The Belfast Blitz: The City in the War Years

Aim

Support the publication of this important study into the story of Belfast during the second World War. the Ulster Hist. Foundation

Project aim

Support the publication of this important study into the story of Belfast during the second World War.

About the project

Written by Brian Barton this book tells the story of Belfast during the Second World War. It argues that the suffering inflicted by the Nazis on Belfast and environs was felt by all. The bombs fell indiscriminately on homes irrespective of community background, especially in north Belfast – which endured the worst casualties in the raid on 15/16 April. It was a shared suffering, and it resulted in a collective response from the public, who had to come together to deal with the aftermath of such devastating attacks.

The book examines and evaluates the overall impact of the blitz on Northern Ireland and sets it in context. While Belfast is obviously the main focus, given the attacks were concentrated on the city, it also explores in detail the bombing and its effects on Derry, Newtownards, Bangor and Dublin, demonstrating that while Belfast bore the brunt, it was not completely alone.

This publication is by far the most wide-ranging, comprehensive and accurate account yet written of the Belfast blitz. It gets closer to the events described than any previous publication because it draws on such a rich range of primary sources. Some of these were not open to the public until recently, whilst others have long been available, but have hitherto been neglected by historians.

In addition to the extensive documentary material on which the book is based, drawn from nearly 30 archives centres in Ireland, Britain, Germany and Israel, over 80 people were interviewed, either providing eye witness accounts or contemporary letters, diaries etc, and the text is supported by a wealth of secondary material such as memoirs, government reports, newspapers, etc.

The book is an important study. It documents how all the people of Belfast and beyond lived through one of the most dangerous periods in our recent history, when the very fabric of civil society was under attack from the savagery of Nazism.

By pledging to support this publication you will be supporting an often neglected chapter of Northern Irelands History and help the publication and printing costs associated with releasing this publication. We hope that with your help this book can be on the shelves by April/June 2015.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 26th March 2015