Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans: The British Occupation of Germany, 1945-49

(Hardback)

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The untold history of the British occupation of Germany, told through the eyes of the people who were there. Following the end of the Second World War, between 1945 and 1949, British forces occupied the northern part of what would become West Germany. Here, Daniel Cowling presents a political and military history of this occupation, but also explores the experiences of the thousands of British men and women who were tasked with building a democracy out of the ruins of Hitler's Germany. From reconstructing bridges and schools in the British Zone to tracking down fugitives, their job was to leave no stone unturned in the fight to eradicate Nazism. But this force of civilian and military occupiers soon became entangled in the murky underworld of post-war Europe rife with black-marketeering, corruption, cover-ups, sex and scandal. In time, they would also find themselves at the frontline of the Cold War, as irreconcilable tensions divided Europe between East and West. Based on a battery of source materials that ranges from newspaper reports to feature films, from declassified Foreign Office documents to private diaries, personal letters and interviews with veterans, Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans offers telling insights into Britain's experience of the Second World War and the Cold War, and sheds revelatory light on the development of Britain's relationship with Europe since 1945.

Reviews

A gripping account of the post-war period detailing life in the British Zone. The Allies may have won the war but with Germany in ruins and millions homeless, hopeless and starving, would they win the peace * Julia Boyd, author of A Village in the Third Reich *
An endlessly wonderful evocation of the post-War years when we tried, despite the chaos of the times, understandably bitter feelings, and ruinous expense, to create a new, democratic Germany, even as our Empire crumbled around us. It may not have been our finest hour - yet, to the infinite benefit of Europe, we really did win the peace. A clear, grand idea mixed with unforgettable new details make this unputdownable. * James Hawes, author of The Shortest History of Germany *
'An excellent, vivid, readable social history of the British and their Zone in Post-War Germany.' * Giles Macdonough *
The British occupation of Germany after 1945 was sometimes shameful, sometimes heroic, but often just chaotic. Cowlings brilliantly researched book reveals it all, and must surely become the standard work on the subject. * Keith Lowe *

Author Bio

Daniel Cowling is a historian and writer from Manchester who specialises in the history of modern Europe and, in particular, the Anglo-German relationship. He completed a degree in history at the University of Nottingham before going on to study for an MPhil and a PhD at the University of Cambridge. Cowling now lives in London, where he works as a freelance historical researcher and editorial consultant for a number of authors.