Knowing the history and forces that shaped a destination can add a lot to any trip. If you are traveling to Central or Eastern Europe, there are few sources more insightful than C.J. Wilkinson's Blog: Europe Between East and West. This isn't a blog, its so well done its literature. Wilkinson is a brilliant writer and his topics are informative and thought provoking.
Posted by
USA
152 posts
James - This is great!
Can't get enough of his insights - thanks -
Posted by
Oregon, USA
207 posts
Thanks so much for sharing this! Good insights on this part of the world are still hard to find.
Posted by
Palatine, IL
67 posts
Thanks, James. Have heard a lot of Wilkinson's blog Europe Between East and West.
Will definitely read it.
Joy
Posted by
San Francisco
14976 posts
I read the category on East Prussia and Konigsberg, that horrific history not dealt with until very recently in Anglophone historiography. I'll comment on that only. The articles provide a good comprehensive background to introduce one to this history, covering East Prussia in 1914 and the horrors in 1945. The outset of war in 1914 shows all the Great Powers engaged in the then operational belief in war...take the offensive.
All of them by Sept. 1914 would fail. While the Germans were invading Belgium and France, the Russians having a got a head start on mobilization (by cheating) invaded East Prussia.
The articles on East Prussia do not stop at 1945 but the expulsion, this Vertreibung, that was approved of by the Anglo-Americans. These articles are a good place to start before going into much deeper detail and coverage of East Prussia and Konigsberg. Some excellent works have been published since the 21st century in German and English...real heavy duty works.