Bogdan Musial
Encyclopedia
Bogdan Musial is a German historian of Polish extraction who specializes in the history of World War II
.
, Poland
. He worked in Silesia
n mines and collaborated with the Polish Solidarność movement. On account of the latter involvement, he was persecuted by state security and in 1985 sought and received political asylum in the Federal Republic of Germany; in 1992 he was naturalized
. He worked as a mechanic, and from 1990 to 1998 studied history, political science and sociology at the Leibniz University of Hannover
and the University of Manchester
. In 1998 he graduated with a thesis on the treatment of Jews in occupied Poland.
From 1991 to 1998, Musial received a scholarship from Friedrich Ebert Foundation
. During that time he was one the main critics of the Wehrmachtsausstellung
, compiled by the Hamburg Institute for Social Research, which eventually had to be revised.
Since 1998 he has been a scientific coworker at the German Historical Institute
in Warsaw where he has studied previously inaccessible sources about crimes of the Soviet NKVD
during the Soviet retreat in 1941 which escalated violence.
In 2008 he published the book Kampfplatz Deutschland.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Life
Bogdan Musial was born in 1960 in Wielopole, Dąbrowa CountyWielopole, Dabrowa County
Wielopole is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Olesno, within Dąbrowa County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland.The village has a population of 707.-References:...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. He worked in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
n mines and collaborated with the Polish Solidarność movement. On account of the latter involvement, he was persecuted by state security and in 1985 sought and received political asylum in the Federal Republic of Germany; in 1992 he was naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
. He worked as a mechanic, and from 1990 to 1998 studied history, political science and sociology at the Leibniz University of Hannover
Leibniz University of Hannover
The University of Hanover, officially the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover or LUH, is a university located in Hanover, Germany. It was founded in 1831 and is one of the oldest universities focussing on science and technology in Germany...
and the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. In 1998 he graduated with a thesis on the treatment of Jews in occupied Poland.
From 1991 to 1998, Musial received a scholarship from Friedrich Ebert Foundation
Friedrich Ebert Foundation
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation is a German political foundation associated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany , yet independent of it...
. During that time he was one the main critics of the Wehrmachtsausstellung
Wehrmachtsausstellung
The so-called Wehrmachtsausstellung was an exhibition focusing on War crimes of the Wehrmacht committed on the East Front from 1941 to 1944.-Original exhibition 1995 - 1999:...
, compiled by the Hamburg Institute for Social Research, which eventually had to be revised.
Since 1998 he has been a scientific coworker at the German Historical Institute
German Historical Institute
German Historical Institute are five independent academic research institutes situated in Rome, London, Washington, D.C., Warsaw and Moscow, dedicated to the study of historical relations between Germany and the host countries in which they are based, along with four other institutions, in Paris,...
in Warsaw where he has studied previously inaccessible sources about crimes of the Soviet NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
during the Soviet retreat in 1941 which escalated violence.
In 2008 he published the book Kampfplatz Deutschland.
Works
- "Aktion Reinhardt". Der Völkermord an den Juden im Generalgouvernement 1941-1944 (The Origins of “Operation Reinhard”: The Decision-Making Process for the Mass Murder of the Jews in the General Government) Osnabrück 2004
- Sowjetische Partisanen in Weißrußland. Innenansichten aus dem Gebiet Baranovici 1941-1944. Eine Dokumentation (Soviets partisans in Belarus). Oldenbourg Verlag, München 2004, ISBN 3486645889
- “The Origins of ‘Operation Reinhard’: The Decision-Making Process for the Mass Murder of the Jews in the Generalgouvernment.” Yad Vashem Studies 28 (2000): 113-153.
- Deutsche Zivilverwaltung und Judenverfolgung im Generalgouvernement. Eine Fallstudie zum Distrikt Lublin 1939-1944. Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 1999, ISBN 3447042087.
- Kampfplatz Deutschland, Stalins Kriegspläne gegen den Westen. Propyläen, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-549-07335-3.
- "Sowjetische Partisanen. Mythos und Wirchlickeit 1941 - 1944", Ferdinand Schöningh, Paderborn 2009. ISBN 978-3-506-76687-8.
- "Stalins Beutezug. Die Plünderung Deutschlands und der Aufstieg der Sowjetunion zur Weltmacht",Propyläen, Berlin 2010. ISBN 978-3-549-07370-4.