Nemesis at Potsdam: The Expulsion of the Germans from the East

Nemesis at Potsdam: The Expulsion of the Germans from the East by Zayas, Alfred M. De. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780803299078.

At the end of World War II more than fifteen million Germans were driven from their homes in central and eastern Europe. Those who survived the massive migration, which had been set in motion by an international agreement signed at Potsdam in 1945, were crowded into the ruined Reich. Alfred de Zalas writes: "The human misery that accompanied this movement, especially in the years 1945-48, makes up one of the most distressing chapters of twentieth-century history. It is in a sense astonishing that years after the war so little is known outside Germany about this unhappy sequel. Even less has been discussed about the role that the United States in Great Britain played in authorizing the expulsion." In this book he addresses questions largely ignored by historians: How did this extraordinary event come about? Was it necessary for the peace of Europe? To what extent did the Western democracies share in the responsibility? Was their involvement compatible with democratic and humanitarian principles? --- from books back cover