Sympathy for the Devil: Neutral Europe and Nazi Germany in World War II

by Christian Leitz

Overview

The recent revelations about the role of the Swiss banks in keeping Jewish accounts after World War II has caused a reappraisal of the role of the neutral nations. What exactly did it mean to be "neutral" in World War II? Was neutrality just a cover for collaboration with the Nazis? Did countries who refused to take sides help or hurt the Allied cause? And how did the neutrals treat people who were vulnerable to the Nazis?
In this first study of Nazi Germany's to the five European neutrals: Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Turkey, Christian Leitz shines a light on their wartime record. Questioning the true commitment to neutrality of the five states, the he details not simply the development of relations to Germany, but also the contribution they made to Germany's war effort. He shows how the Nazi regime benefitted in large measure from permitting these five countries to remain neutral. We learn how during Germany's military decline in the waning months of the war, it continued to receive vital services from the neutrals. Based on a wide reading of sources in English, German, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, French and Turkish, and supplemented by documentary evidence from German archives, this book enables readers at all levels to gain insight into a significant aspect not only of the history of Nazi Germany, but also the history of the Second World War in Europe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814751756
Publisher:	New York University Press
Publication date:	05/01/2001
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.84(d)

About the Author

Christian Leitz is Lecturer in History at the University of Aukland.

Table of Contents

	List of tables	vi
	Acknowledgements	vii
1	Introduction	1
2	Switzerland: the Professional Neutral	10
3	Sweden: the Committed Neutral	49
4	Turkey: the Active Neutral	85
5	Spain: the Axis Neutral	114
6	Portugal: the Allied Neutral	144
7	Conclusion	175
	Bibliography	192
	Index	205

Editorial Reviews

Leitz (European history, U. of Aukland, New Zealand) examines the economic and even military assistance given to Nazi Germany during World War II by the five neutral countries of Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey. He investigates the motivation behind policies of support, how important such contributions were to the German war effort, whether there are similarities between the supportive actions of the five, how the development of the war affected relations, and the role of the Allies. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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