 213,