Berlin is Burning is published by Politiken in Denmark and in this book Buk-Swienty is drawing from previously unpublished material, delving into a monumental documentary about a handful of Danish journalists in Berlin during World War II. While much of Europe fell to the Wehrmacht, Denmark was regarded by the Third Reich as a “Special Case.” Although effectively occupied, Denmark remained officially neutral. Consequently, the Danish press was frequently and often forcefully encouraged to send their representatives to Berlin to cover the Reich’s propaganda. This left these correspondents in a unique and Kafkaesque position, tasked with subtly reporting on both the rise and eventual fall of their oppressor.
In the midst of the political heat of the first war years, the narrative focuses on two central figures: Paul E. Stemann of Berlingske Tidende and Arild Hvidtfeldt of Socialdemokraten. Their firsthand accounts, previously unexplored by historians, provide a multifaceted and gripping portrayal of wartime Berlin. Stemann’s unpublished memoirs, archived in the Imperial War Museum in London, and Hvidtfeldt’s private collection offer unprecedented insights. Additionally, the book features private letters from Frederik Holck Colding, a young Danish diplomat who arrived in Berlin in 1944, and which were previously classified.
Being an international correspondent in war-time Berlin was not an easy situation to navigate while keeping your moral integrity. Every piece of correspondence and publication was meticulously scrutinised by the Sicherheitsapparat. As the war progressed, the propaganda machine became increasingly insistent on concealing German losses and the advances of the Allies, while also masking the atrocities committed both in mass graves abroad and on the streets of Berlin with colourful front-line reports and homefront articles. Stemann and Hvidtfeldt made great efforts to convey the truth between the lines to their readers at home, risking their lives in the process. Following the invasion of Norway, journalistic missteps could be punished by the Nazis as severely as political ones, with the death penalty. The fact that the Danes maintained communication with the German resistance would have done little to help their case if they had been exposed. And little did Stemann and Hvidtfelt know that the Brits had already started to plan an air raid offensive that was to pulverise the German capital…
When Berlin surrendered on May 2, 1945, the city lay devastated: 170,000 German and Russian soldiers had been killed, over 300,000 wounded and 100,000 civilians had perished. In the years leading up to the fall of the city, it was bombed to pieces and most of it lay in ruins when the war ended. Amidst this chaos, a group of Danish correspondents experienced the fall of the Third Reich first hand: Stationed in Hitler’s capital during its darkest hours, they witnessed firsthand the relentless Allied bombings, the ruthless Russian invasion, and Berlin’s final capitulation.
Tom Buk-Swienty masterfully weaves together this unique material into a compelling narrative, meticulously researched over years. Berlin is Burning marks the first volume in this gripping documentary, with The Russians Are Coming scheduled for release in spring 2025.
