Those who do not learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur exemplify this old wisdom. The author, a Swiss international lawyer and historian, has created an introductory work in his book "Notes on the Expulsion," now in its fifth edition, which does not merely dwell on the often horrific events but also places the process in a historically accurate context. The background of the expulsion of Germans from the East, the Treaty of Versailles, the situation of Germans in Poland and Czechoslovakia during the interwar period, the anti-German pogroms in Poland after the outbreak of war in 1939, as well as Hitler's ideas of Lebensraum are discussed in detail, making it clear that the latter cannot be cited as a cause or excuse for the expulsion. A significant portion of the book is devoted to the description of the expulsion itself, with eyewitness accounts, documents, figures, and illustrations helping to make the horrific events comprehensible. Twelve million people were expelled to the West, more than two million perished or were killed outright. Were Hitler's crimes truly the reason for the mass expulsions, or did other plans in the East, such as those of the Western Allies, play a significant role? The author also explores this question to ultimately depict the integration of the displaced persons in the Federal Republic. Newly published photos from the archives of the Red Cross in Geneva make the book particularly indispensable. "A shocking reminder" – Die Welt.