Between Berlin and Moscow: German-Soviet Relations in 1939–1941

Sławomir Dębski

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Between Berlin and Moscow

German-Soviet Relations in 1939–1941

Language: German

Published/Copyright: 2025

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About this book

Sławomir Dębski’s book presents a brilliant reconstruction of the sequence of events from the point at which Germany clinched its rapprochement with the Soviet Union in August 1939 until the open clash of the two totalitarian Powers in June 1941. His book answers key questions about the motives that prompted Hitler and Stalin to reach a deal and the reasons why their alliance collapsed. Dębski offers his readers a set of novel and thoroughly thought-out assessments, with an original account of diplomatic relations between the Third Reich and the Soviet Union in 1939-1941, based on his examination of German, Soviet, and Polish sources. The study is an invaluable source of information for all who are interested in geopolitics, the background to twentieth-century diplomacy, and the history of totalitarian states. This book will give readers a deeper insight into the plight of the Polish State and its people, wedged between the two twentieth-century totalitarian regimes.

Author / Editor information

Sławomir Dębski, The Polish Institute of International Affairs, Warsaw, Poland.

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Frontmatter
I

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Dedication
V

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Table of Contents
VII

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Introduction
1

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I German-Soviet Relations in the Interwar Period
41

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II The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in the Calculations of the Third Reich and the Soviet Union, August 23 – September 28, 1939
70

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III The Problem of Universal War in German-Soviet Relations, August 1939 – September 1940
101

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IV Soviet-German cooperation in delimiting “spheres of interest”
140

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V The Attitudes of the Third Reich and the USSR towards the Baltic States, August 1939 – August 1940
173

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VI Attempts to Extend the Soviet Sphere of Influence to Finland and the Position of the Third Reich
212

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VII The Balkans in German-Soviet relations, August 1939 – August 1940
259

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VIII The Crisis of German-Soviet cooperation, June–December 1940
308

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IX The Soviet Union in German Operational Planning in 1939–1941
395

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X The Third Reich in Soviet operational planning 1939–1941
443

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XI German-Soviet relations in the last six months of peace, December 1940-June 1941
494

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Conclusion
561

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ANNEX
571

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List of Documents
573

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Document 1
575

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Document 2
577

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Document 3
579

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Document 4
583

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Document 5
588

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Document 6
591

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Document 7
596

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References

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List of Abbreviations
645

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Index of names
647

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Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

October 1, 2025

eBook ISBN:

9783111592145

Hardcover published on:

September 8, 2025

Hardcover ISBN:

9783111589473

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

Main content:

600

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111592145

eBook ISBN: 9783111592145

Hardcover ISBN: 9783111589473

Keywords for this book

German-Sowjet relations; Soviet Union; Word War II; Diplomacy

Audience(s) for this book

Scholars in 20th century doplomacy, geopolitics and Polish history.

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Manufacturer information:: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Genthiner Straße 13
10785 Berlin; productsafety@degruyterbrill.com

Between Berlin and Moscow

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Frontmatter

Dedication

Table of Contents

Introduction

I German-Soviet Relations in the Interwar Period

II The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in the Calculations of the Third Reich and the Soviet Union, August 23 – September 28, 1939

III The Problem of Universal War in German-Soviet Relations, August 1939 – September 1940

IV Soviet-German cooperation in delimiting “spheres of interest”

V The Attitudes of the Third Reich and the USSR towards the Baltic States, August 1939 – August 1940

VI Attempts to Extend the Soviet Sphere of Influence to Finland and the Position of the Third Reich

VII The Balkans in German-Soviet relations, August 1939 – August 1940

VIII The Crisis of German-Soviet cooperation, June–December 1940

IX The Soviet Union in German Operational Planning in 1939–1941

X The Third Reich in Soviet operational planning 1939–1941

XI German-Soviet relations in the last six months of peace, December 1940-June 1941

Conclusion

ANNEX

List of Documents

Document 1

Document 2

Document 3

Document 4

Document 5

Document 6

Document 7

References

List of Abbreviations

Index of names

Bibliographic data