Conditions & Politics in Occupied Western Europe, 1940-1945

Conditions and Politics in Occupied Western Europe, 1940-1945 offers for the first time, fully text-searchable images of the British Foreign Office information files gathered from across German-occupied territories following the collapse of the peacetime diplomacy.   This collection offers those investigating conditions in Europe during World War II a unique source of invaluable information collected from papers received in the Foreign Office.

 Documented are German attempts to win over important groups in occupied countries; the reaction to, and effect of, the German occupation; the propaganda struggle; the creation of the first resistance units; and repercussions of events such as the German invasion of Russia. The collection includes detailed information, indexed by year and country regarding Belgium, Norway, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Sweden. Switzerland, the Netherlands, the Vatican, Portugal and Luxembourg, as well as general files regarding Europe as a whole.  

The collection offers more than 22,000 records in nearly 1,000 files selected by Dr Michael Stenton, University of Cambridge. There are also newly commissioned thematic essays by leading scholars in the field with links directly to relevant documents, a World War II Chronology, a picture gallery of SOE plans and equipment and clips from the SOE film, Now it can be told (1946).  

The essays include:  
  • Life in Occupied France, 1940-1944: An overview of attitudes, experiences and choices Professor Rod Kedward, University of Sussex
  • Norway Under German Occupation, 1940-1945 Dr Chris Mann, Senior Lecturer, Department of War Studies, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
  • The Benelux Countries During the Second World War Between Collaboration Accommodation and Resistance Dr Dirk Martin, Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society, Brussells
  • The Departments of the Foreign Office Dr Michael Stenton, formerly of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge  

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