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The secret history of one of the largest—and least-known—rescue operations of World War II Between 1940 and 1943, a group of Polish diplomats in Switzerland engaged in a wholly remarkable—and until now, completely unknown—humanitarian operation. In concert with Jewish activists, they masterminded a systematic program of forging passports and identity documents for Latin American countries, which were then smuggled into German-occupied Europe to save the lives of thousands of Jews facing extermination in the Holocaust. With the international community failing to act, the operation was one of the largest actions to aid Jews of the entire war. The Forgers tells this extraordinary story for the first time. We follow the desperate bids of Jews to obtain these lifesaving documents as the Nazi death machine draws ever closer. And we witness the quiet heroism of a group of ordinary men who decided to do something rather than nothing and saved thousands of lives.

How the British might have handled Hitler differently remains one of history's greatest ‘what ifs'... A TELEGRAPH AND SPECTATOR HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR Coffee with Hitler tells the astounding true story of a handful of amateur British intelligence agents who wined, dined and befriended the leading National Socialists between the wars. With support from royalty, aristocracy, politicians and businessmen, they hoped to use the much mythologised Anglo-German Fellowship as a vehicle to civilise the Nazis. A pacifist Welsh historian, a Great War flying ace, a butterfly-collecting businessman... Coffee With Hitler offers a rare glimpse into a motley crew who would provide the British government with better intelligence on the horrifying rise of the Nazis than anyone else. Drawing on newly discovered primary sources, Charles Spencer sheds light on the early career of Kim Philby, Winston Churchill's approach to appeasement, the US entry into the war and the Rudolf Hess affair, in a groundbreaking reassessment of Britain's relationship with Nazi Germany. •••'Brilliantly readable.'DAILY TELEGRAPH'Squirmingly enthralling.'SPECTATOR'Terrifyingly relevant.'OBSERVER

The fascinating story of how an eccentric group of intelligence agents used amateur diplomacy to penetrate the Nazi high command in an effort to prevent the start of World War II.'How might the British have handled Hitler differently?” remains one of history's greatest'what ifs.'Coffee with Hitler tells the astounding story of how a handful of amateur British intelligence agents wined, dined, and befriended the leading National Socialists between the wars. With support from royalty, aristocracy, politicians, and businessmen, they hoped to use the recently founded Anglo-German Fellowship as a vehicle to civilize and enlighten the Nazis. At the heart of the story are a pacifist Welsh historian, a World War I flying ace, and a butterfly-collecting businessman, who together offered the British government better intelligence on the horrifying rise of the Nazis than any other agents. Though they were only minor players in the terrible drama of Europe's descent into its second twentieth-century war, these three protagonists operated within the British Establishment. They infiltrated the Nazi high command deeper than any other spies, relaying accurate intelligence to both their government and to its anti-appeasing critics. Straddling the porous border between hard and soft diplomacy, their activities fuelled tensions between the amateur and the professional diplomats in both London and Berlin. Having established a personal rapport with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, they delivered intelligence to him directly, too, paving the way for American military support for Great Britain against the Nazi threat. The settings for their public efforts ranged from tea parties in Downing Street, banquets at London's best hotels, and the Coronation of George VI to coffee and cake at Hitler's Bavarian mountain home, champagne galas at the Berlin Olympics, and afternoon receptions at the Nuremberg Rallies. More private encounters between the elites of both powers were nurtured by shooting weekends at English country homes, whisky drinking sessions at German estates, discreet meetings in London apartments, and whispered exchanges in the corridors of embassies and foreign ministries.

The “riveting…truly shocking” (The New York Times Book Review) story of a Jewish orphan who fled Nazi Germany for London, only to be arrested and sent to a British internment camp for suspected foreign agents on the Isle of Man, alongside a renowned group of refugee musicians, intellectuals, artists, and—possibly—genuine spies.Following the events of Kristallnacht in 1938, Peter Fleischmann evaded the Gestapo's roundups in Berlin by way of a perilous journey to England on a Kindertransport rescue, an effort sanctioned by the UK government to evacuate minors from Nazi-controlled areas. But he could not escape the British police, who came for him in the early hours and shipped him off to Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man, under suspicion of being a spy for the very regime he had fled. During Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s, tens of thousands of German and Austrian Jews like Peter escaped and found refuge in Britain. After war broke out and paranoia gripped the nation, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered that these innocent asylum seekers—so-called “enemy aliens”—be interned. When Peter arrived at Hutchinson Camp, he found one of history's most astounding prison populations: renowned professors, composers, journalists, and artists. Together, they created a thriving cultural community, complete with art exhibitions, lectures, musical performances, and poetry readings. The artists welcomed Peter as their pupil and forever changed the course of his life. Meanwhile, suspicions grew that a real spy was hiding among them—one connected to a vivacious heiress from Peter's past. Drawing from unpublished first-person accounts and newly declassified government documents, award-winning journalist Simon Parkin reveals an “extraordinary yet previously untold true story” (Daily Express) that serves as a “testimony to human fortitude despite callous, hypocritical injustice” (The New Yorker) and “an example of how individuals can find joy and meaning in the absurd and mundane” (The Spectator).

Shortlisted for the 2018 RBC Taylor prize for literary nonfiction“A riveting tale of the previously unknown and fascinating story of the unsung angels who strove to foil the Final Solution.”—Kirkus starred reviewOn November 25, 1944, prisoners at Auschwitz heard a deafening explosion. Emerging from their barracks, they witnessed the crematoria and gas chambers--part of the largest killing machine in human history--come crashing down. Most assumed they had fallen victim to inmate sabotage and thousands silently cheered. However, the Final Solution's most efficient murder apparatus had not been felled by Jews, but rather by the ruthless architect of mass genocide, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. It was an edict that has puzzled historians for more than six decades. Holocaust historian and New York Times bestselling author Max Wallace--a veteran interviewer for Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation--draws on an explosive cache of recently declassified documents and an account from the only living eyewitness to unravel the mystery. He uncovers an astounding story involving the secret negotiations of an unlikely trio--a former fascist President of Switzerland, a courageous Orthodox Jewish woman, and Himmler's Finnish osteopath--to end the Holocaust, aided by clandestine Swedish and American intelligence efforts. He documents their efforts to deceive Himmler, who, as Germany's defeat loomed, sought to enter an alliance with the West against the Soviet Union. By exploiting that fantasy and persuading Himmler to betray Hitler's orders, the group helped to prevent the liquidation of tens of thousands of Jews during the last months of the Second World War, and thwarted Hitler's plan to take'every last Jew'down with the Reich. Deeply researched and dramatically recounted, In the Name of Humanity is a remarkable tale of bravery and audacious tactics that will help rewrite the history of the Holocaust.

Focus sur l'une des mesures les moins connues d'Hitler à l'encontre des JuifsUn an avant qu'Adolf Hitler ne prenne le pouvoir en 1933, le ministre de l'Intérieur allemand ordonne que les fichiers de recensement des armes à feu soient mis à l'abri afin qu'ils ne tombent pas « aux mains d'éléments radicaux ». Ses efforts vont s'avérer vains : ces listes tombent dans les mains du gouvernement nazi, qui les utilise pour désarmer ses ennemis politiques et les Juifs. En 1938, les nazis ont privé les Juifs de leurs droits de citoyenneté et multiplient les mesures pour les dépouiller de leurs biens – dont les moyens de se défendre eux-mêmes. Les conséquences de ces actions portent des noms qui hantent nos mémoires : la Nuit de cristal et l'Holocauste.D'innombrables livres ont été écrits sur la dictature d'Hitler, qui ne font pas mention de la politique de désarmement des Juifs et des autres « ennemis de l'Etat ». Stephen P. Halbrook, écrivain et chercheur, comble ce vide avec l'écriture de cet ouvrage original et révélateur.Le droit des citoyens de nombreux pays de porter, voire simplement de détenir des armes, étant aujourd'hui de plus en plus remis en cause, ce livre vient apporter un éclairage important pour tous ceux qui souhaitent débattre de ce sujet.EXTRAITAlfred Flatow est un Juif allemand, médaillé d'or en gymnastique aux premiers Jeux olympiques de l'ère moderne en 1896. En 1932, il fait enregistrer la possession de trois armes de poing, conformément à un décret promulgué par la très libérale République de Weimar. Le gouvernement a exigé que la police prenne le plus grand soin de ces listes, craignant qu'un groupe extrémiste ne s'en empare. Cette crainte se réalise pourtant l'année suivante, avec la prise de pouvoir d'un parti politique extrémiste mené par Adolf Hitler, qui fait usage de ces listes pour désarmer ceux qu'il considère comme les « ennemis de l'État ». En 1938, ces listes sont ainsi utilisées pour localiser les Juifs détenteurs d'armes à feu comme Flatow, dont le rapport d'arrestation stipule : « Les armes aux mains de Juifs représentent un danger pour la sécurité publique. » Il mourra en camp de concentration. À PROPOS DE L'AUTEURStephen P. Halbrook, avocat et écrivain, est docteur en droit et en philosophie sociale. Gagnant, devant la Cour suprême des Etats-Unis, de plusieurs procédures judiciaires portant sur les garanties offertes par la Déclaration des droits, il a témoigné devant des commissions du Sénat et de la Chambre des représentants sur des questions couvrant le fédéralisme et les droits constitutionnels. Stephen P. Halbrook est l'auteur de plusieurs livres sur le droit de détenir et de porter des armes dans la tradition américaine, notamment pendant la Révolution et la fondation des États-Unis, la période l'abolition de l'esclavage ayant suivi la Guerre civile, ainsi que sous la législation moderne. Il a publié deux autres ouvrages relatifs à l'Allemagne nazie, qui sont également parus en français : La Suisse encerclée (Éditions Slatkine) et La Suisse face aux nazis (Éditions Cabédita).

New York Times bestseller. The definitive story of the Ritchie Boys, as featured on CBS's 60 Minutes. “A spellbinding account of extraordinary men at war.” —USA TodayThey were young Jewish boys who escaped from Nazi-occupied Europe and resettled in America. After the United States entered the war, they returned to fight for their adopted homeland and for the families they had left behind. Their stories tell the tale of one of the U.S. Army's greatest secret weapons.These young men—known as the Ritchie Boys, after the Maryland camp where they trained—knew what the Nazis would do to them if they were captured. Yet they leapt at the opportunity to be sent in small, elite teams to join every major combat unit in Europe, where they collected key tactical intelligence on enemy strength, troop and armored movements, and defensive positions that saved American lives and helped win the war. A postwar army report found that nearly 60 percent of the credible intelligence gathered in Europe came from the Ritchie Boys.Sons and Soldiers draws on original interviews and extensive archival research to vividly re-create the stories of six of these men, tracing their journeys from childhood through their escapes from Europe, their feats and sacrifices during the war, and finally their desperate attempts to find their missing loved ones. Sons and Soldiers is an epic story of heroism, courage, and patriotism that will not soon be forgotten.“An irresistible history of the WWII Jewish refugees who returned to Europe to fight the Nazis.” —Newsday“Gripping... A story of courage and determination, revenge and redemption.” —The Boston Globe

«Una rivelazione.» Steve Twomey, premio Pulitzer La vera storia degli ebrei che sconfissero Hitler Lasciarono la Germania per salvarsi. Tornarono per combattere i nazisti. Negli anni trenta un gruppo di ragazzi ebrei riuscì ad abbandonare la Germania e a iniziare una nuova vita in America. Nonostante il permesso di arruolarsi nell'esercito, furono sempre considerati come stranieri di cui diffidare. Finché nel 1942 il Pentagono non comprese quale incredibile risorsa potessero rappresentare. Quegli uomini conoscevano la lingua, la cultura e la psicologia del nemico meglio di qualsiasi americano ed erano, più di chiunque altro, motivati a lottare contro il regime antisemita di Hitler. Fu così che fecero ritorno in Europa come “Ritchie Boys”, un'unità segreta dell'esercito americano. Addestrati nell'arte di interrogare prigionieri, duemila soldati ebrei vennero rispediti nella Germania nazista, in prima linea sui campi di battaglia. Il loro scopo era ottenere dai prigionieri di guerra informazioni vitali sui movimenti delle truppe e le strutture di comando: un'operazione che ebbe un enorme successo e si dimostrò decisiva per la vittoria delle forze Alleate. Alcuni di quegli eroi sono ancora vivi. N°1 del New York Times Una storia epica di eroismo, coraggio e patriottismo. «La storia di duemila valorosi ebrei tedeschi che aiutarono gli Alleati a vincere la seconda guerra mondiale. Il loro messaggio di coraggio e patriottismo è d'ispirazione per la guerra al terrorismo dei nostri giorni.» Leon Panetta, ex direttore della CIA ed ex segretario della Difesa «Una rivelazione. Una storia incredibile ed eroica rimasta sconosciuta fino a oggi.» Steve Twomey premio Pulitzer «L'eccellente racconto di una delle più grandi storie dimenticate della seconda guerra mondiale.» Steven P. Remy «Una saga di formazione, patriottismo e coraggio che non ha eguali nella storia della seconda guerra mondiale. Una lettura davvero indimenticabile, grazie allo stile potente di Henderson.» Bill Sloan «Un trionfo. A più di settant'anni dalla fine della guerra, Bruce Henderson ha scovato una storia di valore e coraggio che non era mai stata raccontata.» John Wukovits, autore di Tin Can Titans «Un contributo inestimabile al canone dei libri sulla seconda guerra mondiale.» Steven Karras Bruce HendersonÈ autore di oltre venti libri di saggistica, tra cui il N°1 del «New York Times» And The Sea Will Tell e altri bestseller. Per scrivere Fratelli e soldati si è basato su interviste personali a molti veterani sopravvissuti e su approfondite ricerche d'archivio. Giornalista e scrittore pluripremiato, firma articoli per i principali periodici nazionali e ha insegnato scrittura e giornalismo alla USC School of Journalism e alla Stanford University. I suoi libri sono stati tradotti in dieci Paesi. Vive a Menlo Park, in California. Fratelli e soldati è stato venduto in sei Paesi.

“Were this story a novel, it would have the character of an implausible fable, but as often occurred in the Holocaust, reality exceeds the imagination.”—Michael Berenbaum, from the ForewordWhen Hitler invaded Warsaw in the fall of 1939, hundreds of thousands of civilians were trapped in the besieged city. The Rebbe Joseph Schneersohn, the leader of the ultra-orthodox Lubavitcher Jews, was among them. When word of his plight went out, a group of American Jews initiated what would ultimately become one of the strangest—and most miraculous—rescues of World War II. And this is the incredible but true story that Bryan Mark Rigg tells in The Rabbi Saved by Hitler's Soldiers.Amid the chaos and hell of the emerging Holocaust, a small group of German soldiers shepherded Rebbe Schneersohn and his Hasidic followers out of Poland. In the course of the daring escape—traveling by train to Berlin, rerouted to Latvia and Sweden, and carried by ship through U-boat-infested waters to America—the Rebbe would learn a shocking truth. The leader of the rescue operation, the decorated Wehrmacht soldier Ernst Bloch, was himself half-Jewish, and a victim of the rising tide of German anti-Semitism. Perhaps even more remarkable were the central roles of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Nazi military intelligence service, and of Helmuth Wohlthat, chief administrator of Göring's Four Year Plan. Pursuing every lead, amassing critical evidence, pulling together all the pieces of what could well be a political thriller, Rigg reconstructs the Rebbe's improbable escape, and tells a harrowing story about identity and moral responsibility. His book is the definitive account of an extraordinary episode in the history of World War II.

Stalin's Singing Spy follows the remarkable life of NadezhdaPlevitskaya, a Russian peasant girl who achieved fame as one of Tsar Nicholas II's favorite singers and infamy as one of Stalin's agents. Pamela A. Jordan traces Plevitskaya's life from her childhood in an isolated village to national stardom. She always declared that she was foremost an artist who sang for all people, regardless of their ideological leanings or socioeconomic background. She claimed throughout her career to be fundamentally apolitical, yet decades later in Europe, Plevitskaya was unmasked as one of Joseph Stalin's secret agents along with her husband, White Russian General Nikolai Skoblin. Their experiences in exile shed light on Stalin's covert operations and the hardships Russian émigrés faced in interwar Europe, an era of great political and economic turmoil. In addition, this book uncovers the roles that the couple played in one of the Soviets'major intelligence coups—the 1937 kidnapping of White Russian General Evgeny Miller in Paris. Jordan recreates Plevitskaya's sensationalized 1938 criminal trial in the Palace of Justice, where she was accused of conspiring to kidnap Miller and portrayed as a Red femme fatale. The first Western biography of Plevitskaya and the first to reconstruct her dramatic trial, this book provides a fascinating window into Soviet-era espionage in interwar Europe.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “[Timothy] Snyder identifies the conditions that allowed the Holocaust—conditions our society today shares.... He certainly couldn't be more right about our world.”—The New Republic A “gripping [and] disturbingly vivid” (The Wall Street Journal) portrait of the defining tragedy of our time, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of On Tyranny ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—The Washington Post, The Economist, Publishers Weekly In this epic history of extermination and survival, Timothy Snyder presents a new explanation of the great atrocity of the twentieth century, and reveals the risks that we face in the twenty-first. Based on untapped sources from eastern Europe and forgotten testimonies from Jewish survivors, Black Earth recounts the mass murder of the Jews as an event that is still close to us, more comprehensible than we would like to think and thus all the more terrifying. By overlooking the lessons of the Holocaust, Snyder concludes, we have misunderstood modernity and endangered the future. The early twenty-first century is coming to resemble the early twentieth, as growing preoccupations with food and water accompany ideological challenges to global order. Our world is closer to Hitler's than we like to admit, and saving it requires us to see the Holocaust as it was—and ourselves as we are. Groundbreaking, authoritative, and utterly absorbing, Black Earth reveals a Holocaust that is not only history but warning. New York Times Editors'Choice • Finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize; the Mark Lynton History Prize; the Arthur Ross Book Award

The spellbinding and revealing chronicle of Nazi-occupied Paris. On June 14, 1940, German tanks entered a silent and nearly deserted Paris. Eight days later, France accepted a humiliating defeat and foreign occupation. Subsequently, an eerie sense of normalcy settled over the City of Light. Many Parisians keenly adapted themselves to the situation-even allied themselves with their Nazi overlords. At the same time, amidst this darkening gloom of German ruthlessness, shortages, and curfews, a resistance arose. Parisians of all stripes -- Jews, immigrants, adolescents, communists, rightists, cultural icons such as Colette, de Beauvoir, Camus and Sartre, as well as police officers, teachers, students, and store owners -- rallied around a little known French military officer, Charles de Gaulle. When Paris Went Dark evokes with stunning precision the detail of daily life in a city under occupation, and the brave people who fought against the darkness. Relying on a range of resources -- memoirs, diaries, letters, archives, interviews, personal histories, flyers and posters, fiction, photographs, film and historical studies -- Rosbottom has forged a groundbreaking book that will forever influence how we understand those dark years in the City of Light.