What do you think?
Rate this book
Hungary, 1944-1945, the Forgotten Tragedy: Germany’s Final Offensives During World War II; The Destruction of Europe’s Last Remaining Jewish Community
The book describes Hungary during World War II from the perspective of Hitler’s most important political the acquisition of ‘Lebensraum’ (Living space). In this Lebensraum, raw materials were vital, particularly oil.
Another tragic subject discussed is the destruction of the last remaining Jewish community in Europe. The author considers the case of Hungary to be the final manifestation of a long and tragic policy. At the end of the war, Hitler was obsessed with the Hungarian oilfields near Nagykanizsa, the last natural oil reserves of the Third Reich. This thoroughly influenced Hitler’s strategy and involved enormous military efforts.
In January 1945, the Army Group South started an offensive known as the three Operations Konrad. It was followed by Operation Südwind in February and the large-scale and mostly forgotten Operation Frühlingserwachen, also known as the Ardennes Offensive of the East in spring. During the last months of the war, Hitler ordered the 6th SS Panzer Army from the Ardennes to Hungary, and Budapest was sacrificed as a ‘Festung’ (stronghold).
The aim of the operations was not only the preservation of the Hungarian oilfields but also the recaptures of the Romanian oilfields. The operation developed dramatically. Ten days after the beginning of Frühlingswachen, the Red Army started the Vienna operation and broke through the German front. Another tragedy was the extradition of the Hungarian Jews, the last remaining Jewish community in Europe, by SS-commander Adolf Eichmann. Eichmann claimed the Hungarian operation to be the most successful one in his career.
In ‘Hungary 1944 - 1945’, the author thoroughly investigated how such an extensive destruction campaign could still have taken place at the end of the war. While the SS appeared to be prepared to come to an agreement to spare Jews in Western Europe, most Hungarian Jews died in Auschwitz or during marches to Hegyeshalom. The dubious part played by the Hungarian authorities, Horthy a Szálasi, and the rescue attempts by Wallenberg, Kastner, Lutz, and Perlasca, are also investigated.
This book is a political and military study, focussing mainly on the economic politics of the Third Reich, which have been neglected in historiography. Thousands of documents from German, American, and Hungarian archives were researched.At the end of World War II, Germany launched three major offensives in Hungary to preserve the Third Reich's control over the strategically vital oilfields of Nagykanizsa. Hitler was obsessed with this operation and transferred the 6th SS Panzer Army from other weakening German fronts to assist. It was an operation that optimistically planned to capture oilfields in Romania eventually.
Tragically, the success of this operation helped the SS Commander of the region, Adolf Eichmann, finish his liquidation of the Hungarian Jewish community, the last remaining Jewish community in Europe.
Another tragic subject discussed is the destruction of the last remaining Jewish community in Europe. The author considers the case of Hungary to be the final manifestation of a long and tragic policy. At the end of the war, Hitler was obsessed with the Hungarian oilfields near Nagykanizsa, the last natural oil reserves of the Third Reich. This thoroughly influenced Hitler’s strategy and involved enormous military efforts.
In January 1945, the Army Group South started an offensive known as the three Operations Konrad. It was followed by Operation Südwind in February and the large-scale and mostly forgotten Operation Frühlingserwachen, also known as the Ardennes Offensive of the East in spring. During the last months of the war, Hitler ordered the 6th SS Panzer Army from the Ardennes to Hungary, and Budapest was sacrificed as a ‘Festung’ (stronghold).
The aim of the operations was not only the preservation of the Hungarian oilfields but also the recaptures of the Romanian oilfields. The operation developed dramatically. Ten days after the beginning of Frühlingswachen, the Red Army started the Vienna operation and broke through the German front. Another tragedy was the extradition of the Hungarian Jews, the last remaining Jewish community in Europe, by SS-commander Adolf Eichmann. Eichmann claimed the Hungarian operation to be the most successful one in his career.
In ‘Hungary 1944 - 1945’, the author thoroughly investigated how such an extensive destruction campaign could still have taken place at the end of the war. While the SS appeared to be prepared to come to an agreement to spare Jews in Western Europe, most Hungarian Jews died in Auschwitz or during marches to Hegyeshalom. The dubious part played by the Hungarian authorities, Horthy a Szálasi, and the rescue attempts by Wallenberg, Kastner, Lutz, and Perlasca, are also investigated.
This book is a political and military study, focussing mainly on the economic politics of the Third Reich, which have been neglected in historiography. Thousands of documents from German, American, and Hungarian archives were researched.At the end of World War II, Germany launched three major offensives in Hungary to preserve the Third Reich's control over the strategically vital oilfields of Nagykanizsa. Hitler was obsessed with this operation and transferred the 6th SS Panzer Army from other weakening German fronts to assist. It was an operation that optimistically planned to capture oilfields in Romania eventually.
Tragically, the success of this operation helped the SS Commander of the region, Adolf Eichmann, finish his liquidation of the Hungarian Jewish community, the last remaining Jewish community in Europe.
- GenresHistory
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Perry Pierik
101 books4 followersDr. Perry Wijnand Pierik is uitgever en historicus. In 1994 richtte hij uitgeverij Aspekt op en sindsdien is hij samen met zijn vaste team de drijvende kracht achter het snel uitbouwde fonds van de uitgeverij. Pierik is historicus van huis uit en promoveerde op Karl Haushofer en de geopolitiek. Hij heeft een veertigtal veelal historische boeken op zijn naam staan. Zijn bekendste werk, Van Leningrad tot Berlijn, werd als bron gebruikt voor kaartconstructie in de historische Bosatlas. Voor zijn oeuvre verkreeg hij de Civismundi-prijs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 23, 2016
A very good book of a nearly forgotten phase of the Second World War. In Hungary, as well as on the Eastfront, many soldiers were killed.Pierik writes also about the persecution of the Jews in Hungary under the infamous Adolf Eichmann. It's not an extentive book, but written in a more journalistic way.
Displaying 1 of 1 review