Berlin: The Downfall 1945
Encyclopedia
Berlin: The Downfall 1945 (aka The Fall of Berlin 1945 in the US) is a narrative history by Antony Beevor
of the Battle of Berlin
during World War II
. It was published by Viking Press
in 2002, then later by Penguin Books
in 2003. The book achieved both critical and commercial success, selling over half a million copies world wide.
in 1945. The book narrates how the Red Army
defeated the German Army and brought and end to Hitler's Third Reich, as well as an end to the war in Europe
.
-History Today
Trustees' Award" in 2003.
under the title of The Fall of Berlin 1945, and has been translated into 24 languages. The British paperback
version was published by Penguin Books
in 2003.
, then Russian ambassador to the UK denounced the book as "lies" and "slander against the people who saved the world from Nazism." O.A. Rzheshevsky, a professor and President of the Russian Association of World War II Historians, has charged that Beevor is merely resurrecting the discredited and racist views of Neo-Nazi historians, who depicted Soviet troops as subhuman "Asiatic hordes." Rzheshevsky admitted to BBC News Online
that he had only read excerpts and had not seen the book's source notes. He claimed that Beevor's use of phrases such as Berliners remember and the experiences of the raped German women were better suited "for pulp fiction, than scientific research." Rzheshevsky also defended Soviet reprisals against Germans, stating that the Germans could have expected an "avalanche of revenge". But this revenge was blocked and minimized by Soviet high command, argued Rzheshevsky.
Professor Richard Overy
, a historian from King's College London
, has criticised Russian outrage at the book and defended Beevor. Overy accused the Russians of refusing to acknowledge Soviet war crimes, "Partly this is because they felt that much of it was justified vengeance against an enemy who committed much worse, and partly it was because they were writing the victors' history".
This criticism centres on the book's discussion of atrocities committed by the Red Army
against German civilians - in particular, the extremely widespread rape of German women and also female Russian forced labourers, both before and after the end of the war. While this has been widely discussed outside Russia, it remains controversial.
Beevor is however aware that German women were part of a society that supported Hitler and are thus victims in a different way than Jews, Poles and Russians.
Antony Beevor
Antony James Beevor, FRSL is a British historian, educated at Winchester College and Sandhurst. He studied under the famous military historian John Keegan. Beevor is a former officer with the 11th Hussars who served in England and Germany for five years before resigning his commission...
of the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was published by Viking Press
Viking Press
Viking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
in 2002, then later by Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
in 2003. The book achieved both critical and commercial success, selling over half a million copies world wide.
About the book
The book revisits the events of the Battle of BerlinBattle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
in 1945. The book narrates how the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
defeated the German Army and brought and end to Hitler's Third Reich, as well as an end to the war in Europe
End of World War II in Europe
The final battles of the European Theatre of World War II as well as the German surrender to the Western Allies and the Soviet Union took place in late April and early May 1945.-Timeline of surrenders and deaths:...
.
Prizes
Anthony Beevor's work in this book received him the LongmanLongman
Longman was a publishing company founded in London, England in 1724. It is now an imprint of Pearson Education.-Beginnings:The Longman company was founded by Thomas Longman , the son of Ezekiel Longman , a gentleman of Bristol. Thomas was apprenticed in 1716 to John Osborn, a London bookseller, and...
-History Today
History Today
History Today is an illustrated history magazine. Published monthly in London since January 1951, it is the world's leading, and possibly oldest, history magazine. Its successful mission has always been to present serious and authoritative history to as wide a public as possible...
Trustees' Award" in 2003.
Publication notes
The book was published in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
under the title of The Fall of Berlin 1945, and has been translated into 24 languages. The British paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
version was published by Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
in 2003.
Criticism
Berlin - The Downfall 1945 has encountered criticism in Russia. Grigory KarasinGrigory Karasin
Grigory Borisovich Karasin is a career diplomat and is currently the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia,...
, then Russian ambassador to the UK denounced the book as "lies" and "slander against the people who saved the world from Nazism." O.A. Rzheshevsky, a professor and President of the Russian Association of World War II Historians, has charged that Beevor is merely resurrecting the discredited and racist views of Neo-Nazi historians, who depicted Soviet troops as subhuman "Asiatic hordes." Rzheshevsky admitted to BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
that he had only read excerpts and had not seen the book's source notes. He claimed that Beevor's use of phrases such as Berliners remember and the experiences of the raped German women were better suited "for pulp fiction, than scientific research." Rzheshevsky also defended Soviet reprisals against Germans, stating that the Germans could have expected an "avalanche of revenge". But this revenge was blocked and minimized by Soviet high command, argued Rzheshevsky.
Professor Richard Overy
Richard Overy
Richard Overy is a British historian who has published extensively on the history of World War II and the Third Reich. In 2007 as The Times editor of Complete History of the World he chose the 50 key dates of world history....
, a historian from King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, has criticised Russian outrage at the book and defended Beevor. Overy accused the Russians of refusing to acknowledge Soviet war crimes, "Partly this is because they felt that much of it was justified vengeance against an enemy who committed much worse, and partly it was because they were writing the victors' history".
This criticism centres on the book's discussion of atrocities committed by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
against German civilians - in particular, the extremely widespread rape of German women and also female Russian forced labourers, both before and after the end of the war. While this has been widely discussed outside Russia, it remains controversial.
Beevor is however aware that German women were part of a society that supported Hitler and are thus victims in a different way than Jews, Poles and Russians.