Caroline Sharples, *The Long Death of Adolf Hitler: An Investigative History*. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2025.

Caroline Sharples, *The Long Death of Adolf Hitler: An Investigative History*. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2025.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2553426/fan_mail/new] Even though the gun Adolf Hitler employed on himself in April 1945 was highly effective, the circumstances of his death took an unexpectedly lengthy course. The world was eager for information, but there were no witnesses to his suicide, and his body was never shown. This void allowed myths and survival tales to flourish, while rival intelligence agencies and propaganda muddled the investigations of historians who followed. In her investigation of the aftermath at the Führerbunker, Caroline Sharples offers the first cultural narrative of this pivotal yet elusive moment. The anticipation surrounding Hitler's death stirred a variety of emotions, leading governments and secret services to rush to confirm the news. This search for validation resulted in a wave of conspiratorial thought, and the final moments of Hitler's life have been reimagined ever since. This captivating and unsettling story challenges our understanding of a historical event we think we know—and provides a nuanced look at how history is recorded.

Dariusz Jeziorny, *British Diplomacy and the Concept of the Eastern Pact (1933-1935): Analyses, Projects, Activities*. Stuttgart: Ibidem-Verlag, 2017

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2553426/fan_mail/new] In this monograph, Dariusz Jeziorny explores British diplomatic relations from 1933 to 1935, shedding light on London's viewpoint regarding the Eastern Pact and highlighting the reasoning and actions of British diplomacy within the framework of both European and global matters. Was His Majesty's Government truly invested in the success of the initiative promoted by Moscow and Paris? Did it grasp the motivations of its advocates? How did it react to the resistance from countries that were reluctant to accept such a matter? Who were London's primary negotiating partners? Can the Foreign Office be regarded as capable of tackling European challenges, especially those related to Eastern Europe? Were the earlier conclusions in academic literature correct in assessing the roles of certain powers in the failure of the Eastern Pact concept? Jeziorny tackles these inquiries through an in-depth analysis of governmental documents located in the National Archives in London, particularly the general correspondence of the British Foreign Office. He offers a captivating glimpse into the inner workings of British diplomacy and its perspectives on the French initiative.

Marius Turda, *In Search of the Perfect Romanian: National Specificity, Racial Degeneration, and Social Selection in Modern Romania*. Budapest: Central European University Press, 2026

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2553426/fan_mail/new] This study investigates the discourse on the Romanian national identity and race spanning from the 1880s to the 1950s. It asserts that in the early 1940s, anti-Semitism and anti-Roma racism were significant elements in the ethnic purification campaigns of the Ion Antonescu regime. The doctrines of racism and eugenics not only legitimized the deportation and extermination of Jews but also targeted the Roma. Consequently, the Holocaust in Romania should be interpreted as a result of both anti-Semitism and biopolitical nationalism. Finally, the book reveals that the eugenic ideal of the 'perfect' Romanian continued to exist after 1945, becoming part of the socialist vision of the 'new man' and the 'ideal' society that developed during the communist era.

Pontus Järvstad, *Postwar Mnemonic Anti‑Fascism: From the Spanish Question to the Nordic Committees against the Greek Junta, 1946–1974*. New York: Routledge, 2026.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2553426/fan_mail/new] This book investigates the transnational initiatives and political activism of a Nordic social movement formed to resist the junta that seized power in Greece after the military coup of 1967. The focus is primarily on the anti-fascist aspects of the opposition movement. It demonstrates how the various committees established across the Nordic nations framed their resistance to the military regime as a continuation of the historical struggle against fascism. As a result, even in the midst of the profound ideological divide between the Soviet Union and the United States, Nordic politicians and activists were able to rise above political ideologies during the Cold War. While encompassing a broad political spectrum, the Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish Committees were largely shaped by social democratic members. Nevertheless, it is clear that despite their strong connections with social democratic governments, these anti-fascist activists were prepared to breach legal boundaries in their clandestine efforts to unify the Greek democratic opposition, advocating for the assassination of Junta officials and direct resistance actions within Greece. This book argues that the Nordic Committees on Spain and Greece fostered a collective anti-fascist identity. By labeling these regimes as fascist, the activists sought to rekindle the historical battle against fascism in a post-war setting. This transnational social movement gained momentum for its cause by evoking memories of the past, particularly the Spanish Civil War and the Nazi occupation of Denmark and Norway. The military coup in Greece was viewed as a 'critical juncture,' disrupting the established democratic order and heightening fears of fascism in Europe. This book is likely to attract scholars interested in anti-fascism, social movements, memory studies, and the far right.

Nadia Wheatley, *Strange New World: Belsen's First Year of Freedom*. Melbourne, Australia: Monash University Press, 2026.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2553426/fan_mail/new] The liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on April 15, 1945, was hailed as a major British triumph over Nazi Germany. Yet, for the 55,000 survivors of the 'Horror Camp', this newfound liberty was accompanied by profound grief: a quarter of them died in the following five weeks. For many who lived through it, liberation meant barbed wire, military control, and a different kind of imprisonment. Relocated to a nearby army barracks, which would soon evolve into Europe’s largest Jewish Displaced Persons’ camp, the survivors faced widespread illness, bureaucratic indifference, and an uncertain future. Josef Rosensaft, a Jewish political figure in the camp, characterized the first year of freedom as 'more oppressive to our souls than the years in the hell of Auschwitz and Belsen': “we saw before us a new kind of world, cold and strange”. This monograph reveals the untold narrative of the Belsen survivors. They refused to be seen merely as victims, opting instead to reclaim their agency, foster a community, and forge new lives from the ruins. Their story resonates today as millions of displaced people worldwide navigate the difficult terrain between rescue and true freedom. Listeners are invited to learn more about Nadia Wheatley's work on her website. Link: https://www.nadiawheatley.com.