Joachim von Puttkamer brings together the histories of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, thereby transcending national perspectives. The volume offers a compact introduction to the main lines of East-Central European history since the late 18th century. In the established three-part structure of the series, von Puttkamer discusses central research issues related to state and politics, economy and society, as well as nation and memory culture in a highly complex region, providing insights into current historical controversies of our eastern neighbors. The comparative examination of Polish, Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian history reveals the convergences and divergences of East-Central European noble societies in their development towards present-day democracies. An overall successful analysis focused on the fundamental structures of a complex historical region.