Hans Maier's "Collected Writings" - the concluding volume. The common image of the authority-fixated, obedient Germans stands in strange contrast to the image of the freedom-loving Germans that prevailed in Europe until the 18th, indeed until the mid-19th century. Since the 1960s, Hans Maier has repeatedly explored this fundamental theme of German history in foundational essays, illuminating the tense relationship of Germans to the authoritarian state and freedom. A second major theme of his historical writings is the intersection between the learned world and politics, which he has examined across various epochs, from the 16th century to National Socialism. Last but not least, his contributions to the history of Germany in the 20th century are among the highlights of this fifth volume.