Publisher's Synopsis
In this biography, Wayne Thompson brings to life six decades of German history by tracing the career of Herbert Wehner. One of Germany's most active and influential politicians. Wehner emerged in the 1920s as a Communist firebrand and rose in the 1950s to the top leadership of the ruling Social Democratic Party. He remained influential during the party's decline to the role of an opposition party in the 1980s. By the time of his death in 1990, Wehner had become a symbol of the twists and turns, the highs and lows of not only German, but also Soviet and East European history in the 20th century. Placing this figure in the context of this time, Thompson provides insights into the nature of the SPD and the FRG's political system.
