Leopold II: Butcher of the Congo

Buch auf Englisch.

Ein packender Blick in die dunkle Seite der Geschichte – für alle, die tiefer graben wollen.

Tauchen Sie ein in die schockierende Geschichte von Leopold II. von Belgien, einem Monarchen, der sich als Wohltäter Afrikas ausgab, aber für unermessliches Leid und den Tod von Millionen im Kongo verantwortlich war. Dieses Buch, Teil der preisgekrönten Wicked History-Reihe, enthüllt die brutale Wahrheit hinter seiner Herrschaft und den weitreichenden Folgen, die bis heute spürbar sind.

The book "Leopold II: Butcher of the Congo"

Recounts the life of Leopold II of Belgium, including his childhood and rise to the Belgian throne, his bloody conquest of the Congo, and his death.

Tells the story of Leopold II, King of the Belgians, who claimed he was helping the people in a colony of Africa along the Congo River, but was really found to be promoting slavery and other ills.

King Leopold II of Belgium was responsible for the deaths and mutilation of 10 million Congolese Africans during the late 1800’s. The spoils of modern day Belgium owes much to the people of the Congo River Basin.

Leopold II will be far less familiar to most readers. His influence on African history and colonialism, however, is hard to overstate. In an era when European powers were seeking to expand their land holdings, particularly in Africa, Leopold set out to buy himself a colony. He paid close attention to David Livingstone and the explorers who set out in Africa after Dr. Livingstone. Eventually, Leopold managed to purchase the Congo, an enormous parcel of land right in the middle of Africa.

Of course, that “purchase” was dubious since the Africans marking their “x” on papers they couldn’t read in return for bolts of cloth left much to be desired in the sense of fair treatment. What followed was barbaric treatment of the local Africans, a growing purse for Leopold, and a giant coverup operation. I appreciated that this book also mentions the slavery going on in the Middle East, that Africans were also buying/selling slaves, and the placement of this tragic story in its larger context. Books like this will do much to educate contemporary readers about part of Africa’s history as well as explain part of the ongoing conflict in some regions of Africa.

Inhaltsverzeichnis:

• World of Leopold II
• Wicked web
• Introduction
• Colony for a king
• Growing up royal
• Out of town
• King of the Belgians
• Into Africa
• Mr. Stanley, I presume
• Race for the Congo

Über die Serie Wicked History:

Some of the greatest political and military leaders of history were, let's face it, very wicked. To expand their power or accomplish their goals, they killed innocent civilians and caused needless pain and destruction. This series focuses on these leaders who are now known and remembered for their violence and cruelty. The text seems written for middle-grade readers in that it's easy to read with fairly simple vocabulary and larger font. The content, however, is suitable for older readers as well because the books discuss military strategy, acts of cruelty, political facets, and details of battles. A story-like format is taken, which starts with the leader's birth and describes the person's childhood atmosphere and influences that led to their violent life. Important battles and other events are included, up through the leader's death. Fast-paced and absorbing, the books don½t include all the details of each life, but give a fairly thorough look at each personality, main life events, and the impact on the world.

Each book includes a scattering of black and white illustrations (photos for the more recent leaders) of each figure and the events in their life. Like the text of the book, the pictures are truthful, but as such, somewhat violent (a few dead bodies, battles, etc.) so you may want to look through them before offering them to younger or sensitive readers. Timelines, maps, and a few other features are included in the books, which help you put each leader's story into perspective. The series is being revised to include colorful photographs and graphics. Some also include project ideas.

For a few of the leaders, the book raises questions about whether or not they were truly wicked, or if history has just painted them that way after they were defeated a pretty interesting question. If you're looking for a way to introduce a specific leader or war to your students, or if you're interested in trying to understand these powerful but wicked leaders, these books provide an entertaining and instructive option. Each book is small format (5" x 7"), about 140 pags.

Warum dieses Buch trotz des Preises ein Muss ist:

• Ungefilterte Wahrheit: Erfahren Sie, wie Leopold II. ein riesiges Stück Land mitten in Afrika "erwarb" und es zu seinem persönlichen Reich des Schreckens machte, gekennzeichnet durch Sklaverei und abscheuliche Gräueltaten.
• Historische Einordnung: Das Buch beleuchtet nicht nur Leopolds Taten, sondern setzt sie auch in den größeren Kontext des Sklavenhandels im Nahen Osten und der Rolle Afrikaner beim Sklavenkauf/-verkauf. Es bietet eine einzigartige Perspektive auf die anhaltenden Konflikte in einigen Regionen Afrikas.
• Fesselnder Erzählstil: Trotz des ernsten Themas ist das Buch in einem leicht lesbaren, erzählenden Stil verfasst, der von Leopolds Kindheit bis zu seinem Tod reicht. Es ist ideal für Geschichtsinteressierte, die eine zugängliche, aber fundierte Darstellung wünschen.
• Die Wicked History-Reihe: Diese renommierte Serie konzentriert sich auf die umstrittensten Figuren der Geschichte und hinterfragt, ob sie wirklich "böse" waren oder ob die Geschichte sie so gezeichnet hat. Ein Muss für alle, die sich kritisch mit historischen Persönlichkeiten auseinandersetzen möchten.
• Kompakt und informativ: Mit rund 140 Seiten im handlichen Format (12,7 cm x 17,8 cm) bietet dieses Buch eine überraschend detaillierte und aufschlussreiche Darstellung. Perfekt für den schnellen, aber tiefgründigen Einblick.

📘 gebundene Ausgabe – 128 Seiten – Auf Lager
📦 Schnelle Lieferung aus der Schweiz – Sorgfältig verpackt
🇬🇧 Dieses Buch ist vollständig in englischer Sprache.