2024/04/10 by Johannes Spohr · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics #European history and politics #Central European national history
paper · doi:10.1515/inso.16459325
openalex publication_date 2024/04/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/03/03
Otto Bräutigam worked for the German Foreign Office before, during, and after National Socialism. Considered by many to have been an Ostexperte (Eastern Expert) due to his vast knowledge of eastern Europe, Bräutigam advocated for the so-called "Decomposition" of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. At its core, this idea foresaw the division of the Soviet Union into its component parts in order to defeat Russia and strengthen German rule over the region. This article will illustrate Bräutigam's identification with, and application of, the ideological concept of "Decomposition", particularly as it concerned the occupation of Ukraine.