Bibliogr. s. 51-52

The article is aimed at analysing the role of counterfactual imagination in selected con-temporary British historical novels which depict World War Two and, thus, attempt to reconstruct history. First, the importance of imagination in producing historical novels is discussed. Second, the role of and reasons for imagining are examined in view of counter-factuals. Then, counterfactual imagination that stems from creating fictional and alterna-tive versions of events is illustrated with examples from contemporary British historical novels. The selected novels include Ian McEwan's Atonement, Lissa Evans's Their Finest Hour and a Half as well as John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. It is analysed how counterfactual imagination is depicted in the novels and what bearing it may have on this genre as well as the perception of historical events which are reconstructed by dint of fic-tionalisation.