The history of Dora began in August 1943 and ended, taking account of the evacuations and returns, in June 1945. That is just under two years. Between the end of Dora and the writing of this book, more than fifty years passed. These fifty years can be divided, in necessarily very schematic fashion, into three periods, corresponding to the three chapters of the epilogue.
The first, lasting some ten years, was the direct follow-up of the devastating world war. Germany, in ruins, ceased to exist as a state. Trials of war criminals got under way. A whole concentration camp system, which had just been discovered, was examined and cross-examined. And each of the victors sought to appropriate the techniques of the vanquished—above all its “secret weapons.” This is the subject of chapter 23.
The second period was long, given that it continued right up until the 1980s. The world was divided into two blocs competing for the mastery of space. Camp survivors divided their lives for the most part between their professional life and family life. Their associations were devoted to solidarity and commemoration. This will be looked at in chapter 24.
The third period began in the 1980s, initially without any major events. Historians drew up evaluations, and the last of the survivors concerned themselves, while there was still time to do so, with the maintenance of “memory.” Retirement made it possible for them to devote themselves to doing so. Finally, the transformation of Europe and above all the reunification of Germany opened new perspectives. Chapter 25 opens onto the near future.