Join Dr Peter Speiser as he examines the relationship between the British Army and the people of Germany in the wake of the Second World War.

After the Second World War, the British Army remained in Germany as an occupation force, helping to rebuild a devastated and divided nation.

In this talk, Dr Peter Speiser will discuss the relationship between soldiers in the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and the German people as they learned to live and work alongside each other under the growing threat of Soviet expansionism.

Drawing on testimonies from British soldiers who were stationed in Germany, Dr Speiser will consider official BAOR attitudes towards the German people, the reaction of the German press to the Allied occupation, and the efforts made to improve relations.

This talk is part of a programme of events supporting our special exhibition, ‘Foe to Friend: The British Army in Germany since 1945’.

Dr Peter Speiser is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Westminster. His work has focused on Anglo-German relations in the 19th and 20th centuries, the British Army of the Rhine and the history of London.

He is the author of two works: The British Army of the Rhine: Turning Nazi Enemies into Cold War Partners and Soho: The Heart of Bohemian London.