1945

  • A gripping panorama, which condenses different voices, stories and fates into a grand narrative. 
  • With unknown archive material and eyewitness accounts.
  • 20,000 copies sold!
  • Recommended by New Books In German (Goethe Institute).
  • English sample translation available.

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 He uses diaries, letters, memories, and unpublished archive material, including eyewitness accounts, to offer a unique perspective.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

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  • Publisher: Rowohlt Berlin
  • Release: 12.11.2024
  • ISBN: 978-3-7371-0201-8
  • 464 Pages
  • Author: Volker Heise

Awards

  • 2024: empfohlen - Sachbuch-Bestenliste

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Buchcover von 1945
Volker Heise 1945
Portrait von Volker Heise
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Volker Heise

Volker Heise , born in 1961 in Hoya, is a director, producer, and documentary filmmaker. His works, including Schwarzwaldhaus 1902 and Zeit der Helden , have earned him prestigious awards such as the Grimme Prize and the German Television Award. Recent movie projects include  Berlin 1945 , Berlin 1933 , and the Netflix production Gladbeck. Das Geiseldram a. Heise is also the author of the novel Außer Kontrolle. He resides in Berlin.