On the Spot: Kristin Semmens
‘One historical mystery I’d like to solve? Was there a written Führer Order for the “Final Solution”? Unlikely, but I’d like to know.’
Why are you a historian of Nazi Germany?
My German, Ukrainian and Canadian grandparents told stories about their experiences during the Second World War. I wanted to put those personal narratives into context.
What’s the most important lesson history has taught you?
Pretty simple: that the past – and present – are complicated.
Which history book has had the greatest influence on you?
Ian Kershaw’s two-volume biography of Adolf Hitler (Hubris and Nemesis).
What book in your field should everyone read?
Claudia Koonz’s Mothers in the Fatherland.
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