The Destruction of Dresden
Encyclopedia
The Destruction of Dresden is a 1963 non-fiction book which describes the February 1945 bombing of Dresden in World War II
. The book is based on a series of 37 articles written on the strategic bombing during World War II
by David Irving
called Wie Deutschlands Städte starben (How Germany's Cities Died) for the German journal Neue Illustrierte
. The book became an international bestseller
during the 1960s debate about the morality of the World War II
area bombing
of the Nazi Germany
civilian population.
In the first edition, Irving's estimated that the two RAF raids and the first USAAF read combined was "estimated authoritatively to have killed more than 135,000 of the population [of Dresden]..." and the "documentation suggests very strongly that the figure was certainly between a minimum of 100,000 and a maximum of 250,000". - in 1965, General Ira C. Eaker identified the number as 135,000.
Irving's first edition figures became widely accepted and were used in many standard reference works. In later editions of the book over the next three decades, he gradually adjusted the figure to:
According to expert witness Richard J. Evans at the 2000 libel trial of Deborah Lipstadt
, Irving based his estimates of the dead of Dresden on the word of one individual, Hans Voigt, who provided no supporting documentation, used forged documents, and described one witness Max Funfack as Dresden's Deputy Chief Medical Officer. Funfack had made it clear to by letter to Irving on 19 January 1965 that he had not been Chief, or the Deputy Chief, Medical Officer, he had no knowledge of any documentation on the numbers killed, and during the war he had only heard rumours, which varied greatly, over the number of the killed in the raids.
Kurt Vonnegut
(who witnesses the bombing of Dresden as a prisoner of war
) used The Destruction of Dresden as a source for the 1969 novel Slaughterhouse Five.
Bombing of Dresden in World War II
The Bombing of Dresden was a military bombing by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force and as part of the Allied forces between 13 February and 15 February 1945 in the Second World War...
. The book is based on a series of 37 articles written on the strategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...
by David Irving
David Irving
David John Cawdell Irving is an English writer,best known for his denial of the Holocaust, who specialises in the military and political history of World War II, with a focus on Nazi Germany...
called Wie Deutschlands Städte starben (How Germany's Cities Died) for the German journal Neue Illustrierte
Karl Emil Franzos
Karl Emil Franzos was a German novelist.Karl Emil Franzos was a popular German author of the last quarter of the nineteenth century. His works, both reportage and fiction, concentrate on the multi-ethnic corner of eastern Europe, now largely in Ukraine, where the Habsburg and Russian empires met...
. The book became an international bestseller
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
during the 1960s debate about the morality of the 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...
area bombing
Area bombing directive
The Area Bombing Directive was a directive from the wartime British Government's Air Ministry to the Royal Air Force which ordered RAF bombers to attack the German industrial workforce and the morale of the German populace through bombing German cities and their civilian inhabitants.- Background...
of the Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
civilian population.
In the first edition, Irving's estimated that the two RAF raids and the first USAAF read combined was "estimated authoritatively to have killed more than 135,000 of the population [of Dresden]..." and the "documentation suggests very strongly that the figure was certainly between a minimum of 100,000 and a maximum of 250,000". - in 1965, General Ira C. Eaker identified the number as 135,000.
Irving's first edition figures became widely accepted and were used in many standard reference works. In later editions of the book over the next three decades, he gradually adjusted the figure to:
- In the 1971 edition, the three raids "estimated authoritatively to have killed more than 100,000 of the population...".
- In the 1995 edition, the three raids "cost the lives of between fifty and one hundred thousand inhabitants....". Richard J. EvansRichard J. EvansRichard John Evans is a British academic and historian, prominently known for his history of Germany.-Life:Evans was born in London, of Welsh parentage, and is now Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge and President of Wolfson College...
states that "Elsewhere he dropped the lower figure and said the attack cost 'up to a hundred thousand people their lives'.".
According to expert witness Richard J. Evans at the 2000 libel trial of Deborah Lipstadt
Deborah Lipstadt
Deborah Esther Lipstadt, Ph.D. is an American historian and author of the book Denying the Holocaust and The Eichmann Trial. She is the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University...
, Irving based his estimates of the dead of Dresden on the word of one individual, Hans Voigt, who provided no supporting documentation, used forged documents, and described one witness Max Funfack as Dresden's Deputy Chief Medical Officer. Funfack had made it clear to by letter to Irving on 19 January 1965 that he had not been Chief, or the Deputy Chief, Medical Officer, he had no knowledge of any documentation on the numbers killed, and during the war he had only heard rumours, which varied greatly, over the number of the killed in the raids.
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
(who witnesses the bombing of Dresden as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
) used The Destruction of Dresden as a source for the 1969 novel Slaughterhouse Five.