![]() ![]() The historian who has had the most positive influence on my career is Sir Hew Strachan, the former Chichele Professor of the History of War at Oxford. I admire Gitta Sereny, the Hungarian born author of books like Into That Darkness, a study of death camp commandant Franz Stangl, and a brilliant biography of Hitler’s architect Albert Speer. Few major figures of the 19th Century appear acceptable, much less saintly, to modern eyes.Īre there any historians who helped shape your career? Similarly, can you recommend three history books which budding historians should read? It is, however, important to see him in context, and not judge him by today’s mores. Now, to many, he’s a villain and there are calls to rename schools and take down his statue in Trafalgar Square. In the 19th century, a man like General Henry Havelock was a hero for helping to put down the Indian Mutiny. The more critical (some would say overly critical) reassessment of British imperial history is a case in point. The point about history is that it’s a ‘live’ subject, constantly changing, and there’s always room for a different interpretation. The common phrase is that history is written by the victors. But to research properly, you still need to wade through endless documents you might never use on the hunt for that tiny glimmer of gold that will change everything. For my last book I even interviewed some people on Skype/Zoom. The internet, smart phone apps and digitisation have revolutionized the business of historical research. When I started, it was an incredibly long-winded business, laboriously copying archival documents on my ancient laptop and using the phone book to track down veterans. What fascinates me about war, and the study of war, is that it seems to encompass the full spectrum of human behaviour: both good and bad.Ĭan you tell us a little more about how you research? Has the process changed over the years? But I quickly realized that I too was hooked, particularly on the wars of the Victorian period and the 20th century. I suppose I first got interested as a means of getting his attention. My Dad loves reading military history, and often discusses the great battles and commanders with friends and family. I remember, as a child, hearing tales of military derring-do round the dinner table. Photographs of the camp in operation were published in 2020 as part of the Sobibor perpetrator album.What first attracted you to the period or periods you work in? The Sobibor Museum now stands at the site, which continues to be investigated by archaeologists. It became better known after it was portrayed in the TV miniseries Holocaust (1978) and the film Escape from Sobibor (1987). In the first decades after World War II, the site was neglected and the camp had little presence in either popular or scholarly accounts of the Holocaust. About 300 prisoners made it out of the camp, of whom roughly 60 survived the war.Īfter the revolt, the Nazis demolished most of the camp in order to hide their crimes from the advancing Red Army. The prisoners had to escape by climbing over barbed wire fences and running through a mine field under heavy machine gun fire. However, the plan was disrupted after only eleven SS men had been killed. In the second phase, all 600 prisoners would assemble for evening roll call and walk to freedom out the front gate. In the first phase, teams of prisoners were to discreetly assassinate each of the SS officers. The plan for the revolt involved two phases. ![]() The camp ceased operations after a prisoner revolt which took place on 14 October 1943. In total, some 170,000 to 250,000 people were murdered at Sobibor, making it the fourth-deadliest Nazi camp after Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Belzec. Those not killed immediately were forced to assist in the operation of the camp, and few survived more than a few months. The vast majority of prisoners were gassed within hours of arrival. Franz Reichleitner (1 September 1942 – 17 October 1943)Īs an extermination camp rather than a concentration camp, Sobibor existed for the sole purpose of murdering Jews. ![]()
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