by Sir Richard J. Evans FBA FRSL FRHistS
First published 2017
Richard J. Evans tackles the evolving understanding of Nazi Germany over seven decades since its collapse. The acclaimed historian behind the Third Reich trilogy compiles his most important writings from twenty years of scholarship. Evans traces how perspectives on Hitler's rise have shifted and how researchers now place Nazi Germany within broader imperial contexts. He examines new emphasis on economic and cultural factors that enabled fascism. The book explores how scholars increasingly view Nazi society as built on popular support rather than pure coercion. Evans navigates the tension between historical memory and rigorous analysis. He warns against oversimplified condemnations while acknowledging the need to confront Nazi crimes and complicity. The collection reveals how international viewpoints have reshaped Third Reich studies and how postwar Germany carried forward Nazi influences. Evans offers readers both a survey of current Nazi Germany scholarship and a framework for distinguishing between emotional memory and careful historical investigation.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-analysis
Setting: Germany
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
496 pages · Paperback · Oxford University Press
Content warnings: racism, violence