Daniel Cowling Explains Why We Shouldn't Be Beastly to Germans
Ealing Historical Association talk to look at Postwar British occupation
Dr Daniel Cowling
October 8, 2025
The Ealing Branch of the Historical Association will host a public talk on Tuesday 14 October, exploring the British occupation of Germany in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. The event will take place from 7:30pm to 9:00pm at Ealing Green Church, W5 5QT.
The talk, titled Don’t Let’s Be Beastly to the Germans: The British Occupation of Germany, 1945–49, will be delivered by Dr Daniel Cowling, Senior Historian at the National Army Museum in London. Dr Cowling completed his doctorate at the University of Cambridge, where his research focused on Britain’s postwar role in Germany. His first book, bearing the same title as the talk, was published by Head of Zeus in 2023.
The presentation will examine the arrival of British civilian and military personnel in northwestern Germany in the spring of 1945. Tasked with rebuilding democratic institutions and dismantling the remnants of Nazism, the British faced complex challenges in a region devastated by war. The talk will consider both the strategic aims and the human dimensions of occupation, including efforts to “win the peace” in a fractured society.
Admission is free for students. Visitors are welcome to attend for a fee of £5, while annual membership to the Ealing Branch is available for £15. Further details can be found at www.ealinghistory.org.uk.
Meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of each month at Ealing Green Church at 7.30pm, with the exception of the November meeting which takes place at Twyford School at 6.30pm. Talks are live events but with the speaker’s permission the association aims to make a recording available afterwards to those registering on Eventbrite (the booking link will be available on the society's website one month in advance of each talk).
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