Deutschlandpolitik in Helmut Kohls Kanzlerschaft. Regievungsstil und Ent-scheidungen 1982–1989, (Germany's Policies in the Helmut Kohl Chancellorship: Government Style and Decisions). Karl-Rudolf Korte (Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1998). Geschichte der deutschen Einheit Series, vol. 1. 720 pp. and 42 illustrated pp. (ISBN: 3-4210-5090-2). $128. Das Wagnis der Whtschafts- und Wahrungsunion. Politische Zwangeim Konflikt wit okonomischen Regeln (The Challenge of Economic and Monetary Union: Political Forces in Conflict with Economic Rules), Dieter Grosser (Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. 1998). Geschichte der deutschen Einheit Series. vol. 2. 584 pp. and 20 illustrated pp. (ISBN: 3-4210-5091-0), $128. Die Uberwindung der Teilung. Der innerdeutsche ProzeB der Vereinigung 1989/90 (Overcoming the Division: The Inter-German Reunification Process). Wolfgang Jager (Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1998). Geschichte der deutschen Einheit Series, vol. 3. 752 pp. (ISBN: 3-4210-5092-9), $128. Au Benpolitik fiti die Deutsche Einheit. Die Entscheidungsjahre 1989/90 (Foreign Policy for German Unity: The Decisive Years 1989–90), Werner Weiden-feld (Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1998). Geschichte der deutschen Einheit Series, vol. 4. 952 pp. and 16 illustrated pp. (ISBN: 3-4210-5093-7), $128. Ten years ago, Europe's political map changed dramatically. The Berlin Wall fell, and less than a year later Germany was reunified. Was this a whim of history, neither planned nor foreseen, or was it the work of ingenious politics?How did this development come about and how were the various obstacles overcome? Who were the political figures that acted while the window of opportunity was wide open, knowing, as Gorbachev had said, that history would punish those who arrived too late? Answers to these questions have been offered by a team of highly competent scholars under the direction of Werner Weidenfeld, a close advisor to the former chancellor, Helmut Kohl. Their writings draw from unprecedented access to the chancellor's office files, which would normally fall under a thirty-year restriction. Starting out from four different angles, the authors tell a fascinating story of how Germany was reunified. In doing so, they provide an insight into the decision-making processes within the chancellor's office and into Kohl's dealings with his peers in the 214 negotiations on German reunification. Yet they do not answer clearly the questions posed above: their message is that it has been a combination of all three factors. Books reviewed in this article: Korte, Karl-Rudolf Deutschlandpolitik in Helmut Kohls Kanzlerschaft. Regierungsstil und Entscheidungen 1982–1989 , (Germany's Policies in the Helmut Kohl Chancellorship: Government Style and Decisions) Grosser, Dieter Das Wagnis der Wirtschafts- und Wahrungsunion. Politische Zwange im Konflikt mit okonomischen Regeln (The Challenge of Economic and Monetary Union: Political Forces in Conflict with Economic Rules) Jager, Wolfgang Die Uberwindung der Teilung. Der innerdeutsche Prozes der Vereinigung 1989/90 (Overcoming the Division: The Inter-German Reunification Process) Weidenfeld, Werner Ausenpolitik fur die Deutsche Einheit. Die Entscheidungsjahre 1989/90 (Foreign Policy for German Unity: The Decisive Years 1989–90)