Stunde Null

German history

Also known as: zero hour

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July 16, 2026

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"Stunde Null," or "zero hour," refers to the immediate aftermath of World War II in Germany, marking a point of profound devastation and a need for complete rebuilding. The German state had ceased to exist, with authority passing to the Allied powers. The country faced immense physical destruction, economic collapse, and widespread shortages, compounded by millions of refugees. This period represented a low point from which nearly everything had to be reconstructed. In West Germany, this era also signified a cultural vacuum, leading writers to seek new connections with European and American literature, and influencing the development of new literary forms like radio plays and drama.12

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German literature
The post-1945 period: Stunde Null
In the part of Germany that became West Germany in 1949, the immediate aftermath of World War II was known as the “Stunde Null,” or “zero hour.” Writers felt that the need to make a clean sweep after the defeat of Nazism had…
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In the part of Germany that became West Germany in 1949, the immediate aftermath of World War II was known as the “Stunde Null,” or “zero hour.” Writers felt that the need to make a clean sweep after the defeat of Nazism had…
Read More