Between 25 July and 3 August 1943 Operation Gomorrah caused an unprecedented historical break in Hamburg's history. Four British night air raids and two US daytime attacks destroyed vast parts of the city. At least 34,000 people were killed. many of them died in the 'firestorm', the most devastating consequence of the area bombings. Complementing the permanent exhibiton at the museum Mahnmal St. Nikolai 'Gomorrah 1943 - Hamburg's destruction through aerial warfare', this book sheds light from different perspectives on the causes, events and consequences of this military campaign. German and allied strategies of aerial warfare, the suffering of the civilian population, the double misery of foreign forced labourers and concentration camp prisoners, the city's public culture of commemoration and the indivdual memories of 'perfectly ordinary' female Hamburg citizens are explained. An insight into St. Nikolai's troubled history is given as well.