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Another Look at World War II History

The destruction of Hamburg, Germany by the Allies during World War II equaled the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The main difference was the radiation factor. To further our education about the bombings, Keith Lowe has written, “Inferno: The Fiery Destruction of Hamburg, 1943.”

The Allies dropped leaflets before bombing the city, warning civilians to leave. Most citizens, accustomed to frequent air raids, had no way to imagine their city’s destruction by firestorm. These were started by incendiary bombs, which were first used by the Germans on London during the Blitz. As the fires interacted with the weather and environment, the firestorms got hotter and more powerful.

The book has jarring photos of neighborhoods reduced to ash; of a neighborhood with only facades of buildings remaining; and of a concentration camp prisoner loading charred body parts into a bucket. Many of the estimated 45,000 who died were simply cooked to death. There are no descriptions of hell worse than the narratives of those who tried to escape the flames of the firestorm.

Ironically, Hamburg had strong historic ties with England and the United States. Almost every German immigrant to the United States left from the port of Hamburg. Strategically located at the mouth of the Elbe River and the North Sea, Hamburg was a hub of trade for the world.

Some desirable military targets in Hamburg were the central power station and the shipbuilding yards. As survivors of the city fled to other places, they carried the news of Germany’s coming defeat. Prior to this, most had not believed they could be vanquished to such an ultimate degree.

You can find Keith Lowe’s and other books on this subject at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library.

• LP Charlesworth Charlesworth, Monique, “The Children’s War.”

• 940.5421 LOWE Lowe, Keith, “Inferno: The Fiery Destruction of Hamburg, 1943.”

• 940.5421 NOS Nossack, Hans Erich, “The End: Hamburg 1943.”

• CR 929.3 US GER Minert, Roger P., “Germans to America and The Hamburg Passenger Lists: Coordinated Schedules.”

Hickory Public Library is a department of the City of Hickory. Patrick Beaver Memorial Library is located at 375 3 rd Street NE on the SALT Block and Ridgeview Branch Library is at 706 1 st Street SW.