Decisive Moments in History

Key Concepts and Strategies

«Decisive Moments in History» is a collection of historical vignettes by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig, in which the author explores key moments in human history through the lens of the fates of individual historical figures and events. The concept of the work is to illuminate the «star hours», peak and critical moments in the lives of people or entire nations that caused significant changes in culture, art, politics, or science. Zweig focuses on moments when the concentration of human passions and intellectual efforts reaches its peak, leading to great achievements or turning points in history. In each vignette, Zweig aims to show how individual qualities, decisions, and actions can change the course of history, emphasizing the uniqueness and unrepeatability of such historical moments. The collection contains stories about diverse events and figures: from the fall of Byzantium and the discovery of the New World to stories about Leonardo da Vinci and Fyodor Dostoevsky.