Norman Davies

Roger Moorhouse

In order to present a portrait of Central Europe, the authors study the history of Breslau. The history of this city embodies all the experiences which have made Central Europe what it is, such as the rich mixture of nationalities and cultures.

Portrait of a Central European City

Microcosm

A gripping history of the September Campaign and the onset of World War II For Americans, World War II began in December of 1941, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor; but for Poland, the war began on September 1, 1939, when Hitler's soldiers invaded, followed later that month by Stalin's Red Army. The conflict that followed saw the debut of many of the features that would come to define the later war-blitzkrieg, the targeting of civilians, ethnic cleansing, and indiscriminate aerial bombing-yet it is routinely overlooked by historians. In Poland 1939, Roger Moorhouse reexamines the least understood campaign of World War II, using original archival sources to provide a harrowing and very human account of the events that set the bloody tone for the conflict to come.

The Outbreak of World War II

Poland 1939

Berlin was the nerve-centre of Hitler's Germany - the backdrop for the most lavish ceremonies, it was also the venue for Albert Speer's plans to forge a new 'world metropolis' and the scene of the final climactic bid to defeat Nazism. Yet while our understanding of the Holocaust is well developed, we know little about everyday life in Nazi Germany. In this vivid and important study Roger Moorhouse portrays the German experience of the Second World War, not through an examination of grand politics, but from the viewpoint of the capital's streets and homes.He gives a flavour of life in the capital, raises issues of consent and dissent, morality and authority and, above all, charts the violent humbling of a once-proud metropolis. Shortlisted for the Hessell-Tiltman History Prize.

Life and Death in Hitler's Capital, 1939-45

Berlin at War

'This deeply researched, very well-written and penetrating book will be the standard work on the subject for many years to come'- Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill- Walking with Destiny The Second World War began on 1 September 1939, when German tanks, trucks and infantry crossed the Polish border, and the Luftwaffe began bombing Poland's cities. The Polish army fought bravely but could not withstand an attacker superior in numbers and technology; and when the Red Army invaded from the east - as agreed in the pact Hitler had concluded with Stalin - the country's fate was sealed. Poland was the first to fight the German aggressor; it would be the first to suffer the full murderous force of Nazi persecution. By the end of the Second World War, one in five of its people had perished. The Polish campaign is the forgotten story of the Second World War. Despite prefacing many of that conflict's later horrors - the wanton targeting of civilians, indiscriminate bombing and ethnic cleansing - it is little understood, and most of what we think we know about it is Nazi propaganda, such as the myth of Polish cavalry charging German tanks with their lances. In truth, Polish forces put up a spirited defence, in the expectation that they would be assisted by their British and French allies. That assistance never came. First to Fightis the first history of the Polish war for almost half a century. Drawing on letters, memoirs and diaries by generals and politicians, soldiers and civilians from all sides, Roger Moorhouse's dramatic account of the military events is entwined with a tragic human story of courage and suffering, and a dark tale of diplomatic betrayal.

The Polish War 1939

First to Fight

Hitler's Titanic - the deadliest and most secret catastrophe in the history of maritime warfare. When the Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk by a Soviet submarine, with the loss of nearly 10,000 lives in January 1945, it wrote itself an unenviable record in the history books as the deadliest maritime disaster of all time. Yet, aside from its grim fate in the icy waters of the Baltic, the story of the Gustloff is a fascinating one, which sheds light on a number of little-known aspects of the wider history of the Third Reich. Launched in Hamburg in 1937, the luxury liner Wilhelm Gustloff was originally to be christened the "Adolf Hitler", but instead was named after the Swiss Nazi leader, who had been assassinated by a Jewish gunman the previous year. The ship was the pride of the Nazi Labour Movement, and would be run as a cruise liner by the subsidiary KdF, an organisation responsible for German workers' leisure time, cruising the Baltic and Scandinavian coast, seducing its passengers with the apparent benefits of belonging to the Nazi 'national community'. The Gustloff also served a vital propaganda function for Hitler's Reich. It was moored in London in 1938 to allow Austrian citizens in the city to participate in the plebiscite over Hitler's annexation of the country and the following year, it brought the elite German 'Condor Legion' home from service alongside Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War. When war came in 1939, the Gustloff was used as a hospital ship and ferried wounded soldiers and sailors home from the 1940 campaign in Narvik. Later, moored in the harbour at Gdynia, it served as a floating barracks for U-Boat crews undergoing training. In 1945, the Wilhelm Gustloff would meet its nemesis. That spring, it would be requisitioned for "Operation Hannibal", the attempt to evacuate civilians, soldiers and officials westwards from the German eastern provinces threatened by the Soviet advance. While many ships made numerous crossings, the Gustloff would not survive her first voyage. Packed to the gunnels with desperate evacuees, she was torpedoed off the Pomeranian coast on January 30 - ironically the twelfth anniversary of Hitler coming to power - with the loss of almost 10,000 lives. The story of the Wilhelm Gustloff's sinking in the freezing waters of the Baltic is dramatic and it has rarely been satisfactorily told in the English language. This gripping Kindle Single will explore the history of the German ship that suffered the deadliest maritime disaster of all time. Roger Moorhouse is a critically-acclaimed freelance historian specialising in modern German and Central European history. Published in 15 languages, he is the author of the international bestseller 'Berlin at War' and 'The Devils' Alliance' which was published in the UK & US in the autumn of 2014. He is also author of 'His Struggle: Hitler in Landsberg, 1924.'

Ship of Fate: the Story of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff

The story of Central Europe is anything but simple. As the region located between East and West, it has always been endowed with a rich variety of migrants, and has repeatedly been the scene of nomadic invasions, mixed settlements and military conquests. In order to present a portrait of Central Europe, Norman Davies and Roger Moorhouse have made a case study of one of its most colourful cities, the former German Breslau, which became the Polish Wroclaw after the Second World War. The traditional capital of the province of Silesia rose to prominence a thousand years ago as a trading centre and bishopric in Piast Poland. It became the second city of the kingdom of Bohemia, a major municipality of the Habsburg lands, and then a Residenzstadt of the kingdom of Prussia. The third largest city of nineteenth-century Germany, its population reached one million before the bitter siege by the Soviet Army in 1945 wrought almost total destruction. Since then Wroclaw has risen from the ruins of war and is once again a thriving regional centre. The history of Silesia's main city is more than a fascinating tale in its own right. It embodies all the experiences which have made Central Europe what it is - a rich mixture of nationalities and cultures; the scene of German settlement and of the reflux of the Slavs; a Jewish presence of exceptional distinction; a turbulent succession of imperial rulers; and the shattering exposure to both Nazis and Stalinists. In short, it is a Central European microcosm.

A Portrait of a Central European City

A história definitiva do pacto que uniu Hitler e Stálin de 1939 a 1941. Por quase dois anos, os dois ditadores mais implacáveis da história — e tidos como inimigos mortais — foram colaboradores ativos. Hitler e Stálin assinaram um pacto de não agressão que chocou o mundo, mas que durou quase um terço da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Entendê-lo é a chave para compreender o desenrolar da guerra e seu desfecho. O renomado historiador Roger Moorhouse explica como dois poderes ideologicamente opostos mantiveram uma parceria brutal e eficiente, na qual trocaram matéria-prima e maquinário e orquestraram a divisão da Polônia e dos Países Bálticos. Ao compartilhar equipamentos e expertise tecnológica, os nazistas e soviéticos tornaram possível uma guerra muito mais sangrenta e prolongada. Como consequência, milhões foram mortos ou deportados. Com base em extensa pesquisa e uma narrativa arrebatadora, O pacto do diabo é a história detalhada do pacto nazi-soviético e um retrato minucioso das pessoas cujas vidas foram irremediavelmente afetadas por ele. "Um relato assustador de diplomacia cínica, poder sem limites e falsidade, cujos ecos podem ser ouvidos ainda hoje." — Daily Telegraph "Um ótimo relato sobre o que o pacto significou para Hitler e Stálin — e, pior, para suas vítimas." — New York Review of Books

A aliança de Hitler com Stálin, 1939-1941

O pacto do diabo

A new and definitive account of the German invasion of Poland that initiated WWII in 1939, written by a historian at the height of his abilities. 'Deeply researched, very well-written... This book will be the standard work on the subject for many years to come' - Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny The Polish campaign is the forgotten story of the Second World War. The war began on 1 September 1939, when German tanks, trucks and infantry crossed the Polish border, and the Luftwaffe began bombing Poland's towns and cities. The Polish army fought bravely but could not withstand the concentrated attack. When the Red Army invaded from the east, the country's fate was sealed. This is the first history of the Polish war for almost half a century. Drawing on letters, memoirs and diaries from all sides, Roger Moorhouse's dramatic account of the military events is entwined with a human story of courage and suffering, and a dark tale of diplomatic betrayal. 'Important... Moorhouse has a wonderful knack for reminding us about the parts of the Second World War that we are in danger of forgetting' Dan Snow ** Shortlisted for the Duke of Wellington Medal for Military History 2020 **

For nearly two years the two most infamous dictators in history actively collaborated with one another. The Nazi-Soviet Pact stunned the world when it was announced, the Second World War was launched under its auspices with the invasion and division of Poland, and its eventual collapse led to the war's defining and deciding clash. It is a chapter too often skimmed over by popular histories of the Second World War, and in The Devils' Alliance Roger Moorhouse tells the full story of the pact between Hitler and Stalin for the first time, from the motivation for its inception to its dramatic and abrupt end in 1941 as Germany declared war against its former partner. Using first-hand and eye-witness testimony, this is not just an account of the turbulent, febrile politics underlying the unlikely collaboration between these two totalitarian regimes, but of the human costs of the pact, as millions of eastern Europeans fell victim to the nefarious ambitions of Hitler and Stalin.

Hitler's pact with Stalin, 1939-1941

The devils' alliance

The gripping story of civilian life in Berlin during World War II -- these "complex, often deeply morally compromised personal stories of many survivors [produce] new insights into the way ordinary Berliners tried to escape the disastrous ill-fortune of living in the belly of the beast" (Financial Times). In Berlin at War, acclaimed historian Roger Moorhouse provides a magnificent and detailed portrait of everyday life at the epicenter of the Third Reich. Berlin was the stage upon which the rise and fall of the Third Reich was most visibly played out. It was the backdrop for the most lavish Nazi ceremonies, the site of Albert Speer's grandiose plans for a new "world metropolis," and the scene of the final climactic battle to defeat Nazism. Berlin was the place where Hitler's empire ultimately meet its end, but it suffered mightily through the war as well; not only was the city subjected to the full wrath of the Soviet ground offensive and siege in 1945, but it also found itself a prime target for the air war, attracting more raids, more aircraft, and more tonnage than any other German city. Combining groundbreaking research with a gripping narrative, Moorhouse brings all of the complexity and chaos of wartime Berlin to life. Berlin at War is the incredible story of the city-and people-that saw the whole of this epic conflict, from start to finish.

A "chilling" and "expertly" written history of the 1939 September Campaign and the onset of World War II (Times of London). For Americans, World War II began in December of 1941, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor; but for Poland, the war began on September 1, 1939, when Hitler's soldiers invaded, followed later that month by Stalin's Red Army. The conflict that followed saw the debut of many of the features that would come to define the later war-blitzkrieg, the targeting of civilians, ethnic cleansing, and indiscriminate aerial bombing-yet it is routinely overlooked by historians. In Poland 1939, Roger Moorhouse reexamines the least understood campaign of World War II, using original archival sources to provide a harrowing and very human account of the events that set the bloody tone for the conflict to come.

Neste livro surpreendente, Roger Moorhouse, um dos mais importantes historiadores da Alemanha Nazi, apresenta-nos uma abordagem inovadora da história do Terceiro Reich. Enquadrando a narrativa em 100 objetos, esta nova obra fornece uma mistura eclética de assuntos e cobre todos os aspetos da história do Terceiro Reich - dos temas mais conhecidos do Holocausto e do conflito, até aos tópicos menos conhecidos como os avanços tecnológicos, a cultura popular e o uso da propaganda. É uma seleção vasta, abrangente e estimulante, que vai de documentos e postais a armas e objetos de uso pessoal. Os 100 objetos são ilustrados com imagens históricas e contemporâneas, que incluem a escova do bigode de Hitler, o Messerschmitt 262, o Pervitin, a pistola Luger, o carro de combate Tigre, a caixa de batons de Eva Braun, as ceroulas de Rudolf Hesse, a cápsula de cianeto usada por Hermann Göring e, claro, a suástica e o Mein Kampf.

O Terceiro Reich em 100 Objetos

Looks at the diverse unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler, profiles the various conspirators involved in the incidents, and speculates about the potential global ramifications if one of the attempts had been successful. 40,000 first printing.

The Plots, the Assassins, and the Dictator who Cheated Death

Killing Hitler

Figurki przypominające Hitlera były marzeniem dzieci w nazistowskich Niemczech. Szczoteczka używana przez Führera do pielęgnacji słynnych wąsików zajmowała szczególne miejsce w jego kosmetyczce. A Eva Braun nie rozstawała się z puzderkiem na szminkę, które otrzymała od swojego ukochanego. Wspomnienie Trzeciej Rzeszy przywołuje na myśl obrazy kolumn SS maszerujących defiladowym krokiem, wszechobecną swastykę, nurkujące stuki czy fabryki śmieci, jakimi były obozy koncentracyjne. Naziści dobrze wiedzieli, że otoczenie i rzeczy, których używano na co dzień, mają moc kształtowania myśli. Flagi na ulicach, stadion narodowy, samochód marki Volkswagen Garbus – wszystko mogło się stać kanałem przekazywania ideologii. Było też codziennością milionów zwykłych ludzi, która została uchwycona przez Moorhouse’a. Te i inne pozornie niewinne przedmioty codziennego użytku stały się pretekstem do opowiedzenia historii jednej z najbardziej zbrodniczych ideologii świata. Roger Moorhouse oferuje unikalne spojrzenie na życie w hitlerowskich Niemczech.

Trzecia Rzesza w 100 przedmiotach

For nearly two years the two most infamous dictators in history actively collaborated with one another. The Nazi-Soviet Pact stunned the world when it was announced, the Second World War was launched under its auspices with the invasion and division of Poland, and its eventual collapse led to the war’s defining and deciding clash. It is a chapter too often skimmed over by popular histories of the Second World War, and in The Devils’ Alliance Roger Moorhouse tells the full story of the pact between Hitler and Stalin for the first time, from the motivation for its inception to its dramatic and abrupt end in 1941 as Germany declared war against its former partner. Using first-hand and eye-witness testimony, this is not just an account of the turbulent, febrile politics underlying the unlikely collaboration between these two totalitarian regimes, but of the human costs of the pact, as millions of eastern Europeans fell victim to the nefarious ambitions of Hitler and Stalin.

Hitler's Pact with Stalin, 1939-1941

The Devils' Alliance

Looks at the diverse unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler, profiles the various conspirators involved in the incidents, and speculates about the potential global ramifications if one of the attempts had been successful. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

Roger Moorhouse

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