Captures the atmosphere and turmoil
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Marginally overlong at 500 pages, this book captures the atmosphere and turmoil of this Central European city, in an area that is still largely unknown to most Westerners. This is useful and interesting reading, particularly relevant as the borders of "united" Europe are now moving eastwards.
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Wroclaw - a haunting and haunted city
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Reviewers should declare their interests first. Mine is my predilection for this wonderful and haunting city, Wroclaw, in which I lived, worked and explored for four years. Its fascination for me lies in the myriad layers of its rich historical past reflected in its architectural monuments and, less visibly, the numerous bookshops where with luck and patience you can buy ancient maps of the city, obscure 19th century German monographs, pre-first world war railway timetables and other products of Habsburg and Prussian origin. The great merit of Davies' and Moorhouse's history of Wroclaw, "Microcosm", is that it clearly delineates the "archaeology" of the city, those layers of dynastic occupation which over a thousand years have left their trace on the modern face of this now thoroughly polonised city. Other reviewers of this book have complained about the overload of detail which the authors have provided about the city, its residents and institutions but such reviewers of course do not know Wroclaw. For those who have succumbed to its fascination, no detail is without interest and this reader, at least, was left asking for more. For instance, one of the constant themes of discussion with some of my Polish colleagues was the mysterious nature of the catacombs which are said to lie under central Wroclaw and which were used extensively during World War 2 by both Nazi and Soviet authorities for nefarious purposes. Fact or fiction? This book has no opinion.
Davies tells us that he was asked to undertake this history by the current mayor because he, Davies, was neither a "Pole nor a German", thus implying a more balanced perspective. In comparison with other histories of Wroclaw, I think he has succeeded. Teresa Kulak's beautifully illustrated "Wroclaw" (1998) in the splendid series "A to Polska wlasnie" (and incidentally not mentioned by the authors) is told very much from a Polish point of view. There is also some intemperate writing in chapter 8 which perhaps indicates Davies' sympathy for Polish feelings towards their mighty eastern neighbour but there is also a generous assessment of the German contribution to Breslau's cultural life. I thoroughly approve of their practice of quoting literary extracts both in German and Polish. However, the lack of a proper bibliography is a drawback.
The city is full of magical corners. My favourite is the turning at the top of Szewska towards the university. Behind you is the Ossolineum, (previously the monastery of the Knights of the Red Star), to your right the Church of Jesus (1700), to your left Dom Steffensa (early 18th century) and ahead of you the university building (1740). The sight is a pure vision of the city's past uncluttered by any modern accretions. It is the image I shall always carry around with me. "Microcosm" should win new friends for Wroclaw but such friends need patience; Wroclaw is a place which grows on you - slowly.
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At last the story of Breslau/Wroclaw in English!
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I am the son of a refugee/expellee from Breslau, Silesia. There must be several tens of thousands of us living now in England who are the issue of British serviceman in post-war occupied Germany returning home with German brides, uprooted from their homes and family in the lost eastern provinces and looking to start a new life. For people like us, this book is a MUST, as it unravels much of the mystery and trauma surrounding our origins. Hitherto, I have had to master German and make extensive use of Amazon.de to obtain any kind of illuminating information. The appearance of this book a few years earlier could have saved me a lot of this effort! The premise of the title that a very significant part of European history in the last 1000 years has taken place in and around Breslau seems entirely justified to me. The story demands to be read! I'm sure the Polish version of this book will be very popular in Wroclaw as the people there must be equally keen to clear up some of the mystery surrounding the former German city of Breslau in which they now live.
Occasionally there are logical lapses in the book, such as when the description of a siege of Breslau during Fredericks Silesion campaign apparently culminates in the relief of Schweidnitz! I also wish there had been a detailed map of Silesia provided to accompany the text.
Overall, I think this book fills a huge gap in European history. I find it has helped me to understand the work of Gunter Grass and his Danzig experience better. I hope it leads to an increased interest in things Silesian. Perhaps, then, English translations of Horst Bienek's Gleiwitz Tetralogy, concerning life in Upper Silesia 1939 - 1945 may yet appear!.
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