"This lecture examines the spectrum of antagonism to Israel coming from the East German government and West German organizations of the far left during these years. It was an antagonism that covered a spectrum from hostile propaganda, political warfare at the United Nations in New York and military training, cooperation of secret services and delivery of weapons to the Arab states and Palestinian organizations then engaged in wars and terrorist campaigns in efforts to destroy the state of Israel. The book and lecture offer considerable details based on work in the archives of the former East German regime, those of the West German government, West German leftist organizations, Jewish organizations in West Germany, the U.S. State Department and the United Nations. Undeclared Wars with Israel draws on research in these files to shed new light on ideas and slogans that found a place in world politics and that continue to resonate in our own time in both politics and academia."

Distinguished professor, Jeffrey Herf studies the intersection of ideas and politics in modern European history, specializing in twentieth century Germany. He has published extensively on Germany during the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, the Holocaust, and on West and East Germany during the Cold War. His research interests now focus on the Nazi period and German and European history in post World War II decades up to the collapse of Communism and the end of the Cold War in 1989.

This event is free and open to the public!