Deal with the Devil

The book "Deal with the Devil. German-Russian Relations Between the First and Second World Wars" is a compact and extremely fascinating presentation of the history of the Russian and German peoples, filled with events of historical magnitude. With captivating dynamism and literary precision, Sebastian Haffner describes the twists in relations between nations that alternately waged war against each other and formed alliances that represented a deal with the devil for each side. The book starts with imperial Germany's support for the Bolshevik revolution and ends with the Hitler-Stalin pact, the invasion of Poland in 1939, and Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union in 1941.

The original book in German was published in 1968 and covered the last 50 years of German-Russian relations up to that time. In 1988, Haffner's work was reissued and shortened to the period between the First and Second World Wars, and it is this version that served as the basis for the current translation into Russian.

About the Author

Sebastian Haffner (1907–1999) was one of the most significant publicists in post-war Germany. His works, such as "The Story of a German" and "Someone Hitler", received wide recognition. Sebastian Haffner was an astute critic of the political situation and a convinced democrat, having early recognized the rise of National Socialism. Haffner's works still provide important insights into the history of the 20th century and the threat to democracy posed by authoritarian regimes.