The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression is a book written by several European academics and edited by
Stéphane Courtois, and documents a history of
repressions, both political and civilian, by
Communist states, including
genocides,
extrajudicial executions,
deportations, and artificial
famines. The book was originally published in 1997 in France under the title
Le Livre noir du communisme: Crimes, terreur, répression by
Éditions Robert Laffont. In the United States it is published by
Harvard University Press. The German edition, published by
Piper Verlag, includes a chapter written by
Joachim Gauck, who later went on to be
President of Germany.