• 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London
National Army Museum
  • 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London

Germany

Explore Germany stories

British troops taking part in NATO's Exercise Lionheart in Germany, 1984

Active Edge: The Army, Germany and the Cold War

In 1945, British troops occupied Germany alongside their wartime Soviet allies. But growing East-West tensions soon evolved into the Cold War. For the next four decades, soldiers in Germany prepared to face an attack by the Warsaw Pact.

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Civilians gathered around British tanks, Hamburg, May 1945

The Army and the occupation of Germany

Following their victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, the Allies were faced with administering a country in ruins. British soldiers had a leading role in this, helping to hunt war criminals, rebuild industry and help displaced persons.

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The Battle of Dettingen, 1743

Battle of Dettingen

Fought in southern Germany on 27 June 1743, Dettingen saw British forces stand in alliance with those of Hanover and Austria against the French. It was the last time a reigning British monarch personally led his troops in battle.

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Passing German prisoners of war when moving up to the Aller, Germany, April 1945

Countdown to victory

In the spring of 1945, Allied armies began their final advance into the heart of Nazi Germany. After weeks of intense fighting, they secured victory, ending the most destructive war in Europe's history.

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The burning of Belsen, May 1945

The liberation of Belsen

As the British Army advanced into the heart of Nazi Germany in the spring of 1945, its soldiers were confronted with the full horrors of the Holocaust at the notorious Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

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A Conqueror tank of 5th Royal Tank Regiment in Germany, c1960

Nato and the British Army

Nato has been the cornerstone of British defence planning for 70 years. Originally formed in the 1940s as a bulwark against communism, more recently it has been involved in peacekeeping roles and the ‘war on terror’.

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The Battle of Blenheim, 13 August 1704

Battle of Blenheim

The Battle of Blenheim in 1704 saw a decisive defeat for a Franco-Bavarian force by the allied English, Dutch and Austrian armies commanded by the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy.

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Units of the Dutch Brigade moving up to the attack, 1944

Victory in Europe

During 1944-45, the Allies endured months of fighting against a determined enemy. This bloody struggle eventually ended in the final defeat of Nazi Germany.

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Explore Germany events

Foe to Friend: The British Army in Germany since 1945
Exhibition

12 September 2020 - 21 August 2024

FREE

Foe to Friend

More than a million British soldiers have lived and served in Germany over the past 75 years. Follow their evolution from conquerors and occupiers to allies and friends.

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School students getting to grips with the handling collection
Secondary workshop

6 September 2022 - 20 July 2023

FREE

The Cold War: Mission Reconnaissance

Find out about key events during the Cold War and discover Brixmis, the secret reconnaissance arm of the British Army in occupied Germany.

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Wives and children of British soldiers arrive in Germany, 1946
Talk

17 February 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

‘Pampered Darlings’: The Story of Operation Union

Dr Daniel Cowling investigates the experiences of the first British families who moved to Germany after the Second World War as part of Operation Union.

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Detail from 'The Women Who Flew for Hitler' book cover
Talk

24 February 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

The Women Who Flew for Hitler

Join Clare Mulley as she examines the lives of two female pilots, offering a fascinating insight into Nazi Germany and its attitudes to women, class and race.

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'Foe to Friend' exhibition space
Tour

25 March 2023, 11.00am

FREE

The British Army in Germany: BSL Tour

Join expert guide Edward Richards for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour examining the relationship between the people of Germany and the British Army following the Second World War.

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Explore Germany learning resources

Members of the Coldstream Guards during an infantry exercise in Germany, c1977
Timeline

KS4-KS5 (Ages 14+)

Britain, the Army and the Cold War: Interactive Timeline

Explore the British Army’s role in the Cold War through this interactive timeline packed with over 100 sources. 

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