Spanning the worlds of literature and the history profession the Prussian novelist and historian Gustav Freytag 181695 was influential in shaping opinion for his generation of liberals. Best known as the author of the popular novel Soll und Haben 1855 Freytag represented the views of a generation of National Liberals in the debate over Jewish assimilation political reform in Prussia and German unification. This new study places Freytag in his proper political and social context as a member of an elite of academic historians and liberal publicists who promoted German unification. Alongside colleagues like Theodor Mommsen and Heinrich von Treitschke Freytag worked to create a progressive Prussian historical myth for the new Germany. Although the author addresses Freytags wellearned reputation for antiJewish prejudice the primary focus of the work is to explore the mental world of a significant but often overlooked German historian. Focusing upon Gustav Freytag as a representative figure this book explores the contribution of the German history profession to German liberalism and political culture.