The Ends of War

International perspectives on the Second World War

The Second World War ended in 1944/45. How is it remembered 80 years later?  The end of the world war has different meanings in different countries. While the Holocaust and liberation from National Socialism and German occupation take centre stage in Europe, in Japan it is the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In India, the end of the Second World War was followed by national independence. At the same time, India is remembered for having the largest volunteer army, which was deployed in Africa and in the conquest of Italy. In some countries, the end of the war did not mark the end of violence, but rather the transition to new conflicts and areas of tension, such as the civil war in China or decolonisation.

»The Ends of War« is a joint series of the Max Weber Foundation's institutes abroad

The Max Weber Foundation, with its expertise "on site worldwide" at eleven institutes abroad, accompanies the political discourse on remembrance of the Second World War from an academic perspective. Using various event formats, "The Ends of War" explores the different perspectives and chronologies and analyses the outcome of the war as a justification for current national and international policies.

»The Ends of War«-Blog

Accompanying materials such as event information and recordings, project descriptions, reports, calls and publications as well as academic contacts at the Max Weber Foundation can be found on the blog:

endsofwar.hypotheses.org

Calendar of Events

Event

Refugees in Global Transit. Encounters, Knowledge, and Coping Strategies in a Disrupted World, 1930s-50s

13.02. - 14.02.2025 | International Conference in Mumbai | Teil der MWS-Reihe »The Ends of War« | DHI Washington + MWF Delhi + OI Istanbul + OI Beirut| vor Ort
Event

Winners and Losers? Britain and Germany after the Second World War

18.02.2025 | GHIL Lecture | Teil der MWS-Reihe »The Ends of War« | DHI London | vor Ort + online

Further links