History Today

Confessions of a German Soldier

Dietrich Karsten was a Protestant pastor who opposed the Nazi regime in the 1930s but died for Hitler as a soldier in the war. His granddaughter, Lena Karsten, enlisted the help of film-maker Tony Wilson and historian Gabriel Fawcett to find his grave and tell his story. The result is a powerful feature documentary Confessions of a German Soldier. Lena Karsten gives an insight into what she discovered.

Duel in the Crown

Charlotte Crow describes how a recent visit to India on the 150th anniversary of the Indian Mutiny became a flashpoint for Indians and Britons over the commemoration by the two nations.

Islam’s First Terrorists

Clive Foss introduces the Kharijites, a radical sect from the first century of Islam based in southern Iraq and Iran, who adopted an extreme interpretation of the Koran, ruthless tactics and opposed hereditary political leadership. After causing centuries of problems to the caliphate, they survive in a quietist form in East Africa and Oman.

New York

Patricia Cleveland-Peck visits the Big Apple in search of its blossoming.

Toronto’s Pow Wow

Patricia Cleveland-Peck visits an annual festival of North American history and culture.

Festival in the Chapel

Carola Hicks takes a seasonal look at the stained glass of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, the subject of her new book.

My Fascination With China

Author and journalist Jonathan Fenby explains what started him on an endless journey of exploration into China’s past.

Spanish Bankruptcy

The Spanish government managed by the Duke of Lerma was forced to declare a moratorium on its debts on November 19th, 1607.