The End

Discover the enthralling examination of Nazi Germany's final months in Ian Kershaw's The End, a meticulously researched and compelling narrative that delves into the reasons behind Germany's protracted resistance during the closing stages of World War II.

In The End, Kershaw explores the period from the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in July 1944 to Germany's ultimate surrender in May 1945. Defying common wartime precedents, the Nazi regime continued to fight relentlessly even as their defeat became inevitable, forcing the Allies to extinguish their resistance through relentless and brutal combat, town by town. What drove this unwavering persistence? With Kershaw's expert insight, readers are taken through the intense political and military turmoil of these months, uncovering the psychological and ideological factors that fuelled the Nazi regime's inexorable drive to fight to the last breath.

Ian Kershaw, widely recognized as Britain's foremost historian of Nazi Germany, brings a profound depth of understanding to this subject, honed through decades of dedicated scholarship. His authoritative works include Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris, Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis, Making Friends with Hitler, and Fateful Choices: Ten Decisions that Changed the World 1940-44. Kershaw's biography Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis was distinguished with the Wolfson History Prize and the Bruno Kreisky Prize in Austria for Political Book of the Year, in addition to sharing the inaugural British Academy Book Prize.

Until his retirement in 2008, Kershaw held the position of Professor of Modern History at the University of Sheffield. In recognition of his monumental contributions to historical scholarship, he was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit in 1994, knighted in 2002, and honoured with the Norton Medlicott Medal by the Historical Association in 2004. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and was the recipient of the Leipzig Book Prize for European Understanding in 2012.

The End is not just a recounting of historical events; it is a profound exploration of human tenacity, ideological extremism, and the cataclysmic consequences of war, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of Nazi Germany's final stand.