This richly illustrated book presents Germany's geological evolution in the context of the Earth's dynamic history. It starts with an introduction to Geology and explains the plate tectonic development, as well as the formation of both ancient and recent mountain belts - namely the Caledonian, Variscan and the modern-day Alps - that formed this part of Europe. A dedicated chapter discusses the origin of earthquakes in Germany, the occurrence of young volcanic rocks and the various episodes of rock deformation and metamorphism at these complex crossroads of plate tectonic history. The book highlights Germany's diverse geological history, ranging from the origin of the Earth, the formation of deep crystalline rocks, and their overlying sedimentary sequences, to its more recent "ice age" quaternary cover. The last chapter addresses the shaping of the modern landscape. Though the content is also accessible for non-geologists, it is primarily intended for geoscience students and an academic audience.

Martin Meschede teaches structural and regional geology at the Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany. His research interests include plate tectonics, marine geology, and geodynamics, as well as the structural and regional geology of Middle America, the East Pacific and northern Europe. In addition to numerous scientific publications, he wrote the German translation of this book and co-published the book "Plate Tectonics." Laurence N. Warr is a Professor of Economic Geology and Geochemistry at the Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany. His research interests include natural fine particle-based materials and their application in understanding Earth processes, exploring economic clay deposits and addressing geotechnical and environmental problems. In addition to publications in international journals, he has contributed to various book projects on regional geology.