ABSTRACT
The development of geography in the German-speaking countries since 1945 is outlined here in the context of political systems, institutional structures and the organisation of research .(For other reviews, see Troll, 1949 ; van Valkenburg, 1951; Hajdu, 1968 ; James, 1972 ; Manshard, 1976 ; Hellen, 1978.) It is well established that the nature of scientific research is conditioned by political systems and by investment in human and physical capital. Thus, in the present context, the two Germanies plus Austria and Switzerland provide a 'field laboratory' for investigating the impact ofthose political syst~ms (Lichtenberger, 1979), particularly the institutional growth that has taken place since 1945 (Lichtenberger, 1981). Within this framework, the research process can be analysed according to both the basic ideologies and philosophies (Lichtenberger, 1978) and the empirical subject-matter and achievements (Blotevogel and Heineberg , 1976-81).
