Friedrich Meinecke (1862–1954) was one of the leading German historians of his time. This book offers a profound analysis of the causes of the national tragedy experienced by Germans in the 20th century. Unlike Karl Jaspers, who explored the theme of guilt and responsibility, Meinecke addresses different questions. Was Hitler's rise to power accidental or inevitable? Does the Third Reich have deep roots in the German past? Has Nazism finally perished, or is there a risk of its return to the stage of history? And finally, do Germans, amidst the devastation and humiliation, have any hope for a better life? These questions preoccupied many educated Germans in the first months and years after the war. This is precisely why Meinecke's book, published in 1946, became a bestseller, going through several editions.