Militarization and Democracy in West Germany's Border Police, 1951-2005

Language: English

Published by Boydell and Brewer Ltd, US, 2024

1640141510 / 9781640141513

  • Hardcover
  • New
See all details

Seller: Rarewaves USA, HEBRON, KY, U.S.A.Rarewaves USA

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since June 10, 2025

Hardcover

Condition: New

£ 131.52

 Free Shipping 
Ships within U.S.A.

Quantity: Over 20 available

Add to basket
Free 30-day returns

Item description from seller

A social history of West Germany's Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS, Federal Border Police) that complicates the telling of the country's history as a straightforward success story.The 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers shows that police violence is still a problem in Western democracies. Floyd's murder prompted some critics to hail the German police as a model of democratic policing that should be emulated. After 1945, Germany's police forces had supposedly shed the militarization and authoritarian impulses still prevalent in other nations' forces. These uncritical appraisals, however, deserve closer analysis.This book is a social history of West Germany's Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS), a federal border guard established in 1951 that became re-unified Germany's first national police force. It argues that the BGS revived authoritarian traditions of militarized policing and kept them alive long into the postwar era even though the country was supposedly consigning these problematic legacies to its past. The BGS was staffed and led by Wehrmacht and SS veterans until the late 1970s, and while West Germany was democratizing, BGS commanders were still planning to fight wars and were teaching its officers "street fighting" tactics. While the end outcome was positive, the study contributes to the growing body of recent research that complicates the writing of the Federal Republic's history as a "success story."Dealing explicitly with post-fascist West Germany's struggle to establish a democratic police force, the book enters a conversation with studies concerned with democratization, security, and Germany's effort to overcome its Nazi past.…

Seller Inventory # LU-9781640141513

Title
Militarization and Democracy in West Germany's Border Police, 1951-2005
Author
David M. Livingstone
Publisher
Boydell and Brewer Ltd, US
Publication year
2024
Condition
New
Binding
Hardback
Language
English
ISBN 10
1640141510
ISBN 13
9781640141513
Item weight
1 gram

Rarewaves USA

HEBRON, KY, U.S.A.

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since June 10, 2025

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Item10 to 13 business days10 to 13 business days
First item£ 0.00£ 0.00
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Payment methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Seller's business information

Rarewaves USA

10100 West Sample Road, Ste 101
Coral Springs, FL U.S.A. 33065