PRESENTATION BY EMMA DE SILVA

The Book! Berlin: The Downfall 1945, was written by Army Officer turned historian Antony

Beevor and first published by Viking Press in 2002. It is a book composed of many historical and first hand accounts of the events of the downfall of the third Reich in 1945, from both the German and the allies point of view.

! His primary sources are military documents from Soviet, German, American, British, French and Swedish archives. He also uses diaries of soldiers and Berlin citizens to fully re-create the experience of being in the city at this time.

The Events Summarised! On the 16th of April 1945, Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet army, pushed a

colossal 20 armies consisting of over 1 million soldiers into Germany, heading straight to Berlin with the objective of crushing the heart of Nazism and ultimately, to end the war in the USSR’s favour.

! The 300,000 troops defending the German borders were pushed back by the force of the Soviets. Fighting till the bitter end, they were ultimately overwhelmed by the mass of Soviets.

! The Germans and particularly the citizens of Berlin were terrified of the retribution of the Russian soldiers, who had been so horrifically treated by the Germans previously in the war. Much of the Russian (and Eastern European) homeland had been pillaged, and over 23 million Soviet Union soldiers and civilians had died as a result of the war.

! The mere 70,000 German defenders in Berlin (consisting of mostly the Home Guard and the Hitler Youth) put up resistance in street-to-street combat, but ultimately they were outnumbered and overpowered. Berlin suffers pillaging of food and valuables, its women raped and its streets bombed.

! Hitler and his high commanders are hidden in an air-raid bunker, deep underground in the governmental sector of Berlin. He descends into fantasy, unable to believe the events which are happening above him.

! The fall of Berlin to the Red Army in late April 1945, meant that the Third Reich was effectively over. Hitler committed suicide on the 30th of April. Within a few days came the end of the war in Europe.

The Events Summarised

Movies Downfall 2004

! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdqaZNfs1mk

Review of the Book

! Could have a summary timeline of key events and dates

! In some parts weighed down by military detail! Subjective language

! Massive variety of accounts from many primary and secondary sources throughout many years of the war, before and after

! Goes into immense detail about the many stages of fall of Berlin in chronological order

! Includes photographs and maps to help visualise and place events

! Talks a lot about the outer context of the fall, not just what is happening in Berlin but also what is going on in Europe which affects it

! Beevor is a former army Officer so he understands the content very well

Relevance to Research Interests! For me, the most interesting aspect of Berlin is its turbulent history

during the Second World War, and the affects that this period has had on the city, such as the divisions between East and West Germany. I would like to explore to what extent Berlin has moved away from its turbulent 20th century history.

! In A-Level history studying Germany from 1900-45 was something I was very interested in, particularly its relations to other European countries at that time. I think that the history of alliances and enemies in Europe are an interesting subject, especially at the moment with Brexit and neo-facism, communisim and nationalism on the rise.

! There are many artists I’m interested in who look at the affects of the war on Berlin..

Anselm Kiefer ! Art inspired by the weight of Germany’s history and the affect its had on

his generation growing up after the war.! Uses material such as ash, rubble, concrete as well as books, paintings

and flowers to connote many themes such as rebirth, destruction and the meaning of knowledge and history, will it repeat itself?

Bibliography

! http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/berlin.htm ! http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/berlin_01.shtml ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdqaZNfs1mk