The Patriotic Traitors: Analyzing Collaboration in Nazi-Occupied Europe
During the height of World War II, the landscape of occupied Europe was shaped not only by German military force but also by the complex actions of local citizens who cooperated with the regime. In his detailed historical study, The Patriotic Traitors: A History of Collaboration in German-Occupied Europe, 1940–45, author David Littlejohn examines the phenomenon of collaborationism—the act of cooperating with an enemy occupying force.
Littlejohn's work provides a comprehensive look at how various European nations navigated the pressures of Nazi occupation and the internal motivations of those who chose to align themselves with the Third Reich.
Key Facts
- Author: David Littlejohn
- Publication Date: 1972 (published by Heinemann in the UK)
- Scope: Collaboration in Europe between 1940 and 1945
- Regions Covered: Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the Soviet Union
- Length: 391 pages
Regional Analysis of Collaboration
The book is structured to provide specific insights into different occupied territories, recognizing that the nature of collaboration varied significantly depending on the local political climate and the goals of the occupying forces.
Littlejohn devotes individual chapters to the following nations:
- Norway and Denmark: Examining the Nordic response to German influence.
- The Netherlands and Belgium: Analyzing collaboration within the Low Countries.
- France: Investigating the complex political landscape of the Vichy era and beyond.
- The Soviet Union: Detailing the collaborationist efforts on the Eastern Front.
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Critical Reception and Academic Debate
While providing a foundational history of the era, Littlejohn's interpretations have been subject to academic scrutiny. Specifically, the Belarusian author Leonid Rein, in his work The Kings and the Pawns, offered a critique of Littlejohn's thesis.
Rein argued that Littlejohn oversimplified the motivations of collaborators by supposedly attributing all collaboration during World War II to fascist and fascist-like parties, potentially overlooking other political or pragmatic drivers behind these alliances.
Book Specifications
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Heinemann |
| ISBN | 0-434-42725-X |
| OCLC | 475283 |
| Dewey Decimal | 940.53/163 |
| LC Class | D802.A2 L57 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Patriotic Traitors?
The book was written by David Littlejohn and published in 1972.
Which countries are covered in the book?
The text focuses on collaboration in Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the Soviet Union.
What is the primary subject of the book?
It is a history of European collaborationism with Nazi Germany between 1940 and 1945.
What was the main criticism against Littlejohn's work?
Leonid Rein critiqued Littlejohn for allegedly attributing all World War II collaboration to fascist or fascist-like political parties.
In what languages was the work available?
The source indicates the work is associated with English and German languages.