The year 1945: catastrophe and new beginnings.
1945: The Germans send a last contingent of young and old men into battle, the Allies advance closer, civilians are on the run or seeking shelter in the war's ruins. In May, the war ends; people crawl out of the ruins, facing an uncertain future. Daily life continues, but the world is different.
On the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, Volker Heise presents a gripping account of 1945, spanning the whole year from New Year's Eve to New Year's Eve. He uses diaries, letters, memories, and unpublished archive material, including eyewitness accounts, to offer a unique perspective. These voices and stories come together in a sweeping narrative that connects a variety of experiences directly. A portrait of a year unlike any we have seen before.
"A chronicle that spans the whole of 1945, from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day. The breathtaking portrait of the time from diaries, letters and eyewitness accounts ... reads like a thriller." RBB Radio 1