Kochanski wins £50k Wolfson History Prize for 'remarkable' history of resistance in wartime Europe

Halik Kochanski has won the £50,000 Wolfson History Prize for her “remarkable” history of resistance in wartime Europe titled Resistance: The Underground War in Europe, 1939-45 (Allen Lane).

Kochanksi is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and member of the British Commission for Military History, and has taught history at several universities and is the author of The Eagle Unbowed: Poland and the Poles in the Second World War (Harvard University Press/Penguin). She was awarded the prize in a ceremony held at Claridge’s in London on 13th November, attended by key figures from the world of history and academia.

David Cannadine, chair of the Wolfson History Prize judges, said: “Resistance is impressive in its breadth, blending macro and micro history into a single narrative. This book does more than recount the past; it breathes life into forgotten voices and untold tales of bravery, illuminating the spirit of ordinary people who challenged oppression.

“Through meticulous research and powerful writing, Halik Kochanski highlights the indomitable courage of those who resisted the Nazis. In our own times of conflict and instability, Resistance is a timely winner of the Wolfson History Prize, and we offer our warmest congratulations to Halik.”

Kochanski said she was "lost for words" and said being shortlisted "was a surprise and honour in itself because I’m an independent historian, I spend years in my burrow working away with no idea if anyone is going to read my book, appreciate my book, understand what I was trying to communicate, so to win this is absolutely amazing".

She said the "scale" of the project scared her, and at one point she considered returning the advance and giving up on the book. But winning showed she was right to continue. 

Historians Mary Beard and Sudhir Hazareesingh joined the judging panel this year, working alongside fellow judges Richard Evans, Carole Hillenbrand, Diarmaid MacCulloch and chair Cannadine to select the winner. They said of Resistance: “Unveiling lesser-known acts of defiance, this is a remarkable history of pan-European resistance to the Nazis. Through diverse sources and captivating storytelling, it presents a compelling exploration of this critical era.”

The Wolfson History Prize is awarded annually by the Wolfson Foundation to a work of historical non-fiction which combines excellence in research and writing, with readability for a general audience.

Kochanksi won from a shortlist featuring five other books, whose authors each won £5,000. The shortlist featured African and Caribbean People in Britain: A History by Hakim Adi (Allen Lane); The World the Plague Made: The Black Death and the Rise of Europe by James Belich (Princeton University Press); The Perils of Interpreting: The Extraordinary Lives of Two Translators between Qing China and the British Empire by Henrietta Harrison (Princeton University Press); Vagabonds: Life on the Streets of Nineteenth Century London by Oskar Jensen (Duckworth Books) and Portable Magic: A History of Books and their Readers by Emma Smith (Allen Lane).

Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of the Wolfson Foundation, added: ‘”For over half a century, the Wolfson History Prize has celebrated history writing that is rooted in excellent research and which captivates readers. Resistance joins a rollcall of winners that achieve both – and with considerable elegance. Halik Kochanski presents an overarching analysis of European resistance during the Second World War, without ever losing a sharp focus on the human narratives that lie at its heart.”

Last year’s Wolfson History Prize was awarded to Cambridge historian Clare Jackson for Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688 (Allen Lane).