"Until the end of World War II, East Prussia was the German empire's farthest eastern redoubt, a thriving and beautiful land on the southeastern coast of the Baltic Sea. Now it lives only in history and in myth. Since 1945, the territory has been divided between Poland and Russia, stretching from the border between Russia and Lithuania in the east, and through Poland in the west. In Forgotten Land, Max Egremont offers a vivid account of this region and its people through the stories of individuals who were intimately involved in and transformed by its tumultuous history, as well as accounts of his own travels and interviews he conducted along the way. Forgotten Land is a story of historical identity and character, told through intimate portraits of people and places. It is a unique examination of the layers of history, of the changing perceptions and myths of homeland, of virtue and of wickedness, and of how a place can still overwhelm those who left it years before"--Provided by publisher. "A history of East Prussia"--Provided by publisher.

Donated by John M. McCaffrey.

The whispering past -- A frontier land -- "Talent is a duty" -- A polished helmet -- The grieving parents -- Ober-ost -- "Seed corn is not for harvesting" -- East Prussia's Versailles -- "Names that are named no more" -- A lost victory -- Fallen oak leaves -- The need for order -- Kantgrad -- "May every discord break against this monument" -- The great wilderness -- Journey to Irkutsk -- "The terrible and great way" -- The Prussian Sahara -- "My dear Jews" -- "Do you see in the east the brightening dawn?" -- "The highest pleasure on earth" -- Storm in January -- The fall -- Hope deferred -- The living museum.