They had begun their careers in the service of the Nazi state and seamlessly continued them in the new Federal Republic. Just as willingly as they had served the brown ideology, they now committed themselves to democracy. Military judges once again passed their verdicts, regime-loyal professors taught, and journalists from the former propaganda companies wrote as if they had nothing to answer for. In doing so, the young state regained political freedom of action, but based its success on a moral contradiction that could not be resolved: democracy was being built up by its enemies. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Federal Republic, Willi Winkler presents a ruthless examination of its early history. He compellingly and factually describes how the West German state became a model of success despite all its divisions – and he shows the extent to which seemingly or actually reformed Nazis contributed to this. It is a parable about guilt and shame, about coping and reconciliation, and at the same time an essential read for anyone who wants to understand this country from the ground up.