The Third Reich and the Arab East

The Third Reich and the Arab East is a 1963 book by Łukasz Hirszowicz. It is a history of the interaction between nations and individuals of the Arab Middle East and the Axis Powers, primarily [...] Germany.

It was first published in Warsaw as III Rzesza i Arabski wschód in 1963. The translation from Polish was published by Routledge and Kegan Paul Limited, in Great Britain, and University of Toronto Press, in Canada, as a 403-page hardcover in 1966.

Contents

Chapter

Section

Subjects

The Great Powers and the Arab East

Expansion of the Great Powers in the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

Competition for dominance between Great Britain, France, and Russia. Germany's penetration of the Ottoman Empire and the Baghdad railway project.

Plans for partition of the Ottoman Empire during World War I

Britain's alliance with Arab nationalism; establishment of relations with Sherif Husein ibn Ali. The Balfour Declaration. Germany's inability to utilize Arab nationalism due to its alliance with Turkey.

Partition of the Arab lands after World War I

Dividing of influence over Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, the Sudan, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, and Palestine between Britain and France. Beginning of the British mandate period over Palestine.

Italy and Germany in the Arab East

The rise of Arab nationalist sympathy for the new ways of Fascist Italy and [...] Germany (Pan-Arabists in Iraq, Hajj Amin el-Huseini in Palestine, Ahmed Husein's Misr el-Fatat in Egypt, the Futuwwa in Iraq, and the Syrian National party led by Antun Saadah).

[...] Germany and the Peel Commission

Outbreak of the Arab rebellion in Palestine

Resistance to Zionist immigration and desire for a National Government.

The Royal Commission report

Proposal for partition into a Jewish state and Arab state.

German interests in Palestine

[...] Germany's early facilitation of emigration of German Jews to Palestine; setting up of Haavara. German colonies of Reichsdeutsche in Palestine.

Portents of a turn in German policy

Shifts toward a negative attitude to a Jewish state; decision to strengthen "the Arab world as a counterweight against" the power of "world Jewry."

Arab endeavours to gain German support

Appeals made by Arab nationalists to German envoys for support on the Palestine question.

Germany's political motives

[...]'s primary concern for European matters, and reluctance to conflict with Great Britain by venturing too far into Middle Eastern affairs.

The course taken by Germany

Caution and secrecy in supporting Arab nationalism.

Repercussions of the Czechoslovak Crisis and Understanding with Turkey

Increased tension in international relations and the situation in the Arab East

Post Munich change in German attitude toward aiding Arab rebels.

Germany and Saudi Arabia

Grobba's trip to Jidda

17 January 1939 flight of German envoy.

Negotiations on the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia

Khalid al-Hud al-Qarqani's trips to Germany.

Ibn Saud's relation to England

Outbreak of War

The Allies and the Arab countries

The situation in Syria and Lebanon

Suspension of the Constitutions. Outlawing of Communist and Pro-Fascist parties.

The situation in Palestine

Jewish support for Britain.

Egypt's position

Severing of diplomatic relations with Germany and internment of German citizens.

Iraq's position

King Ibn Saud's position

Germany and the Arab countries

Retaliatory internment of Egyptians in Germany.

The Fall of France and the Declarations of October 23rd/December 5th, 1940

Fall of the Ail Maher-pasha Government

Iraq's new Government

Naji Shawkat's trip to Turkey

Diplomatic activity in Baghdad

Haddad's negotiations with the Germans

Osman Kemal Haddad's visit with von Papen.

The Italian viewpoint and the October 23rd, 1940 declaration

Arab reservations

Iraq on the Eve of Rebellion

German plans in the Mediterranean

[...]'s hope to conquer Gibraltar and capture Marsa Matruh. Italy's invasion of Greece.

Italy's defeats and Directive 22

Situation in the Arab countries

Anti-Government demonstrations.

Political strife in Iraq

Sir Basil Newton's mission to Iraq.

Rashid Ali's demands; Haddad's second trip

The Germans and the Iraq Revolt

Von Hentig's mission to Syria

Problem of supplying arms to Iraq

Italy's position on developing action in Iraq

The Italian Government's refraining from granting guarantees of Arab independence.

Woermann's memorandum of March 7 1941

The Middle East and Operation 'Barbarossa'

Ribbentrop's decision; Weizsäcker's letter to the ex-Mufti of Jerusalem

Further decisions: propaganda, Abwehr, Syria

Uprising in Iraq

The coup d'état in Baghdad

International causes of the coup

British policy in Iraq (April 1941)

The Axis and Iraq's demands

Problems of supplying Iraq with arms

Decision to aid Iraq

[...]'s May 3 agreement with Ribbentrop to assist el-Kilani's Government.

Hostilities in Iraq

Turkish mediation

Grobba's mission

Ribbentrop's sending of Grobba to Baghdad to rally the entire Arab world to revolt.

The Paris Protocols

Darlan's meeting and agreement with [...].

Rahn's mission

Abetz's sending of Rahn to Syria to the supply of French arms to Iraq.

German aid

War operations

Rashid Ali's defeat

Germany and the Syrian Campaign

Germany and Vichy after the Paris protocols

Debate within the Vichy Government over the level of collaboration.

Again the problem of German aid

Turkey and the war in Syria

German activities among Arabs

German organization of Arab fighting units. Fawzi el-Qawuqji.

Hostilities and armistice

Defeat of the Vichy forces in Syria by the British-Gaullist side.

Spread of the War and [...] Arab Policy

The military and political situation after the attack on the U.S.S.R.

Arab nationalist hostility toward the Anglo-Soviet alliance.

Significance of the conflict in the Mediterranean

Strategic plans following 'Barbarossa'

Plans to invade Afghanistan, Persia, and India

Failure of 'Barbarossa' and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

1942

Freeing of Soviet prisoners of the Muslim faith by the Germans. Establishment of contact with Subhas Chandra Bose. Division of labor in Auswärtiges Amt: Wilhelm Keppler in charge of Indian affairs and the Indian Legion; Dr. Fritz Grobba, assisted by Adam von Falkenstein, to handle Iraqi affairs and steady communications with Sonderstab F and the Arab leaders Hajj Amin el-Huseini, Rashid Ali el-Kilani, and Fawzi el-Qawuqji (who had arrived in Europe); Otto von Hentig with Pan-Turanianism, Iranian nationalists, and the Egyptian ex-Khedive, Abbas Hilmi. Considerations of synchronising war operations with Japan.

From Tehran to Berlin

Difficulties of getting Pro-Axis Arab leaders (like Hajj Amin el-Huseini and Rashid Ali el-Kilani) to Europe.

New Declarations on Arab Questions

Summer of 1941

Efforts toward getting a declaration from Germany on a 'Free India' and recognition of Arab national demands.

The Mufti's arrival and the Italian draft declaration

El-Huseni's meeting with Mussolini and Ciano. Italian draft of a declaration of support for the Arab fight for independence from England and elimination of the Jewish national home in Palestine.

French and Turkish objections

[...]'s standpoint

[...]'s consideration of the effect of strengthening the support for de Gaulle a declaration on Syria would have. His promise to the Mufti to issue a declaration when German troops reached the Southern Caucasus.

Further attempts at a declaration

Promise to El-Kilani that he would be the Premier of liberated Iraq. Japanese suggestion for a tri-power declaration on India and the Arab countries.

The exchange of letters

Efforts to settle questions of a treaty between the Axis and Iraq. Letters between Rashid Ali and Count Ciano, and Rashid Ali and von Ribbentrop.

The Axis Egypt Offensive

The war situation in the spring and summer of 1942

Assignment of Field-Marshal Kesselring as commander of the Southern Front. [...]'s belief in the need for bases in Tunisia. Rommel's advances.

German-Egyptian contacts

Egyptian belief that the Germans were liberators, unlike the Italians.

Coup d'état in Egypt

The Germans and Egypt

The question of an occupational régime

German invasion

The Axis rout in Egypt

The Arab Legion and Mufti-Kilani Dispute

Deutsch-arabische Lehrabteilung

Disputes over the Arab Legion

Italian insistence of its primacy in Arab affairs.

Controversy on using DAL

Struggle for leadership

Germany and Italy on the Mufti's ambitions

[...] racial perspective on the Mufti as a Circassian type, showing Aryan ancestry in his appearance (red-bearded and blue-eyed) and character (consistency and systematic struggle against the English and the Jews).

The Mufti's arguments

Results of Ettel's trip

SS-Obergruppenfüher Erwin Ettel.

Epilogue in Tunisia

Occupation of Tunisia

Admiral Estéva

Jean Pierre Estéva

Occupation of Bizerta

Problem of the rear

Extreme collaborationists

Doriot, Darnand, and Jacques Guilbaud (leader of the Committee for Unity of Revolutionary Action, or CUAR)

The French administration

Organization of French detachments

Italian ambitions in Tunisia

Italy's situation in 1942-3

Conference in Rome

German propaganda in the Maghreb

A letter to the Bey

Letter from the Mufti to the Bey of Tunis.

The Mufti's proposition

Germany, Italy and the Mufti's plans

Attempts at an understanding with Bourguiba

The Axis and Tunisian nationalists

Revival of the national movement

The Axis and Bey's court

Bourguiba's return

The Wehrmacht's Arab soldiers

Arab recruitment in Tunisia

German expectations in Tunisia

War operations

Last days of the Axis occupation

Conclusion

The Arab lands and exiles in 1942

The question of a declaration

The Mufti's further activity

Power politics and the national movement

Racism and the 'European Idea'

Exigencies of war

Notes

Chronology

Four-part list of significant events in the world, the middle east, war operations in the middle east and north Africa, and in German-Arab relations

Bibliography

Index