Synopses & Reviews
The Second World War might have officially ended in May 1945, but in reality it rumbled on for another ten years...
The end of the Second World War in Europe is one of the twentieth centurys most iconic moments. It is fondly remembered as a time when cheering crowds filled the streets, danced, drank and made love until the small hours. These images of victory and celebration are so strong in our minds that the period of anarchy and civil war that followed has been forgotten. Across Europe, landscapes had been ravaged, entire cities razed and more than thirty million people had been killed in the war. The institutions that we now take for granted - such as the police, the media, transport, local and national government - were either entirely absent or hopelessly compromised. Crime rates were soaring, economies collapsing, and the European population was hovering on the brink of starvation. In Savage Continent, Keith Lowe describes a continent still racked by violence, where large sections of the population had yet to accept that the war was over. Individuals, communities and sometimes whole nations sought vengeance for the wrongs that had been done to them during the war. Germans and collaborators everywhere were rounded up, tormented and summarily executed. Concentration camps were reopened and filled with new victims who were tortured and starved. Violent anti-Semitism was reborn, sparking murders and new pogroms across Europe. Massacres were an integral part of the chaos and in some places - particularly Greece, Yugoslavia and Poland, as well as parts of Italy and France - they led to brutal civil wars. In some of the greatest acts of ethnic cleansing the world has ever seen, tens of millions were expelled from their ancestral homelands, often with the implicit blessing of the Allied authorities. Savage Continent is the story of post WWII Europe, in all its ugly detail, from the end of the war right up until the establishment of an uneasy stability across Europe towards the end of the 1940s. Based principally on primary sources from a dozen countries, Savage Continent is a frightening and thrilling chronicle of a world gone mad, the standard history of post WWII Europe for years to come.
Review
‘Savage Continent is a powerful and disturbing book, painstakingly researched and written with both authority and an impressive historical sweep. It is also a timely book, that deserves to be read by anyone who wishes to understand the complex nature of Europe and the deep trauma suffered not only during the Second World War but in its chaotic aftermath. - James Holland, author of Italys Sorrow and The Battle of Britain
“A graphic and chilling account of the murderous vengeance, terroristic reprisals and ferocious ethnic cleansing that gripped Europe following - and often as a direct continuation of - the Second World War. Keith Lowe's excellent book paints a little-known and frightening picture of a continent in the embrace of lawlessness, chaos and unconstrained violence.”- Ian Kershaw, author of The End: The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944-1945
Review
"A superb and immensely important book."—The Washington Post
"Lowes work, thoroughly researched and written with scrupulous objectivity, promises to be the years best book on European history.”—Financial Times (UK)
"Deeply harrowing. Moving, measured and provocative. A compelling picture of a continent physically and morally brutalized by slaughter."—Sunday Times (UK)
"Graphic and chilling. This excellent book paints a little-known and frightening picture of a continent in the embrace of lawlessness and chaos."—Ian Kershaw Bestselling author of The End: The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944-1945
Synopsis
A compelling look at the dark, violent days that enveloped Europe after WWII ended and anarchy reigned
The aftermath of World War II was one of the most tumultuous periods of European history. Individuals, communities and sometimes whole nations sought vengeance against the Germans and their collaborators who were rounded up, tormented and summarily executed. Concentration camps were reopened; violent anti-semitism was reborn, sparking murders and pogroms; and massacres, an integral part of the postwar landscape, led to brutal civil wars. In some of the greatest acts of ethnic cleansing ever seen, millions were expelled from their ancestral homelands, often with the implicit blessing of the Allied authorities. Savage Continent is the story of post WWII Eruope in all its ugly detail. Based on primary sources from a dozen countries, Savage Continent sets the standard for history books on of post-WWII Europe for years to come.
Synopsis
Winner of the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize
“A superb and immensely important book.”—Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post
The Second World War might have officially ended in May 1945, but in reality it rumbled on for another ten years...
The end of World War II in Europe is remembered as a time when cheering crowds filled the streets, but the reality was quite different. Across Europe, landscapes had been ravaged, entire cities razed, and more than thirty million people had been killed in the war. The institutions that we now take for granted—such as police, media, transport, and local and national government—were either entirely absent or compromised. Crime rates soared, economies collapsed, and whole populations hovered on the brink of starvation.. In Savage Continent, Keith Lowe describes a continent where individual Germans and collaborators were rounded up and summarily executed, where concentration camps were reopened, and violent anti-Semitism was reborn. In some of the monstrous acts of ethnic cleansing the world has ever seen, tens of millions were expelled from their ancestral homelands. Savage Continent is the story of post-war Europe, from the close of the war right to the establishment of an uneasy stability at the end of the 1940s. Based principally on primary sources from a dozen countries, Savage Continent is the chronicle of a world gone mad, the standard history of post-World War II Europe for years to come.
Synopsis
Winner of the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize
“A superb and immensely important book.”—Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post
The Second World War might have officially ended in May 1945, but in reality it rumbled on for another ten years...
The end of World War II in Europe is remembered as a time when cheering crowds filled the streets, but the reality was quite different. Across Europe, landscapes had been ravaged, entire cities razed, and more than thirty million people had been killed in the war. The institutions that we now take for granted—such as police, media, transport, and local and national government—were either entirely absent or compromised. Crime rates soared, economies collapsed, and whole populations hovered on the brink of starvation. In Savage Continent, Keith Lowe describes a continent where individual Germans and collaborators were rounded up and summarily executed, where concentration camps were reopened, and violent anti-Semitism was reborn. In some of the monstrous acts of ethnic cleansing the world has ever seen, tens of millions were expelled from their ancestral homelands. Savage Continent is the story of post-World War II Europe, from the close of the war right to the establishment of an uneasy stability at the end of the 1940s. Based principally on primary sources from a dozen countries, Savage Continent is the chronicle of a world gone mad, the standard history of post-World War II Europe for years to come.
About the Author
Keith Lowe is the author of two novels and the critically acclaimed history Inferno: The Fiery Devastation of Hamburg, 1943. He is widely recognized as an authority on the Second World War, and has often spoken on TV and radio, both in Britain and the United States. Most recently he was an historical consultant and one of the main speakers in the PBS documentary The Bombing of Germany which was also broadcast in Germany. His books have been translated into several languages, and he has also lectured in Britain, Canada and Germany. He lives in North London with his wife and two kids.