Kmflett's Blog

Monday 25^th January 5.30pm Merilyn Moos and Steve Cushion, German working class resistance to the Nazis

50 people heard Merilyn Moos and Steve Cushion speak about working-class resistance to the Nazis in Germany, Belgium, Spain and France.

A link to the recording of the seminar is here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/r2CWDIEHEp9kVFmZv1jW0PKfwnUrHFOnZCRYD-qRsjq1RgsUrbAzN586mc2n6BqS.z4xmpuiFMgpX1SkQ Passcode: rkDZ5nZ=

There are issues around evidence and how we understand resistance but efforts were made,sometimes successful to sabotage the Nazi war effort. Sadly most involved were murdered by the Nazis

The speakers are working on a further book but in the meantime you can buy the existing one at this link:

Seminar part of the socialist history Spring 2021 series at the Institute of Historical Research. More details:

http://londonsocialisthistorians.blogspot.com/

The resistance to the Nazi regime from within the German working class has been largely ignored or forgotten. Indeed, an argument has resurfaced that the nationalist nature of German history meant resistance was very unlikely. The recent book by Merilyn Moos and Steve Cushion disproves this.

Merilyn Moos will explore the history of working class resistance inside Germany, concentrating on efforts by left-wing activists to organise forced labourers in the factories and concentration camps.

Steve Cushion will compare the involvement of German anti-Nazi exiles in France and Belgium in the armed struggle, and in attempts to undermine the moral of the German army of occupation, seeking to explain the different responses in two neighbouring countries.

How far the active anti-Nazis contributed to Germany’s defeat is unknowable but, at a minimum, their struggle diverted the Gestapo and the SS and thus saved other’s lives as well as reminding us that not all Germans were Nazis and that in the most repressive of circumstances, there was organised class based defiance despite the likelihood of death.

thanks to Socialist History Society