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Prisoners of History
When World War Two ended, its monuments were built to tell the story. Across the world countries reckoned with the impact of the war and what was to be enshrined in national memory. Today, many of these memorials remain the most visited sites in the world.
But what happens when values change, and what has been set in stone does not?
From Berlin to Moscow, Seoul to Hiroshima, the Philippines to Israel, Prisoners of History gives a bold new account of the way the world reacted in the wake of World War Two.
Amongst many questions, the book asks: Why is Russia still building victory monuments at a prolific rate for a war now seventy years over? Why, despite loathing his legacy, does the town of Mussolini’s final resting place still honour his tomb like a shrine? Why does a bronze statue in Seoul of a young girl with a bird on her shoulder cause such controversy? How has Japan created a world-famous monument to peace whilst taking such offence at China’s memorial to the Nanjing Massacre?
But what happens when values change, and what has been set in stone does not?
From Berlin to Moscow, Seoul to Hiroshima, the Philippines to Israel, Prisoners of History gives a bold new account of the way the world reacted in the wake of World War Two.
Amongst many questions, the book asks: Why is Russia still building victory monuments at a prolific rate for a war now seventy years over? Why, despite loathing his legacy, does the town of Mussolini’s final resting place still honour his tomb like a shrine? Why does a bronze statue in Seoul of a young girl with a bird on her shoulder cause such controversy? How has Japan created a world-famous monument to peace whilst taking such offence at China’s memorial to the Nanjing Massacre?
346 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2020
44 people are currently reading
2007 people want to read
About the author
Keith Lowe
23 books183 followersKeith Lowe is the author of numerous books, including two novels and the critically acclaimed history Inferno: The Fiery Devastation of Hamburg, 1943. He is widely recognized as an authority on the Second World War, and has often spoken on TV and radio, both in Britain and the United States. Most recently he was an historical consultant and one of the main speakers in the PBS documentary The Bombing of Germany which was also broadcast in Germany. His books have been translated into several languages, and he has also lectured in Britain, Canada and Germany. He lives in North London with his wife and two kids.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/keithlowe
http://us.macmillan.com/author/keithlowe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 29, 2020
'It seems that every generation must learn the hard way that history is not merely what happened to another people in another time, but still has an irresistible power over us today.'
One of most surprising aspects of the recent commentary on monuments has been their identification by some as History. The notion that they somehow are the past, 'what actually happened' cast in stone or bronze. Taking statues down thus becomes an erasing of the past, a magic wand waved and 'poof' it's gone from all memory, just like that. But that's never what monuments or memorials were, or are. They're an idea, an interpretation, a way of telling a story... and all those things are as open to change as everything else. Equally, our responses to them, including defacement, destruction, removal, have always been a part of their history, and of ours. Monuments which represent ideas, people, or events that do harm to those in our society should be open to criticism and movement to spaces which work to interrogate them, not celebrate them.
What Lowe does here is make explicit this process, highlighting the interplay between the narrative of past which his selected monuments sought to represent and the society which chose to create them, as well as the ways in which people have responded since. Each monument is layered with meaning, which Lowe unpicks in an engaging and illuminating fashion. It's the kind of book that helps the reader to really think about the way public history is created, maintained, or rejected, that urges everybody to look beyond the obvious question of what a monument is (a building, a man on a horse, a garden) to the more important and interesting ones: what idea is this trying to sell me and why? Understanding the ways in which the spaces we live in or visit on holiday or days out seek to frame the way we think about the past, and even today, is an essential skill... and fascinating to boot. This book is a great way in.
ARC via Netgalley
One of most surprising aspects of the recent commentary on monuments has been their identification by some as History. The notion that they somehow are the past, 'what actually happened' cast in stone or bronze. Taking statues down thus becomes an erasing of the past, a magic wand waved and 'poof' it's gone from all memory, just like that. But that's never what monuments or memorials were, or are. They're an idea, an interpretation, a way of telling a story... and all those things are as open to change as everything else. Equally, our responses to them, including defacement, destruction, removal, have always been a part of their history, and of ours. Monuments which represent ideas, people, or events that do harm to those in our society should be open to criticism and movement to spaces which work to interrogate them, not celebrate them.
What Lowe does here is make explicit this process, highlighting the interplay between the narrative of past which his selected monuments sought to represent and the society which chose to create them, as well as the ways in which people have responded since. Each monument is layered with meaning, which Lowe unpicks in an engaging and illuminating fashion. It's the kind of book that helps the reader to really think about the way public history is created, maintained, or rejected, that urges everybody to look beyond the obvious question of what a monument is (a building, a man on a horse, a garden) to the more important and interesting ones: what idea is this trying to sell me and why? Understanding the ways in which the spaces we live in or visit on holiday or days out seek to frame the way we think about the past, and even today, is an essential skill... and fascinating to boot. This book is a great way in.
ARC via Netgalley
November 10, 2020
Prisoners of History by Keith Lowe takes a look at 25 World War 2 monuments around the world and their place in our collective memory. With people around the world taking notice of the more problematic memorials (e.g. Confederate statues in the U.S.), this book is rather timely.
The author gives very detailed histories of the events that took place that are being memorialized. I learned a great deal of things I didnt know. He explains these events in a way that is easy to read and isn't too complicated.
However, when it comes to his argument that we are "prisoners of our history," I have some issues. At times it seemed as though he was contradicting himself and that he isn't in tune with many of the cultures of the countries where the monuments are located.
For example, the author discusses the Marine Corps monument in Virginia. While the sculpture depicts an iconic photograph from World War 2, the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima, the memorial itself is dedicated to ALL Marine Corps members throughout history. In his critique of this memorial, the author didn't seem to grasp this and made generalizations about Americans and our patriotism that are simply untrue for all Americans.
Overall, I would recommend this book based on the historical information alone. It is fascinating and doesn't get bogged down at all. As far as his argument goes, that's up to each individual reader to decide.
My appreciation to St. Martin's Press, author Keith Lowe, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The author gives very detailed histories of the events that took place that are being memorialized. I learned a great deal of things I didnt know. He explains these events in a way that is easy to read and isn't too complicated.
However, when it comes to his argument that we are "prisoners of our history," I have some issues. At times it seemed as though he was contradicting himself and that he isn't in tune with many of the cultures of the countries where the monuments are located.
For example, the author discusses the Marine Corps monument in Virginia. While the sculpture depicts an iconic photograph from World War 2, the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima, the memorial itself is dedicated to ALL Marine Corps members throughout history. In his critique of this memorial, the author didn't seem to grasp this and made generalizations about Americans and our patriotism that are simply untrue for all Americans.
Overall, I would recommend this book based on the historical information alone. It is fascinating and doesn't get bogged down at all. As far as his argument goes, that's up to each individual reader to decide.
My appreciation to St. Martin's Press, author Keith Lowe, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 29, 2021
Lowe visited 25 monuments of the Second World War that he talks about in this book. He shares many historical tidbits not much talked about in popular histories and professes his interpretation of their meanings.
I would not recommend this book for classrooms or friends or family to read because of Lowe's analysis of the monuments without much noted support and some egregious errors in cultural analysis. Which is all the more disappointing because the WWII history is good. The book fails because the majority of entries lack reflection on why the monuments go up (and down) when they do. How can Lowe expect to accurately say what a monument means if he doesnt analyze why it was erected in that way and at that time?? He also talks about how monuments mythologize the past, but not as much about how that is made and used, what purpose it serves, and what it means when a culture changes its myths.
Lowe knows his WWII history, and his explanations of the historical events that the monuments commemorate is readable and very good. He covers a lot of ground, including both theaters of war, and geographic diversity within those theaters. So Europe doesnt only cover France or England, but also Slovenia and Lithuania. And Asia doesnt only cover China or Japan, but also the Philippines and South Korea.
BUT
His analysis of what the monuments mean come across as mere assertion and not much else. Some of this works, but much of it doesnt.
The political framing and incendiary language is a problem. He calls the removal of monuments and statues iconoclasm (a term very tied to the idea of religious beliefs and representations) and compares them to the destruction of a World Heritage site. I get trying to make a book topical, but there is much left to be desired in this approach to doing so. The meat of the book doesnt even talk about this, so it feels largely (and unnecessarily) tacked on.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Keith Lowe, and NetGalley for the book in exchange for this honest review
I would not recommend this book for classrooms or friends or family to read because of Lowe's analysis of the monuments without much noted support and some egregious errors in cultural analysis. Which is all the more disappointing because the WWII history is good. The book fails because the majority of entries lack reflection on why the monuments go up (and down) when they do. How can Lowe expect to accurately say what a monument means if he doesnt analyze why it was erected in that way and at that time?? He also talks about how monuments mythologize the past, but not as much about how that is made and used, what purpose it serves, and what it means when a culture changes its myths.
Lowe knows his WWII history, and his explanations of the historical events that the monuments commemorate is readable and very good. He covers a lot of ground, including both theaters of war, and geographic diversity within those theaters. So Europe doesnt only cover France or England, but also Slovenia and Lithuania. And Asia doesnt only cover China or Japan, but also the Philippines and South Korea.
BUT
His analysis of what the monuments mean come across as mere assertion and not much else. Some of this works, but much of it doesnt.
The political framing and incendiary language is a problem. He calls the removal of monuments and statues iconoclasm (a term very tied to the idea of religious beliefs and representations) and compares them to the destruction of a World Heritage site. I get trying to make a book topical, but there is much left to be desired in this approach to doing so. The meat of the book doesnt even talk about this, so it feels largely (and unnecessarily) tacked on.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Keith Lowe, and NetGalley for the book in exchange for this honest review
April 22, 2022
Gran ensayo sobre el poder de la historia y los símbolos que la representan, es un recorrido por 25 monumentos históricos sobre la guerra que divide en cinco secciones (me ha gustado especialmente esta catalogación): Héroes, Mártires, Monstruos, Apocalipsis y Renacimiento. Es un recorrido difícil y duro porque por mucho que se intente borrar o retorcer la Historia esta siempre estará presente queramos o no, como dice en este párrafo - "parece que cada generación debe aprender por las malas que la historia no es meramente lo que le pasó a otra gente en otro tiempo, sino que sigue teniendo un irresistible poder sobre nosotros en la actualidad"-
En definitiva una lectura muy recomendable
En definitiva una lectura muy recomendable
December 28, 2020
This was a very informative book, with some controversial topics, namely the monuments that many countries have erected in remembrance of WWII. Some of the statues have had some HUGE issues and raised quite a bit of alarm and fighting.
The one in Jersey City is dear to my heart, if only because I lived there, but the story behind it is just as touching and sad too. I didn't even know it was there when I lived there, so I have to go back to visit, just to see it. Amazing how one can live somewhere and not even know of the history present there. So I did learn a lot from this book.
It was also, given the topic, incredibly depressing. The author doesn't shy away from the horrors of the war, and nor should he. By ignoring the past and not learning from it, we will only repeat it over and over again, which shouldn't be allowed to happen.
However, the topic is a grim one and he does state a few inflammatory things as well, so this is a book that will educate, annoy to anger and sadden the reader. I had to put it down during the Advent season, as I didn't want it to bring me any more down than I already was with Pandemic Christmas this year. Not the book's fault, just somewhat awkward timing.
Definitely a good book for history buffs, especially if they are into WWII. This book includes monuments that are all over the world, so very inclusive, as a book involving a World War should be.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, as he irked me to no end with his take on America (he's British and did knock his country worse than America, but I didn't agree with his assessment. If he was right, I would agree and not have my anger riled up. As it was? Yeah, no, he was not correct, #sorrynotsorry.) and this book was rather depressing.
It will definitely be appreciated by the right audience. Not saying I am or am not the right audience, just that the timing for me wasn't great.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
The one in Jersey City is dear to my heart, if only because I lived there, but the story behind it is just as touching and sad too. I didn't even know it was there when I lived there, so I have to go back to visit, just to see it. Amazing how one can live somewhere and not even know of the history present there. So I did learn a lot from this book.
It was also, given the topic, incredibly depressing. The author doesn't shy away from the horrors of the war, and nor should he. By ignoring the past and not learning from it, we will only repeat it over and over again, which shouldn't be allowed to happen.
However, the topic is a grim one and he does state a few inflammatory things as well, so this is a book that will educate, annoy to anger and sadden the reader. I had to put it down during the Advent season, as I didn't want it to bring me any more down than I already was with Pandemic Christmas this year. Not the book's fault, just somewhat awkward timing.
Definitely a good book for history buffs, especially if they are into WWII. This book includes monuments that are all over the world, so very inclusive, as a book involving a World War should be.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, as he irked me to no end with his take on America (he's British and did knock his country worse than America, but I didn't agree with his assessment. If he was right, I would agree and not have my anger riled up. As it was? Yeah, no, he was not correct, #sorrynotsorry.) and this book was rather depressing.
It will definitely be appreciated by the right audience. Not saying I am or am not the right audience, just that the timing for me wasn't great.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2022
4/5. Definitely worth a read if interested in WWII, the legacy of WWII or how history affects current day issues.
The book is about 25 monuments, memorials and sites linked to historic memory of the war (Mussolini's tomb get's a chapter because of the far-right) divided into 5 categories - Heroes, Martyrs, Monsters, Apocolypse (meaning broad destruction - Auchwitz, Oradour-sur-Glane etc) and Rebirth. The chapters are 10-20 pages each. Each chapter basically covers the history of the monument, what the monument is intended to do and what is left out, domestic politics and how views have changed over time on either the monument or the topic that it was about (like the chapter on the Bomber Command Memorial in the UK), and sometimes on when it affects foreign relations between countries (the recent various decommunisation policies towards Soviet monuments in post-Soviet Eastern European countries or on relations between China and Japan). Each chapter also has a little bit on what the author feels the monument suggests about the values of the country in question. The writing is good and easy to read.
My only criticism is length. Because each chapter is only 10-20 pages there is some analysis but it doesn't go into a lot of depth for each monument/memorial. It's rare for me to say but the book would've been better if it was longer.
The book is about 25 monuments, memorials and sites linked to historic memory of the war (Mussolini's tomb get's a chapter because of the far-right) divided into 5 categories - Heroes, Martyrs, Monsters, Apocolypse (meaning broad destruction - Auchwitz, Oradour-sur-Glane etc) and Rebirth. The chapters are 10-20 pages each. Each chapter basically covers the history of the monument, what the monument is intended to do and what is left out, domestic politics and how views have changed over time on either the monument or the topic that it was about (like the chapter on the Bomber Command Memorial in the UK), and sometimes on when it affects foreign relations between countries (the recent various decommunisation policies towards Soviet monuments in post-Soviet Eastern European countries or on relations between China and Japan). Each chapter also has a little bit on what the author feels the monument suggests about the values of the country in question. The writing is good and easy to read.
My only criticism is length. Because each chapter is only 10-20 pages there is some analysis but it doesn't go into a lot of depth for each monument/memorial. It's rare for me to say but the book would've been better if it was longer.
November 26, 2022
Sarebbe 4.5/5 ⭐
Questo libro era davvero da un sacco che volevo leggerlo e le aspettative non mi hanno deluso! Keith Lowe porta in analisi monumenti della WWII che si trovano in Europa, USA e Asia e sul perché, in un periodo in cui le statue sono rimosse e contestate, queste invece rimangono qui. Ho trovato davvero interessante l'analisi sulle differenze di come viene percepita (attraverso i monumenti) la guerra in USA e in Europa, su Auschwitz e su come il turismo di massa lo stiamo svuotando (?) del suo messaggio... Potrei andare avanti ma tutto è interessante! Si alzano molti interrogativi e in alcune parti non ero d'accordissimo con l'autore ma intanto mi ha portato a farci una riflessione. Il punto è: rimaniamo sempre ingabbiati nella Storia. Davvero davvero interessante, molto consigliato!
Questo libro era davvero da un sacco che volevo leggerlo e le aspettative non mi hanno deluso! Keith Lowe porta in analisi monumenti della WWII che si trovano in Europa, USA e Asia e sul perché, in un periodo in cui le statue sono rimosse e contestate, queste invece rimangono qui. Ho trovato davvero interessante l'analisi sulle differenze di come viene percepita (attraverso i monumenti) la guerra in USA e in Europa, su Auschwitz e su come il turismo di massa lo stiamo svuotando (?) del suo messaggio... Potrei andare avanti ma tutto è interessante! Si alzano molti interrogativi e in alcune parti non ero d'accordissimo con l'autore ma intanto mi ha portato a farci una riflessione. Il punto è: rimaniamo sempre ingabbiati nella Storia. Davvero davvero interessante, molto consigliato!
December 11, 2023
I’m hovering between 3/4 but it’s holidays…. I got this hoping for something a little more academic, but it was a nice, fast read. Each chapter focusing on a different monument was ok, but got a little clunky. He’s a good writer, and had some nice ideas about history and monumental architecture, but I found him a little snarky at times.
July 17, 2020
Prisoners of History caught me on the hop. I'll not detail the monuments that Keith Lowe visited and assessed because it would spoil future readers full appreciation of the book. It's enough to say, prepare to be shocked because many of our pre-conceived ideas about statues and monuments are severely tested here.
At the end, I was totally shattered by the revelations. I have seen several of the sites and now I have to revise my own feelings about some of them. Prisoners of History comes to us at a time when the whole business of the legitimacy of statues and monuments is being called into question. Frequently, I've looked at old statues and thought to myself 'what's that doing there? Often these are wealthy landlords who have been exploiting workers, especially in the North of England. Or like Colston in Bristol but in Prisoners of History we're dealing with much more recent installations which commemorate events which many alive can still remember.
The amount of effort from the author in identifying these monuments is considerable and the supporting research vast. This makes for a disturbing, thought provoking and fascinating book which I highly recommend.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and the Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.
At the end, I was totally shattered by the revelations. I have seen several of the sites and now I have to revise my own feelings about some of them. Prisoners of History comes to us at a time when the whole business of the legitimacy of statues and monuments is being called into question. Frequently, I've looked at old statues and thought to myself 'what's that doing there? Often these are wealthy landlords who have been exploiting workers, especially in the North of England. Or like Colston in Bristol but in Prisoners of History we're dealing with much more recent installations which commemorate events which many alive can still remember.
The amount of effort from the author in identifying these monuments is considerable and the supporting research vast. This makes for a disturbing, thought provoking and fascinating book which I highly recommend.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and the Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.
December 30, 2021
The title is misleading - the book is not about what some monuments might mean, it is just a long essay about the consequences of the war viewed by a wholly politically correct liberal, hopeful for a peaceful future of a world liberated from the prisons of the past.
I hoped to learn more about monuments, not to be drenched in multitudes of Wikipedia-like articles about the different events of the war, covered into a pastry of deep thoughts that I read many times in The Guardian.
The monuments are grouped in themes starting with “heroes”, going down to the “apocalypse” and ending optimistically with the “rebirth”.
Some are not even monuments – the author included Auschwitz, which is a former prison death camp, not a monument, and others are fairly unknown like Katin’s monument in Jersey City.
Being a British liberal, he is very critical of the British involvement in the war and despises The Bomber Command Memorial in London. Of course, he is more empathetic with the plight of soviet monuments erected during the communism in the countries conquered by the Red Army. People who hated the communist rule and want these symbols of oppression removed from their cities are, if not “right-wing”, at least ill-advised:
“As will become apparent, these people seem to be deconstructing one prison only to build themselves another.
In the meantime, most ordinary Russians struggle to understand why they should be so hated in eastern Europe. They see the dismantling of monuments to their war heroes as a personal affront.”
Of course, the Russians cannot understand and feel affronted – their leader, who controls the Russian propaganda, and the western left-leaning intelligentsia who doesn’t want to “offend” will not tell them unpleasant truths about the Russian atrocities during their rule of Eastern Europe.
I hoped to learn more about monuments, not to be drenched in multitudes of Wikipedia-like articles about the different events of the war, covered into a pastry of deep thoughts that I read many times in The Guardian.
The monuments are grouped in themes starting with “heroes”, going down to the “apocalypse” and ending optimistically with the “rebirth”.
Some are not even monuments – the author included Auschwitz, which is a former prison death camp, not a monument, and others are fairly unknown like Katin’s monument in Jersey City.
Being a British liberal, he is very critical of the British involvement in the war and despises The Bomber Command Memorial in London. Of course, he is more empathetic with the plight of soviet monuments erected during the communism in the countries conquered by the Red Army. People who hated the communist rule and want these symbols of oppression removed from their cities are, if not “right-wing”, at least ill-advised:
“As will become apparent, these people seem to be deconstructing one prison only to build themselves another.
In the meantime, most ordinary Russians struggle to understand why they should be so hated in eastern Europe. They see the dismantling of monuments to their war heroes as a personal affront.”
Of course, the Russians cannot understand and feel affronted – their leader, who controls the Russian propaganda, and the western left-leaning intelligentsia who doesn’t want to “offend” will not tell them unpleasant truths about the Russian atrocities during their rule of Eastern Europe.
November 30, 2020
One of the most unique history books I've read in a long time! I found this book a FASCINATING look at pubic memory and memorials. Transcending cookie-cutter arguments to take down or keep up monuments, instead Lowe takes a thoughtful look at what memorials to WWII across the world tell us about those memorialized, the architects, and ourselves. He structures the book around monuments to Heroes, Martyrs, Villains, Apocalypse, and Rebirth. But what was most unique were the memorials he chose to spotlight - I had only ever heard of 4 of the 25 he examined. He looked at statues and tombs and hiking routes and museums and public squares and even the absence of memorials. He studied monuments built by colonizers AND by the colonized. He pondered the way we choose to selectively engage with the past, attempting to pull back the curtain on the ways we wrestle with collective memory. I would definitely recommend!
July 10, 2023
This was a great summary of different countries’ experiences in WWII through their monuments—how they choose to forge public memory; whether the monuments memorialise themselves as heroes, martyrs, monsters, or victims; and how these artistic decisions may distort lived experience. A major question in the book was whether Germany’s attempt to wholly erase its relationship with Hitler actually managed to generate a different kind of cultish martyrdom because as Lowe says, ‘a corpse nowhere, is a corpse everywhere’. I was also shocked to learn Japan colonised Korea in 1910??? Wowsers
It seemed like a very relevant book to read in today’s complicated relationship with memorials to terrible people. I am still Team-make-more-counter-memorials-and-put-the-real-bad-dudes-in-museums-without-completely-destroying-them.
It seemed like a very relevant book to read in today’s complicated relationship with memorials to terrible people. I am still Team-make-more-counter-memorials-and-put-the-real-bad-dudes-in-museums-without-completely-destroying-them.
March 2, 2022
Gripping read. Offers fresh perspectives into the second world war through 25 monuments, each of whose picture spoke a thousand words about its story, its context and how it places itself through the course of the war. Almost all monuments were new and unknown to me, hence making it even more interesting. The author indulges into symbolism- the intricacies of each monument, underneath the disclaimer of oversimplification of history through the same symbolism. As the title goes, each of these 25 monuments showed how we are prisoners of the history- the history of the most devastating war the world has witnessed, and what it tells us about ourselves, our politics and perception of the war.
April 13, 2023
I have not read a book quite like this before. In addition this book gave me a perspective into WW2 that I never took before as a individual who never studied the war. It also goes deeper into the meaning behind memorials and monuments in the name of war. Overall amazing read that really educated me.
August 22, 2024
interesante y muy sencillo de leer. no es de lo mejor de lowe (pienso en continente salvaje...), pero plantea reflexiones y debates interesantes que, en mi caso, llevaré al aula. además me ha dado a conocer monumentos y memoriales que desconocía, así que guay.
July 8, 2025
Niansētas, solīdos faktos balstītas pārdomas par pieminekļu vietu nāciju vēsturē, atmiņā un tagadnes labirintos. Ja vien tās šokējoši nesabojātu pēdējā nodaļa, kas tik krasi atšķiras no pārējām, ka pat gribas vaicāt, vai autors tiešām ir tas pats
December 31, 2021
This is a wonderful book that analyses a few of the monuments related to the Second World War. It convinced me that indeed for many, many countries in Europe and Asia and for the US this event was the defining moment to everything that came after. Having been born in the past decades, I did not realize how impregnated I am with the view of the world created after 1945. As Keith Lowe says, 'If history is the basis of our identity, then this history seems to define us more than any other.'
January 12, 2023
Even before the recent revival of controversy over monuments (oh you thought it was new or original? well dislike and a desire to remove monuments is as old as commemoration itself) there have been arguments over who should, or shouldn't, be memorialized, and what to do with memorials to those no longer fashionable (the fate of the Bolshevik Martyrs of Baku and Gabriel Princip of assassination of Sarajevo fame are instructive examples) and why heroes fall from grace make for interesting reading. When you add in WWII the mix gets even more interesting - horrors and tragedies of heart breaking power may be commemorated but why are some horrors remembered and not others? Why are some commemorated grandiosely and others in less showy ways. Also within the commemoration who is named and singled out - all of these things are part of politics and myth building even nation building (France post WWII is a instructive example of who is named and who is forgotten - particularly tough on those who were slave labourers or - dare one admit it Jewish - they failed to fit into the story of a nation united around the absent de Gaulle and the fight against the occupying power).
Keith Lowe looks at monuments in the light of both what happened but also why it was commemorated with a monument and what those monuments mean -those commemorating the Russian armies 'liberation' of cities in Eastern Europe meant very different things to the Russians and the people who had to live with their glowering presence. The fact that he turns exactly the same dispassionate eye on UK and USA monuments has attracted critics on Goodreads. All of us are always the last to see ourselves dispassionately.
Lowe is an excellent historian and cultural commentator and this is a fascinating book.
Keith Lowe looks at monuments in the light of both what happened but also why it was commemorated with a monument and what those monuments mean -those commemorating the Russian armies 'liberation' of cities in Eastern Europe meant very different things to the Russians and the people who had to live with their glowering presence. The fact that he turns exactly the same dispassionate eye on UK and USA monuments has attracted critics on Goodreads. All of us are always the last to see ourselves dispassionately.
Lowe is an excellent historian and cultural commentator and this is a fascinating book.
February 21, 2021
Publisher contacted me about reading this one, and I received the digital ARC from them via NetGalley. Review to come.
You can find my review on my blog: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.b...
You can find my review on my blog: https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.b...
January 14, 2023
The past is never dead. It’s not even past.
William Faulkner
The author evaluates statues and memorial sites around the world – Russia, U.K., France, Philippines, U.S., Netherlands, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Hungary, Italy, China, Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and Israel. But Canada is left out…
He examines them in terms of their meaning, when they were made, and in our present context. Some were controversial from the moment they were put up, like the “Monument for the Victims of German Occupation” in Budapest, Hungary.
The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is offensive to its neighbors far and wide - particularly China and South Korea, who experienced vicious Japanese oppression during the long war, which for them started in 1937.
The “Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe” in Berlin is so abstract that many are perplexed by what it is attempting to convey.
I find the Peace Statue of South Korea to be very poignant, commemorating young women (many just girls) who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese. It gets the point across.
I liked the idea of Grutas Park in Lithuania where there are old statues of Stalin, Lenin and others in a park where llamas graze and defecate around them. Where has all their power gone now? There are also old rusted armored cars, barbed wire, fake lookout towers and Soviet music.
Page 61 (my book)
In the twenty-first century every nation likes to believe itself a nation of heroes; but deep down, most nations are beginning to think of themselves as victims.
He divides the sites into categories: heroes, martyrs, monsters, apocalypse, and rebirth. He has a poetic phrase on heroes:
Page 71
Heroes are like rainbows: they can only really be appreciated from a distance. As soon as we get too close, the very qualities that make them shine tend to disappear.
There are always dangers of denial. If everyone is a victim, then who are the perpetrators?
Page 78
A nation of martyrs is free to be as selfish as it wishes. Martyrs cannot be criticized.
He also makes an interesting remark that there have been more World War II statues and memorials going up in the last twenty or so years than before.
This book contained surprises for me. I was unaware that across from the towers of Manhattan in New Jersey (of all places), there is a statue commemorating the Polish officers murdered at Katyn by the Soviet NKVD, after their invasion of Poland in 1939.
Also, there is a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mussolini in Predappio, Italy.
The author is most eloquent and perceptive. I did like the black and white photos, even though they were somewhat lacking in quality.
Page 220
When we honor figures like Churchill or Douglas MacArthur we are also remembering the evils that they faced and fought.
Page 263
In the immediate aftermath of the war, the urge to mourn had to compete with the urge to forget.
One of the most interesting concepts is the “Liberation Route Europe” which follows the trails the soldiers took in 1944-45. It goes from London to Normandy with many side-branches to sites in France, Belgium, the Netherlands – and then into Germany. This is still a work in progress, but it seems like a remarkable way to experience and walk in the same footsteps of the Allied soldiers who liberated Western Europe, in what now seems like a long ago era.
I would like to add my own two cents worth. The placement and location of statues has much to do with their impact. In Paris, adjacent to Le Petit Palais, is a statue of Winston Churchill inscribed with his words “We Shall Never Surrender”. This is a very fitting tribute to this Englishman – a staunch symbol of resistance to Nazism during those perilous years.
William Faulkner
The author evaluates statues and memorial sites around the world – Russia, U.K., France, Philippines, U.S., Netherlands, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Hungary, Italy, China, Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania and Israel. But Canada is left out…
He examines them in terms of their meaning, when they were made, and in our present context. Some were controversial from the moment they were put up, like the “Monument for the Victims of German Occupation” in Budapest, Hungary.
The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is offensive to its neighbors far and wide - particularly China and South Korea, who experienced vicious Japanese oppression during the long war, which for them started in 1937.
The “Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe” in Berlin is so abstract that many are perplexed by what it is attempting to convey.
I find the Peace Statue of South Korea to be very poignant, commemorating young women (many just girls) who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese. It gets the point across.
I liked the idea of Grutas Park in Lithuania where there are old statues of Stalin, Lenin and others in a park where llamas graze and defecate around them. Where has all their power gone now? There are also old rusted armored cars, barbed wire, fake lookout towers and Soviet music.
Page 61 (my book)
In the twenty-first century every nation likes to believe itself a nation of heroes; but deep down, most nations are beginning to think of themselves as victims.
He divides the sites into categories: heroes, martyrs, monsters, apocalypse, and rebirth. He has a poetic phrase on heroes:
Page 71
Heroes are like rainbows: they can only really be appreciated from a distance. As soon as we get too close, the very qualities that make them shine tend to disappear.
There are always dangers of denial. If everyone is a victim, then who are the perpetrators?
Page 78
A nation of martyrs is free to be as selfish as it wishes. Martyrs cannot be criticized.
He also makes an interesting remark that there have been more World War II statues and memorials going up in the last twenty or so years than before.
This book contained surprises for me. I was unaware that across from the towers of Manhattan in New Jersey (of all places), there is a statue commemorating the Polish officers murdered at Katyn by the Soviet NKVD, after their invasion of Poland in 1939.
Also, there is a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mussolini in Predappio, Italy.
The author is most eloquent and perceptive. I did like the black and white photos, even though they were somewhat lacking in quality.
Page 220
When we honor figures like Churchill or Douglas MacArthur we are also remembering the evils that they faced and fought.
Page 263
In the immediate aftermath of the war, the urge to mourn had to compete with the urge to forget.
One of the most interesting concepts is the “Liberation Route Europe” which follows the trails the soldiers took in 1944-45. It goes from London to Normandy with many side-branches to sites in France, Belgium, the Netherlands – and then into Germany. This is still a work in progress, but it seems like a remarkable way to experience and walk in the same footsteps of the Allied soldiers who liberated Western Europe, in what now seems like a long ago era.
I would like to add my own two cents worth. The placement and location of statues has much to do with their impact. In Paris, adjacent to Le Petit Palais, is a statue of Winston Churchill inscribed with his words “We Shall Never Surrender”. This is a very fitting tribute to this Englishman – a staunch symbol of resistance to Nazism during those perilous years.
February 18, 2022
"Every generation longs to free itself from the tyranny of history, and yet every generation knows instinctively that without it they are nothing, because history and identity are so intertwined."
Memorialisation, and attempts to erase memory, have long been a human trait. That those who get to write history are the victors is pretty much a truth. While many monuments may function as places of contemplation and memory for survivors, victims and the kith and kin of victims, most monuments are multi-functional. Often they serve a status-quo and help to restate its legitimacy as the rightful heir of those who died in a "just cause". The silent dead are frequently appropriated and words placed in their mouths by contemporary politicians and commentators for new purposes. Memorials are part of the struggle over who gets to control memory when it is no longer living.
In this accessible study of monuments to the Second World War Keith Lowe looks at a range of structures commemorating the war across the globe. He takes a number of themes into which to group monuments including "Heroes'', ''Martyrs",'' Monsters", the apocalyptic and those concerned with renewal. He examines the inspirations for monuments in each category and how they have been received and how official and unofficial reaction has influenced popular feeling towards monuments over time. This in some cases had led to their eradication, in others to their movement, or in other cases adaptation to changing ideas, or to take account of more or less enlightened opinion. In doing so he shows how many memorials are as much about ordering today as remembering yesterday. Even as living memory of the War dies out, new monuments still appear and it is right to question and examine the motivation and purpose behind them.
Lowe argues that there has been a movement from memorialising heroes to memorialising martyrs. There are, he says " straightforward political reasons for this. Martyrs, like heroes, inspire loyalty. But while a nation of heroes is obliged to take responsibility for its place in the world., a nation of martyrs is free to be as selfish as it wished. Martyrs cannot be criticised. Their faults must always be forgiven. Their past suffering is like a perpetual 'Get out of jail free' card, absolving them of all sins".
Perhaps of special interest are the memorials to the "enemy", shrines literal, official and unofficial and how these have been accepted (Japan), tolerated (Italy) and expunged (Germany). Lowe questions how easy it is to remove a memory or memorial noting in some cases the absence is itself a presence that can serve to memorialise: "Hitler has no tomb, but he doesn't need one. Even without a physical body, or a shrine in his honour, his memory continues to live alongside us whether we like it or not.". You cannot have a memorial to one without invoking the other. Having shadows of evil lurking in the past helps to create national myths and ideas of unity today. This is not always universally appreciated as Lowe notes the opposition to the Hungarian FIdesz created "Monument for the Victims of the German Occupation" which takes extreme liberties with the historical record and is opposed by a popular "Living Memorial" that seeks to challenge the official line.
This is an interesting and thought provoking book on a subject that does not receive enough critical attention yet stirs up fierce, and sometimes violent, passions. Well worth a look.
"... none of these monuments is really about the past at all: rather they are an expression of a history that is still alive today, and which continues to govern our lives whether we like it or not."
Memorialisation, and attempts to erase memory, have long been a human trait. That those who get to write history are the victors is pretty much a truth. While many monuments may function as places of contemplation and memory for survivors, victims and the kith and kin of victims, most monuments are multi-functional. Often they serve a status-quo and help to restate its legitimacy as the rightful heir of those who died in a "just cause". The silent dead are frequently appropriated and words placed in their mouths by contemporary politicians and commentators for new purposes. Memorials are part of the struggle over who gets to control memory when it is no longer living.
In this accessible study of monuments to the Second World War Keith Lowe looks at a range of structures commemorating the war across the globe. He takes a number of themes into which to group monuments including "Heroes'', ''Martyrs",'' Monsters", the apocalyptic and those concerned with renewal. He examines the inspirations for monuments in each category and how they have been received and how official and unofficial reaction has influenced popular feeling towards monuments over time. This in some cases had led to their eradication, in others to their movement, or in other cases adaptation to changing ideas, or to take account of more or less enlightened opinion. In doing so he shows how many memorials are as much about ordering today as remembering yesterday. Even as living memory of the War dies out, new monuments still appear and it is right to question and examine the motivation and purpose behind them.
Lowe argues that there has been a movement from memorialising heroes to memorialising martyrs. There are, he says " straightforward political reasons for this. Martyrs, like heroes, inspire loyalty. But while a nation of heroes is obliged to take responsibility for its place in the world., a nation of martyrs is free to be as selfish as it wished. Martyrs cannot be criticised. Their faults must always be forgiven. Their past suffering is like a perpetual 'Get out of jail free' card, absolving them of all sins".
Perhaps of special interest are the memorials to the "enemy", shrines literal, official and unofficial and how these have been accepted (Japan), tolerated (Italy) and expunged (Germany). Lowe questions how easy it is to remove a memory or memorial noting in some cases the absence is itself a presence that can serve to memorialise: "Hitler has no tomb, but he doesn't need one. Even without a physical body, or a shrine in his honour, his memory continues to live alongside us whether we like it or not.". You cannot have a memorial to one without invoking the other. Having shadows of evil lurking in the past helps to create national myths and ideas of unity today. This is not always universally appreciated as Lowe notes the opposition to the Hungarian FIdesz created "Monument for the Victims of the German Occupation" which takes extreme liberties with the historical record and is opposed by a popular "Living Memorial" that seeks to challenge the official line.
This is an interesting and thought provoking book on a subject that does not receive enough critical attention yet stirs up fierce, and sometimes violent, passions. Well worth a look.
"... none of these monuments is really about the past at all: rather they are an expression of a history that is still alive today, and which continues to govern our lives whether we like it or not."
September 9, 2024
Prisoners of history
Keith Lowe
Keith Lowe appears to be historian whose books are so popular that he can support himself without a university affiliation. Certainly his website doesn’t mention one http://www.keithlowehistory.com/and The Bookseller tells us that he spent 12 years working as a history publisher before embarking on a full-time career as a writer and historian.
This is the only one of his books I’ve read, and I can see how his past experience has fed into his success as a writer of history books that sell.
His subject here, public memorials of World War II, could be dry, but he has given us a fascinating tour of what memorials can mean in different places and circumstances; some of the many reasons why they are built; and why people may want to tear some of them down, or transform their original purpose.
He says he’s visited all the memorials he writes about, from Asia, the US and Europe, and that these visits provided many of his research sources. The book groups them under five main themes – memorials to Heroes, Martyrs/victims, Monsters/villains, Apocalypse/annihilation and Rebirth/hope for peace.
Many of these categories overlap- for instance Martyrs may also become heroes, and one nation's heroes may well be another’s villain. Some heroes become villains (Stalin and Hitler are obvious examples).
None of the memorials here can be regarded simply – all have some area that can be questioned, reflect what used to be called ‘heritage dissonance’, different cultural viewpoints or changes of perspective with generational change.
Every chapter has idea ‘hooks’ like: ‘Every nation has its heroes… because they show us at our very best, with all our most attractive qualities on display. But how we would like to think of ourselves is not always the same as how we really are. And neither is it the same as how we are viewed by others’, p.15 or
‘Monuments reflect our values, and every society deceives itself that its values are eternal…The debates currently taking place over monuments are almost always about identity’ and the world has changed and senses of identity with it. (Pxvii).
The case studies include the well known - General MacArthur, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, and the less well known to me at least -the UN Security Council Mural in New York, South Korea’s Peace Statue.
I’m delighted to see Japan’s Sasukuni Shrine for the souls of all Japanese soldieers, including A class war criminals, discussed under the heading of Monsters.
And delighted for quite different reasons to read the citizen outrage and action to refute the intended message of Hungary’s official memorial to the Victims of German Occupation, which ignores Hungary’s long collaboration with Germany.
Lowe has an easy writing style, and sets out his main points clearly in every chapter – sometimes to the point of repetition, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I wish I’d had this as a teaching tool when I was teaching about representation and interpretation of history, heritage and culture. So many excellent discussion points.
Keith Lowe
Keith Lowe appears to be historian whose books are so popular that he can support himself without a university affiliation. Certainly his website doesn’t mention one http://www.keithlowehistory.com/and The Bookseller tells us that he spent 12 years working as a history publisher before embarking on a full-time career as a writer and historian.
This is the only one of his books I’ve read, and I can see how his past experience has fed into his success as a writer of history books that sell.
His subject here, public memorials of World War II, could be dry, but he has given us a fascinating tour of what memorials can mean in different places and circumstances; some of the many reasons why they are built; and why people may want to tear some of them down, or transform their original purpose.
He says he’s visited all the memorials he writes about, from Asia, the US and Europe, and that these visits provided many of his research sources. The book groups them under five main themes – memorials to Heroes, Martyrs/victims, Monsters/villains, Apocalypse/annihilation and Rebirth/hope for peace.
Many of these categories overlap- for instance Martyrs may also become heroes, and one nation's heroes may well be another’s villain. Some heroes become villains (Stalin and Hitler are obvious examples).
None of the memorials here can be regarded simply – all have some area that can be questioned, reflect what used to be called ‘heritage dissonance’, different cultural viewpoints or changes of perspective with generational change.
Every chapter has idea ‘hooks’ like: ‘Every nation has its heroes… because they show us at our very best, with all our most attractive qualities on display. But how we would like to think of ourselves is not always the same as how we really are. And neither is it the same as how we are viewed by others’, p.15 or
‘Monuments reflect our values, and every society deceives itself that its values are eternal…The debates currently taking place over monuments are almost always about identity’ and the world has changed and senses of identity with it. (Pxvii).
The case studies include the well known - General MacArthur, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, and the less well known to me at least -the UN Security Council Mural in New York, South Korea’s Peace Statue.
I’m delighted to see Japan’s Sasukuni Shrine for the souls of all Japanese soldieers, including A class war criminals, discussed under the heading of Monsters.
And delighted for quite different reasons to read the citizen outrage and action to refute the intended message of Hungary’s official memorial to the Victims of German Occupation, which ignores Hungary’s long collaboration with Germany.
Lowe has an easy writing style, and sets out his main points clearly in every chapter – sometimes to the point of repetition, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I wish I’d had this as a teaching tool when I was teaching about representation and interpretation of history, heritage and culture. So many excellent discussion points.
March 25, 2021
Prisoners of History is a profound, informative book published at exactly the right time. As monuments are being taken down in cities around the world, Lowe examines what monuments mean to people, and how monuments link people to their history. I found the book thought-provoking. Lowe approaches monuments and history from a whole-world position, and it’s fascinating to read about the different ways that various countries have memorialized WWII. The book is well-written and easy to read, has pictures of each monument discussed, and is nicely organized. Monuments to heroes, martyrs, monsters, the devastation of war itself, and the fraught process of reconciliation are mentioned and examined in careful detail.
With moving descriptions of events and choices both awesome and brutal, Prisoners of History does make one thing abundantly clear – monuments aren’t just statues or installations with plaques and names. Monuments link people and history, inevitably and inextricably. The examples Lowe shares can help readers understand previously unseen aspects of WWII, but can also shed light on a new way of viewing other monuments and markers to human history.
I greatly enjoyed this book, and feel I learned a lot from it. It’s not political, though some of the monuments are very political, and some of the content is somewhat graphic, as war is brutal and Lowe doesn’t shy away from that. Nevertheless, I think the topics explored in Prisoners of History are important and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the book.
I was given a copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
With moving descriptions of events and choices both awesome and brutal, Prisoners of History does make one thing abundantly clear – monuments aren’t just statues or installations with plaques and names. Monuments link people and history, inevitably and inextricably. The examples Lowe shares can help readers understand previously unseen aspects of WWII, but can also shed light on a new way of viewing other monuments and markers to human history.
I greatly enjoyed this book, and feel I learned a lot from it. It’s not political, though some of the monuments are very political, and some of the content is somewhat graphic, as war is brutal and Lowe doesn’t shy away from that. Nevertheless, I think the topics explored in Prisoners of History are important and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the book.
I was given a copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
October 23, 2020
My thoughts
rating: 5
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I read more my this author ? maybe
First off I want to say thank you to the publishers St. Martin's Press for the invite to read and review this as well as Netgalley, as soon as I saw what this book was I know I want to read it because of 2 things one it was history and 2 because of the topic which was WW 2, and I love to read both. And this was actual hard to read because it brings to life that in some place's we're actually doing this destroying the monuments that have stood for such a long time that their part of out history and past which makes it hard because its liking telling our family and friends that in the different wars as well as WW 2 that what they fought for and died for doesn't count anymore that they give their lives for nothing, and that that piece of history as well as them doesn't deserve to be remember. The way the author writes the stories of the each of the different monuments as well as as the history behind it goes to show just how much we need them to help us remember the past but also shows that we need to learn from our mistake, and while its an disturbing, thought provoking and fascinating book which also plays on our emotions it also a book I would highly recommend to read or just to a try to
rating: 5
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I read more my this author ? maybe
First off I want to say thank you to the publishers St. Martin's Press for the invite to read and review this as well as Netgalley, as soon as I saw what this book was I know I want to read it because of 2 things one it was history and 2 because of the topic which was WW 2, and I love to read both. And this was actual hard to read because it brings to life that in some place's we're actually doing this destroying the monuments that have stood for such a long time that their part of out history and past which makes it hard because its liking telling our family and friends that in the different wars as well as WW 2 that what they fought for and died for doesn't count anymore that they give their lives for nothing, and that that piece of history as well as them doesn't deserve to be remember. The way the author writes the stories of the each of the different monuments as well as as the history behind it goes to show just how much we need them to help us remember the past but also shows that we need to learn from our mistake, and while its an disturbing, thought provoking and fascinating book which also plays on our emotions it also a book I would highly recommend to read or just to a try to
November 1, 2020
As a visitor of many of these monuments, from the A-dome in Hiroshima, the museum to the Nanjing Massacre, all of the museums and monuments in Berlin, the mentioned Shoes on the Danube, Auschwitz ... I have been on a pilgrimage of WWII sites in search of understanding about the war and all of the facets of humanity it revealed. I have visited sites in Asia and Europe, and one day I'll visit Pearl Harbor and the rest of these locations. I'm living in Switzerland currently, the 'neutral' country. But how neutral? And how dark is the history around me, the role that people played?
Lowe's analysis of these sites is pointed, rooted in personal research, and holds no punches. It is interesting that many of these memorials and monuments have been built rather recently, and sometimes, for political reasons. They speak about the current mindset of the country, of, perhaps, the people, and at other times, the party in power. Some locations have become tourist attractions that seem to numb the purpose of the place.
In the current atmosphere of beheading and dethroning monuments to the past, it is important to consider the reason of the monument, the purpose, and how we could actually deal with the uncomfortable and horrible parts of our past. Is it through removal? Humor? Setting the monument in a ludicrous location that denudes it of its power and message? And will these WWII monuments suffer the same at some point? Only time will be able to tell.
Lowe's analysis of these sites is pointed, rooted in personal research, and holds no punches. It is interesting that many of these memorials and monuments have been built rather recently, and sometimes, for political reasons. They speak about the current mindset of the country, of, perhaps, the people, and at other times, the party in power. Some locations have become tourist attractions that seem to numb the purpose of the place.
In the current atmosphere of beheading and dethroning monuments to the past, it is important to consider the reason of the monument, the purpose, and how we could actually deal with the uncomfortable and horrible parts of our past. Is it through removal? Humor? Setting the monument in a ludicrous location that denudes it of its power and message? And will these WWII monuments suffer the same at some point? Only time will be able to tell.
December 14, 2020
What Monuments Tell Us
Keith Lowe tells an important story about war, in this case WWII, through the monuments erected by the participants. In the US the monuments depict victory, in Europe the monuments usually immortalize the victims, in Japan the monument A Bomb Dome depicts great tragedy. These are only a sample of the twenty-five monuments Lowe discusses.
I found it fascinating to realize how different countries view war through the memorials they erect. In Lowe’s view, the sentiments depicted by the monuments structure the way we view WWII. His case is persuasive, but I wasn’t convinced. I think memorials can color our view, but there are many other ways to get information and decide what we believe about war, specifically WWII since it is now quite far in the past.
I recommend this book for two reasons. It is an excellent source of information some of it even as a history buff you may not be familiar with. The second reason is the relevance to the destruction of monuments we see across the country today. Those monuments are primarily related to the Civil War, but this book asks us to think about what pulling down monuments means. Can we erase history?
I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.
Keith Lowe tells an important story about war, in this case WWII, through the monuments erected by the participants. In the US the monuments depict victory, in Europe the monuments usually immortalize the victims, in Japan the monument A Bomb Dome depicts great tragedy. These are only a sample of the twenty-five monuments Lowe discusses.
I found it fascinating to realize how different countries view war through the memorials they erect. In Lowe’s view, the sentiments depicted by the monuments structure the way we view WWII. His case is persuasive, but I wasn’t convinced. I think memorials can color our view, but there are many other ways to get information and decide what we believe about war, specifically WWII since it is now quite far in the past.
I recommend this book for two reasons. It is an excellent source of information some of it even as a history buff you may not be familiar with. The second reason is the relevance to the destruction of monuments we see across the country today. Those monuments are primarily related to the Civil War, but this book asks us to think about what pulling down monuments means. Can we erase history?
I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.
May 4, 2022
This is a series of well balanced and thoughtful essays about the monuments and statues we’ve erected across the world to commemorate the global sacrifices made in the Second World War. The author writes with what seems like a light touch, but there are many thoughts and observations about culture and history that I found to be quite unique. One of these was about how America erects statues with a heroic stance or story to tell, such as the Marines erecting the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima, while most of Europe prefers to build monuments that underline victimhood. I also didn’t realise that, if anything, we are erecting more and more statues and monuments to reflect back on WW2, such as the one in London remembering Bomber Command or the numerous projects that continue to underline the horror and suffering of the Holocaust. The final chapter looks for the edifices that symbolise Hope which, the author suggests, is the more powerful idea. I think, having finished the book, that the next time I come across a memorial or statue I’ll give it more thought as to what it’s saying about us as a culture. I don’t read many histories that I feel make me think differently about the past, but this is one of them.
February 9, 2021
This is mostly fine as a brief summary of historical monuments connected to the Second World War. However, it fails to delve much deeper or more critically than that.
The author's continued use of the hero trope (and it's counter forms) is problematic and a bit irksome. He more than just quotes this narrative, he seems to actually believe in it. Likewise his use of the term martyr to refer to innocent civilian casualties, seemingly mistaking the true definition of the word. I suspect that Lowe is a better historian than this (I have not read any of his other works) but that this book has been timed to coincide with the recent discussions around monuments and that he has deliberately played to the masses.
Lowe also misses a great opportunity to discuss the fate of monuments that once existed in multi-ethnic, multi-WWII-factional federations but now find themselves interspersed through breakaway territories. The prime example here would be the Former Yugoslavia and while the author includes a Slovenian monument site, it is not of the spomenik-type, of which there are hundreds and which could do with further contextualising for the fetishising Western gaze.
The author's continued use of the hero trope (and it's counter forms) is problematic and a bit irksome. He more than just quotes this narrative, he seems to actually believe in it. Likewise his use of the term martyr to refer to innocent civilian casualties, seemingly mistaking the true definition of the word. I suspect that Lowe is a better historian than this (I have not read any of his other works) but that this book has been timed to coincide with the recent discussions around monuments and that he has deliberately played to the masses.
Lowe also misses a great opportunity to discuss the fate of monuments that once existed in multi-ethnic, multi-WWII-factional federations but now find themselves interspersed through breakaway territories. The prime example here would be the Former Yugoslavia and while the author includes a Slovenian monument site, it is not of the spomenik-type, of which there are hundreds and which could do with further contextualising for the fetishising Western gaze.
June 30, 2025
I am one of those people who enjoy looking at war monuments, whether they be as small as an American Civil War soldier or as huge as 'The Motherland Calls' situated in the former Stalingrad. As such I found this book fascinating. The author doesn't just post pictures and give a brief accounting, he gives you reasons why the monuments were created and why there is still controversy about some of them.
The monuments are found all over the world, as is appropriate to a world conflict. He divides them into six categories, which overlap to a certain extent, especially since the Holocaust dominates so much of the historical memory of that time period. Of course, every country which fought has its personal memories, but violence, death and bravery are common to all, even Germany, Italy, and Japan. The millions who died in resistance were heroes too, just as the civilians were who succumbed to bombing attacks.
There is no way that bronze, concrete, and marble can tell the whole story of WWII, but monuments give those who wish to acknowledge and remember a tangible way to do so.
The monuments are found all over the world, as is appropriate to a world conflict. He divides them into six categories, which overlap to a certain extent, especially since the Holocaust dominates so much of the historical memory of that time period. Of course, every country which fought has its personal memories, but violence, death and bravery are common to all, even Germany, Italy, and Japan. The millions who died in resistance were heroes too, just as the civilians were who succumbed to bombing attacks.
There is no way that bronze, concrete, and marble can tell the whole story of WWII, but monuments give those who wish to acknowledge and remember a tangible way to do so.
September 12, 2020
Author Keith Lowe (http://www.keithlowehistory.com) published the book “Prisoners of History: What Monuments to World War II Tell Us About Our History and Ourselves” in 2020 (Dec). This is Mr. Lowe’s fifth publication.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’.
The book looks at various memorials erected around the world related to WWII. Some have now been taken down, while others survive. New ones have even been established in recent years.
I found the 5.5+ hours I spent reading this 368-page history very interesting. This is an unusual book. It doesn’t tell the story of a battle. It looks at how people remembered the war and how they still feel about it. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this book a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’.
The book looks at various memorials erected around the world related to WWII. Some have now been taken down, while others survive. New ones have even been established in recent years.
I found the 5.5+ hours I spent reading this 368-page history very interesting. This is an unusual book. It doesn’t tell the story of a battle. It looks at how people remembered the war and how they still feel about it. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this book a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
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