The Assassination of Europe, 1918-1942

Book excerpt: In this captivating new book, pre-eminent scholar Howard M. Sachar tells the story of the modern Western world through the lens of one particular act of revenge: political assassination. By detailing the deaths of key political figures during a very fraught time period--the immediate aftermath of World War I--Sachar explores a much larger history: the gradual demise of Europe and its descent into World War II. In beautiful prose, Sachar illustrates the consequences of the assassinations of Rosa Luxemburg and Kurt Eisner in Germany, and how the death of Giacomo Matteotti, a leader of the left in Italy, contributed to the rise of Mussolini. Through the executions of Matthias Erzberger, Walter Rathenau, and Ernst R?hm, Sachar shows the disintegration of Germany and the rise of Hitler. Further chapters explore the effects of political assassinations in Russia, Yugoslavia, and France, and the final chapter, which chronicles the deaths of Stefan and Lotte Zweig, serves as a thought-provoking metaphor for the assassination of the Old World itself. Taking an approach that is both dark and illuminating, Howard M. Sachar provides an entirely new perspective on this extremely pivotal moment in twentieth-century history.