Customer Reviews:
Unforgettable history.......2002-07-03
I'm not sure how I first got acquainted with the story of the White Rose, but it is a story that deserves to be known.
During the darkest days of World War II, a small group of German university students, along with a pair of mentors, took it upon themselves to try to raise awareness of what Hitler and the Nazis were doing to Germany, and were looking for a way to organize enough resistance to try to throw the Nazis out.
Unfortunately, this took place during 1942 and 1943, and instead of this resistance taking hold throughout Germany, the members of the "Weisse Rose" were arrested and executed.
Many may argue that they sacrificed their lives in vain, since this broad-based resistance never came to pass. However, it was the faith that all of these students had, that they had to do what was right, despite the danger, that is truly inspiring.
This book is well-researched, well-written, and quite readable, even for people who don't know much about the White Rose to begin with. My main gripe with the book is that, although it is not as bad as a lot of stuff about the White Rose, it tends to idolize the Scholls to begin with, and when introducing the other members, especially Alexander Schmorell and Willi Graf. Later on in the book, when more is written about these people, there seems to be more of a balance in what is said.
And though a lot of people seem only to be interested in the leaflets themselves, or the more 'political' motivations of the group, I, for one, was delighted with the chapter about Russia, because in it it was able to portray more of the "emotional" reasons for the actions of the White Rose, and throws some color onto what could be regarded as "boring history".
I just wish that this book were not out of print in English, as it is amazingly hard to find, and it is something that I would recommend to almost anyone who is interested in history, interested in ethics, religion, or just wants to read an unbelievably moving tale.
Holocaust History.......2001-05-02
This is a rare book. Rare, in that it deals with German resistance to Hitler's demagoguery by young Christian university students. While there are a number of books around that deal with German resistance, this story, the story of the White Rose resistance movement, is quite different - probably due to the phenomenal research that Jud Newborn and his associate did on the subject. The book is informational, historical, educational and, I feel, a must for anyone, especially young people, to read.
An incisive account of Nazi student resistance.......2001-03-13
As a university professor, I found this book's treatment of the White Rose incisive and moving, the kind of dramatic yet scrupulous historical account that not only appeals to all readers, but has the special power to reach young people in high schools and colleges who might otherwise be turned off by drier academic writing. Bravo!
Proof of hope.......2001-03-07
It's been some years since I read Shattering the German Night, but it left a deep impression. One tends to think of Nazi Germany as monolithically evil, but these little known, idealistic students disproved that with their lives and, ultimately, with their tragic deaths at the hands of the Gestopo. It's a heart-breaking story in many ways, but also an inspiring one, enriched by letters, diaries, and interviews with the survivors. It gave me an unique insight into a period that has always fascinated me, and I highly recommend it to anyone with similar interests.
shattering the german night.......2001-03-06
This is an impressive, highly readable and beautifully researched account of two brave German youths who rejected Hitler's demonic vision and fought to open their countrymen's eyes to the horrors that lay ahead -- at the cost of their lives.
Far from being a starchy academic tome, this book pulls the reader into the sad but inspiring drama of these largely unsung heros, without sacrificing historic context and original research by Newborn, a well-respected Holocaust expert. Nothing is manipulated or taken out of context. This book drives home the high cost of courage in a world gone mad, and the brilliant light these brave young people shone into the dark night of Nazi Germany. An excellent choice for high-school classroom discussion.
Customer Reviews:
20 July 1944.......2005-09-03
I'm writing this review simply because no one else has, and this story deserves to be known. I pretend to no special expertise on Germany or the Holocaust. I read this book in the early 1980's, and recite my recollection now without having reread it, except for a few parts.
In general, I was surprised at the source of the strongest resistance -- the German military -- and then at the range and simple number of attempts on Hitler's life. From 1938 forward, so it seems, the military was actively conspiring to kill Hitler, almost without let up.
Their foremost concern was, not surprisingly, that Hitler was going to get them into another war that they knew would destroy Germany. Their motivation later in the war and their tactics were in some cases mixed -- they desperately tried to cut a separate peace with the West that would allow them to continue the war with Russia(The Americans wouldn't discuss the topic on those terms, apparently out of fear that rumors would get back to Stalin and he would, like the Russian leaders of 1917, cut their own deal with Germany and withdraw from the war).
Reading this story is not easy; the text is turgid and requires something on the order of a muscular effort to plod on thru. Nonetheless, the effort is worth it if frustrating in other ways. Among the frustrating and recurring patterns are the number of instances in which German officers entered a meeting with Hitler and, perhaps only because they were seated at a less than perfect angle in relation to him, chose to hold off attempting the assassination for fear of failure -- and an ensuing "hardening" of the target. We know from Albert Speer's books that the post 20 July 44 bunker was in fact hardened; all officers were searched on entering. Nonetheless, the effect on the reader is to shout at the book: "Pull the trigger, you fool!"
The other frustrating fact is the simply incredible luck Hitler enjoyed. One effort to kill him consisted of placing a bomb with a chemical trigger on his plane. It was mid-Winter and, as the plane climbed in altitude, the chemical process slowed down with the declining temperature. In fact it froze. Only after landing and Hitler was safely away did the poor bastards refueling his plane take the full brunt of the explosion. One pounds one's head. The lucky GD stiff.
But the real reason to read the book is to get the details of Claus Von Stauffenberg's efforts, culminating on 20 July 44, the famous briefcase that exploded and injured but did not kill Hitler. Stauffenberg himself stopped two prior efforts to kill Hitler with a bomb because Himmler, whom all of the military feared, was not present; the idea was to take them all out at once.
But as news of the plot started to leak out, Stauffenberg realized he needed to act, and he did. His courage and determination -- he lacked one hand and had only three fingers on the other -- override all obstacles, again save for Hitler's spectacular luck. Ten million people died in the next twelve months of the war, so this was not simply a question of when the war ended. And the failure has got to be considered enormous from that point of view.
Stauffenberg's efforts did succeed, in one respect, which will strike some as inadequate and others as important. He showed that even in the darkest moment of Hitler's terror, there were persons of conscience willing to pay for their principles with their life, and that there were Germans who knew of the debacle that had befallen their country -- and the world -- and that they as Germans would do whatever was possible to end it.
"Long live Holy Germany" Stauffenberg said in the face of his firing squad. I am told that the memorial in Germany to Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators is a simple marble block with the date -- 20 July 1944 -- inscribed. Much much more is told here of his actions, and should be told and retold again and again.
Average customer rating:
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Germans against Nazism: Nonconformity, Opposition and Resistance in the Third Reich
Francis Nicosia
Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
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ASIN: 0854966889 |
Book Description
The first major anthology in English on the question of resistance to National Socialism during the Third Reich.
Average customer rating:
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Encyclopedia of German Resistance to the Nazi Movement
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
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ASIN: 0826409458 |
Customer Reviews:
A tribute to moral courage........2002-06-30
For an author, there are two factors which greatly complicate a modern examination of the German resistance to Hitler. Firstly, after the failure of the assassination attempt on July 20th 1944, the Gestapo and the SS launched operation Thunderstorm, which eliminated thousands of Germans who were under suspicion (however slight) of disloyalty to the regime. Of course, irreplacable information perished along with these individuals. Secondly, now that half a century has passed, natural mortality has thinned even further the ranks of those who survived the War. Anton Gill has overcome these obstacles by locating and interviewing that handful of living participants, and by interviewing relatives and friends of those who died. This exceptional research, his grasp of European history, and his exceptional ability to tell the story combine to result in this flawless chronicle of an era.
Let's face it, reading war history can be about as exciting as eating a bag of sawdust. But this book reads like a novel, truly it does. It is never boring. It is a book about heroes, those who risked and lost their lives in an effort to thwart the plans of someone that history has confirmed as a madman. Why are they heroes? Among other reasons, because they had the perception to recognize Hitler as such AT THE TIME. It is easy to look back at this era and think of "what I would have done" but Gill's book shows us how truly difficult it was to be the one who resisted. For instance, it is certain that at no time could the conspirators, at whatever level they were working, count on the support of the populace or any form of legal recourse. Their lives were on the line. No turning back. But we who have never lived in a police state, who can criticise our government in letters to the newspaper or on an open postcard to a friend, who can speak our minds freely on the telephone or on the computer, can have no idea of what it is like to work against a regime whose hold on power depends on fear and informers, on mistrust and deception, on children reporting parents and parents denouncing children. This book is the story of those who resisted, at a time when the penalty for writing "Down With Hitler" on a wall was nothing less than death! We can't imagine.
Heroes like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Sophie Scholl, General Hans Oster, Ludwig Beck... you will hope against hope for these and so many others, while at the same time realizing that we can re-read history, but we can't rewrite it.
The story of Claus Graf Schenck von Stauffenberg's failed assassination attempt on Hitler at the Wolfsschanze, this was the most exciting part of the book. Gill's explanation of the events makes the heart pound, and you can follow along with the excellent maps that are provided. The resolve, the fortitude, the determination of Stauffenberg is literally amazing. And Hitler's luck (then, and on several other occasions) is almost unbelievable.
This is an excellent book and should be read by everyone interested in the history of bravery.
Book Description
Fest recounts in vivid detail the events leading up to the July 20, 1944 attempt by German anti-Nazi conspirators to kill Hitler with a bomb, and for the first time, brings to a popular audience the full story of the German resistance.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good Book.......2002-04-17
The author of this book, Joachim Fest, is one of the better know of the German World War 2 historians so I was expecting a well researched and factual book. What I found was just that. Fest first takes us through a history of a number of the failed plots and people responsible before sending the second half of the book on the plot that actually got the closest with a bomb blast injuring Hitler. Fest describes the set up of the plot, what was to take place after the assassination in regards to taking control of the German government and the assumptions of what would happen with the war. We also get a chapter on what happened to the members of the plot once it failed.
Overall this is an interesting and well-constructed book. The information is laid out in an organized and easy to understand method. The writing is better then you expect from a historian, it flows through the story. The book is a good one volume accounting of the attempts on Hitler's life and, unless you are a true historian of the issues, is about all one needs to understand and appreciate it. If you are interested in World War 2 this is a good pick up.
A fascinating read, though more importantly, honest.......1999-07-15
I have to concede that at first I was highly skeptical that Fest, not just any German, but a German from the Nazi generation, would write an honest account of the German Resistance (I admit to harboring prejudices against Germans; my parents are survivors of the Nazi death camps). I expected Fest to exaggerate the motives of the Resistance, asserting that they were purely on humanitarian and moral grounds. After I read the book, however, I realized that I allowed my prejudices towards Germans get in the way. Fest makes no pretenses about their motives. They were wide-ranging, a few on humanitarian grounds, some because they saw they were losing the war, and for some it was the combination of several factors. It was an interesting and informative read. One criticism I do have is that there is a serious omission. Fest fails to tell us that many in the Resistance, even such notables as von Stauffenberg, Carl Goerdeler and Martin Niemoller sympathized with the Nazi view that there was a "Jewish problem" -- a problem that required a "solution." True, they were horrified when they learned that the Nazi "solution" to the "Jewish problem" was extermination; nonetheless they did harbor a fair amount of anti-semitism. As the brother of Claus von Stauffenberg testified: "In the sphere of internal politics, we had welcomed the basic tenets of National Socialism for the most part. . .The concept of race seemed sound and very promising. . ."; their objection was merely that its "implementation was exaggerated and carried too far." [the quote is taken from Goldhagen's book "Hitler's Willing Executioners."]
Good Narrative History and Analysis.......1999-05-28
This book is very well-written with a lot of interesting information about major and minor members of the German resistance. In addition to good story-telling, Fest provides interesting analyses of the reasons for their failures. It is a sad story, but the moral courage of many of those in the German resistance is inspiring.
A serious and profound work regarding an overlooked topic........1998-04-28
Joachim Fest's book should be required reading of all military and political leaders. All leaders must realize that the danger of losing one's morality often happens imperceptibly slow. "Plotting Hitler's Death" is a gripping account of how the German elite attempted on numerous occasions to topple Hitler. The irony of the assasination attempts is that the German Army,never trustful of Hitler, is the institution that comes closest to killing Hitler. At the same time, Mr. Fest protrays in exacting detail the internal conflict that these men experienced: loyalty due to the oath they swore but the realization that Hitler's regime was criminal.
Barely interesting- nothing new.......1998-04-13
This book adds little to our understanding of this period. Yes there were many that opposed Hitler - some in thought, few in deed and almost none in action - over 300,000 people are estimated to have participated actively in the muder of the Jews - including those that sat at desks - those that drew up schedules and those that killed - so there were a few hundred that opposed Hitler after 1933 - and why didn't they succeed - because there were so few and they were fumblers. There were actually millions who opposed Hitler in Germany - they didn't vote for him but after 1933 it was too late. This book lists high ranking officials that made some attempt at plotting against Hitler. But one would barely know the context if one was not familiar with it from prior knowledge.
A dull read with little added to our knowledge of why Hitler succeeded in his deeds and why no one stopped him - even when it was too late.
Amazon.com
Though written as an historical account, On the Road to the Wolf's Lair reads at times like a spy thriller, complete with intrigue and danger. It is also meticulously researched, offering insight into the rise and fall of the Third Reich from the perspective of German resisters who once supported the movement. What is most interesting about the members of the civil service, military, and the clergy who came to oppose Hitler is that they initially embraced the party warmly, many of them sharing the nationalist fervor and anti-Semitism that characterized the Third Reich. In fact, it was their level of enthusiasm that originally granted them their high status and privilege within the dictatorship.
In this engrossing account, historian Theodore S. Hamerow closely examines why these people chose to reverse their alliance not only in spirit, but to take active steps to overthrow the regime, culminating in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hitler at his headquarters--the "Wolf's Lair"--in East Prussia in 1944. The book is less a strategic rendering than an analysis of motives, and Hamerow does not paint the resisters as unconditional heroes or moralists. Rather, he reveals all their foibles in an attempt to highlight the depth of their ultimate repulsion to Hitler's monstrous master plan. In telling his story, Hamerow also makes it clear that the resistance was stronger than initially believed by both Germany and the Allies, for it included high-ranking officers as well as bureaucrats at virtually every level of the government. In this way, the author makes a sizable contribution to the history of the Nazi party, adding a valuable volume to the ever-expanding World War II archives.
Book Description
In the beginning, they rallied behind Hitler in the national interest of Germany; in the end, they sacrificed their lives to assassinate him. A history of German resistance to Hitler in high places, this book offers a glimpse into one of the most intractable mysteries. Why did high-ranking army officers, civil servants, and religious leaders support Hitler? Why did they ultimately turn against him? What transformed these unlikely men, most of them elitist, militaristic, and fiercely nationalistic, into martyrs to a universal ideal?
The resisters in On the Road to the Wolf's Lair are not the singular souls doomed to failure by the massive Nazi machinery, but those who emerged from the Third Reich itself--those people whose cultural, administrative, and military positions allowed them, ultimately, to form a systematic, organized opposition to the Nazi regime. These were people with a vested interest in the Third Reich, and their slow and painful awakening to its evils makes a dramatic story, marked as much by temporizing and compromise, vacillation and reluctance--a resistance to conscience--as by the intrigue and heroics of political resistance that finally emerged. Hamerow follows these men as, one by one, they find themselves overwhelmed by guilt and contrition over their support of a murderous regime. He shows how their awakened moral reckonings and higher interests overrode lifetime habits and disciplines on the road to "the wolf's lair."
The result is an unsparing history of the German resistance to Hitler--one where the players emerge for the first time as real people with complex motives and evolving characters. Almost a history of the possibility of an emerging collective moral conscience within a destructive environment, the book adds to our understanding of the fall of the Third Reich and of the task of history itself.
Customer Reviews:
Valuable insights........1997-12-02
Contrary to popular understanding, the members of the German military, civil service, and church who opposed Hitler in 1944 had little allegiance to democratic principles, and had mostly welcomed National Socialism. Some quickly became disillusioned by Nazi barbarism. Others were inert until their beloved Germany seemed doomed to total destruction. Many, interestingly, were not opposed to the goals of National Socialism, but only to its policies or methods. In the end, as martyrs, they became symbols of a new, united, democratic Germany.
Their complex and evolving history is well told in this thorough and highly readable account, which will be essential for students of the German resistance, and of interest to anyone concerned with the history of Nazi Germany.
(The "score" rating is a fault of the format. This reviewer does not "score" books.)
Average customer rating:
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American Intelligence and the German Resistance to Hitler: A Documentary History (Widerstand, Dissent and Resistance in the Third Reich)
Manufacturer: Westview Pr (Short Disc)
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0813326877 |
Book Description
Scrupulously edited and researched, this book provides fascinating newly declassified documentary evidence on a largely neglected aspect of World War II. It is impossible to fully understand the Third Reich and the Roosevelt Administration at war without carefully studying this monumental contribution to twentieth-century history.
Book Description
Contending with Hitler is a distillation of recent scholarship on Germany's domestic resistance to the Nazi dictatorship. Consisting of twelve original essays, it sets forth the issues that specialists and laymen alike must keep in mind as they try to understand the nature and significance of this complex problem. Unlike most histories of the German resistance, this volume does not restrict its focus to well-known opposition factions such as the Kreisau Circle and the Twentieth of July conspiracy; rather, it includes investigations of resistance efforts by Jews, women, workers, and young people. The Socialist opposition is illuminated by the personal observations of former West German chancellor, Willy Brandt.
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