Conclusion

Abstract

The conclusion explains what was distinctly “German” about German Angst after 1945. It summarizes the argument of the book and reflects on the general historical factors that explain the rise and fall of specific fears in postwar Germany. Recurring episodes of fear resulted from changing international and global contexts. Intense media attention exacerbated certain fears, whereas shifting scientific understandings of emotions enabled other fears. Political elites engaged in a deliberate politics of fear, but fears and emotions more generally often evaded attempts at control or manipulation. The conclusion then also discusses the significance of the history of fear for our contemporary political moment.