Bloomsbury Educating the Germans: People and Policy in the British Zone of Germany, 1945 1949

Educating the Germans examines the role of the British in the 'reconstruction' of education in occupied Germany from 1945 to 1949. It covers war-time planning for a future role in overseeing education at all levels in Germany, looks at policy and its implementation, describes the personnel involved and their interaction with German authorities, and assesses the lasting effects of the British effort in securing the future development of education from Kindergarten to university in the emerging Federal Republic. Some comparison is made throughout with parallel efforts in the US, French, and Soviet Zones of Occupation. By way of background, there is also a discussion of Nazi education policy and its effects. Thoroughly researched and employing a wide range of sources, this is an important study for anyone looking to further their understanding of Germany, and Britain's relationship with Germany in the postwar era. Review David Philips masterfully surveys the German education reconstruction after 1945! It is a rich account of a critical period of institution building, relevant to scholars of history and comparative education alike. - --Heinz-Dieter Meyer, Professor of Education, State University of New York, USAThis book provides an ably written and detailed account of the evolution and development of education policy in the British zone of Germany between 1945 and 1949. Phillips carefully traces the complexities of policy-making, assessing the practical difficulties and constraints faced by the key protagonists as they tried to implement educational reconstruction informed by three main aims - denazification, re-education and democratisation. The book offers an extensive coverage of all levels of school education, as well as university and adult education. - --Lisa Pine, Associate Professor of History, South Bank University, London, UK About the Author David Phillips is Emeritus Professor of Comparative Education at the University of Oxford, UK, and an Emeritus Fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford, UK.