Norman M. Naimark Books

In 1945, the arrival of the Red Army in eastern Germany was framed as "liberation" rather than "occupation," a narrative upheld in the German Democratic Republic until the Soviet Bloc's collapse. Utilizing newly accessible archives from Russia and Germany, Norman Naimark examines the Soviet occupation from 1945 to 1949, providing a detailed account of Soviet policies and their repercussions for both Germans and Russians, as well as for postwar Europe. Naimark vividly portrays the atmosphere and daily life during this tumultuous period, marked by violence, exploitation, and the establishment of the East German police state. He offers an unprecedented analysis of Soviet strategies, including their approach to reparations, technology transfer, and uranium acquisition, revealing how these policies shaped the political landscape of the occupied zone. Additionally, the book delves into cultural politics, illustrating how Soviet officers employed film, theater, and education to promote Bolshevism. This comprehensive examination presents a unique comparative perspective on Soviet military governance in Germany, filling a crucial gap in the narrative of modern European history.

Between the early 1930s and his death in 1953, Joseph Stalin had more than a million of his own citizens executed. Millions more fell victim to forced labor, deportation, famine, bloody massacres, and detention and interrogation by Stalin's henchmen. This book tells the story of these crimes.

This world history of genocide examines the longue duree of mass murder from the beginning of human history to the present. Cases of genocide are examined as distinct episodes of killing, but in connection with earlier episodes. Communist and anti-communist genocides are considered, as are cases of settler (or colonial) genocide.

In 1945, when the Red Army marched in, eastern Germany was not “occupied” but “liberated.” This, until the collapse of the Soviet Bloc, is what passed for history in the GDR. Now, making use of newly opened archives in Russia and Germany, Naimark reveals what happened during the Soviet occupation of eastern Germany from 1945–1949.

A study of ethnic cleansing during the 20th century and its relationship to genocide and population transfer. This book focuses on five specific cases to expose the myths about ethnic cleansing, arguing that it was the expression of 20th century ethnic reorganization rather than ancient hatreds.

It can seem as though the Cold War division of Europe was inevitable. But Stalin was more open to a settlement on the continent than is assumed. In this powerful reassessment of the postwar order, Norman Naimark returns to the four years after WWII to illuminate European leaders' efforts to secure national sovereignty amid dominating powers.