The World Wars

Two devastating wars that changed the course of history. The USA played a significant role in the Allies’ victory.
Never forget – Germany’s culture of remembrance
Today, there is widespread acceptance among Germans for their historic responsibility for World War II and the Holocaust. That hasn't always been the case.

Holocaust survivor takes a far-reaching decision
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“In Berlin, I felt acknowledged in some deeper way”
Read moreHistory part 2: War and peace
The USA played a crucial role during the First and Second World Wars and made a significant contribution to the Allies’ victories.
Faces and moments: The World Wars
A number of remarkable figures have gone down in history in times of unimaginable conflicts.
Jurek Becker: ‘Jakob the Liar’
Hope as the elixir of life: Jurek Becker's novel about the life of Jews in a ghetto in Nazi-occupied Poland is gripping and melancholic, but also full of humor. It's a story of the Holocaust, but also much, more more.
Lion Feuchtwanger: ‘The Oppermanns’
The three Oppermann brothers and their sister lead comfortable, upper-class lives in Berlin. For a long while, they choose to ignore the rising tide of anti-Semitism — until it's too late.
Günter Grass: ‘The Tin Drum’
A novel that had the impact of a bomb. World War II and the history of the century from the perspective of a small man — and a reckoning with Germany as it rebuilt itself during the 1950s.
Ernst Jünger: ‘Storm of Steel’
He captured the horrors of World War I in his novel, garnering him intense criticism. Did Ernst Jünger glorify the violence, or did he mercilessly describe it?
Germans talk about the USA regarding World War II
We asked German students, what they think about the USA regarding World War II. These are their answers.
Learning about World War II in Germany
How do young people in Germany learn about World War II? We asked two students from Frankfurt - and these are their answers.
German-American history: the IG Farben company building
The German-American history of the IG Farben company building in Frankfurt, Germany, during World War II.