Michael Burleigh, Master of His Time

Last month the historian Michael Burleigh was awarded the prestigious 2012 Nonino Master of his Time Prize at a ceremony in Italy. The prize was presented to Burleigh by the Nobel Laureate V.S. Naipaul.

The citation praised Burleigh’s ‘deep historical analysis’. His book, The Third Reich: A New History (Pan Macmillan, 2000), which won the 2001 Samuel Johnson Prize, was described as ‘masterly’. One can only agree. I have long held the opinion that it is simply the finest single-volume study of Nazi Germany ever written and urge anyone who has not read it to do so as soon as possible.

In fact, that goes for all Burleigh’s work. A scholar of considerable bravery and integrity, he has ploughed a lonely furrow, at some distance from the academic establishment, but producing an oeuvre of historical studies that is distinctive and brilliant.

One of the most interesting aspects of Burleigh’s work is its moral engagement, especially notable in his most recent study, the groundbreaking and widely praised Moral Combat: A History of World War II (HarperCollins, 2010). He has also confronted the nature of political religion in his two volume study, Earthly Powers: Religion and Politics in Europe from the French Revolution to the Great War (HarperCollins, 2005) and Sacred Causes: Religion and Politics from the European Dictators to Al Qaeda (HarperCollins, 2006).

He talks about his work and beliefs in this article from the History Today archive. We offer him our sincere congratulations and, once again, urge anyone who hasn’t read his work to do so; they will not be disappointed.