Published in 1919, Der Weltkrieg, I. Band is the first volume of Germany's official history of World War I, written by Karl Helfferich, a former Vice-Chancellor and key political figure. It covers the immediate pre-war period and the first few months of the conflict.

The Story

This book isn't a narrative about soldiers in the mud. Instead, Helfferich focuses on the high-stakes political chess game in Berlin and across European capitals. He lays out Germany's perspective on the July Crisis of 1914—the assassinations, the ultimatums, and the frantic diplomacy that failed. He argues that Germany was encircled by hostile powers and acted out of necessity, not pure aggression. The story he tells is one of perceived betrayal, miscalculation, and a nation stumbling into a war it believed was forced upon it.

Why You Should Read It

You should read this not for balanced truth, but for a powerful primary source. It’s fascinating to see history written by a man trying to justify his own government's actions while the ink on the Treaty of Versailles is still wet. His bias is the whole point. Reading it, you get inside the mindset of the German leadership. You see their fears, their reasoning, and their blind spots. It’s a crucial piece for understanding not just what happened, but why they thought it was justified.

Final Verdict

This is essential reading for anyone serious about World War I history, but it's not a casual introduction. It’s perfect for readers who already know the basic timeline and want to grapple with the messy, contested reasons behind it. Pair this with accounts from British or French officials, and you’ll start to see the real, complicated picture of how the world went to war.