Germany Books

Brian Davis's work on Luftwaffe uniforms and insignia is the fundamental work, standing in one rank with such work as John Angolia and Adolf Schlict's book "Uniforms and traditions of the Luftwaffe". Brian Leigh is a well-known historical researcher. All of us know his previous publications on flags of the Third Reich, the classical "German Army Uniforms and Insignia", "Badges and insignia of the Third Reich" etc.

This books covers ALL aspects of the Luftwaffe uniforms and insignia in 1940-1945: ranks in the various arms of the Luftwaffe, badges of rank and collar patches, Waffenfarbe, trade and specialist badges, qualification badges, aiguillettes, gorgets and many, many more. The main circumstance doing the given book of such valuable, that the author quotes original orders, instructions and regulations of the Luftwaffe. It does the book irreplaceable for those researchers who wish to understand the difficult and confused system of clothing and equipment of military-air forces of the Third Reich. And, as laways, the author's friend and collaborator, Malcolm McGregor, done a great job with line drawings.

Davis' second Luftwaffe volume has joined the elite of my bookshelf - those books that are looked at innumerable times due to their outstandingly useful content. While I paid a collector's price for this volume, I was not disappointed. The text, line drawings, and unique photos are all an invaluable resource.

Yet another great volume from Brian L Davis. Intelligently-written well-documented text, along with the usual high-quality photographs and illustrations we expect from Mr. Davis provide an excellent sourcebook for military collectors, military historians, or anyone interested in 20th century history.

As always, money talks. Or was it more than money? That question is not exactly answered in this chilling expose of Nazi war criminals living quiet, peaceful lives in the United States, the corruption in the INS that allowed them entrance (and citizenship!), and the man who tried his best to hunt them down and expell them. Although the author concentrated on four of these monsters, he might have done the world a service in 1977 by naming all 59 names on the list Tony DeVito was supplied. Looking back through the Kosovo experience, would expelling those Ustashi leaders hiding here and openingly publishing their hate literature have somehow prevented the blood-shed in Serbia? And the disgrace to the Rumanian Orthodox Church! No wonder there were young people in the 1960s for whom "organized religion" was a joke! This book actually raises more questions than it answers and someone should do a thorough examination of INS records for the years 1945 to 1960. It would make another good book!

I have read and re-read this book several times, and it is fantastic. By selecting four Nazis who slipped through the cracks of the overwhelming post-war immigration, Howard Blum skillfully details their stories, and the efforts to expose them for living the good life here in America. The detail with which their horrific actions are recounted is ample evidence of Blum's thorough nature and regard for history while keeping the reader mesmorized. Even though it was written in the 1970's, the impact on today's readers should be felt just as deeply.

You would have to consider this book to be a literal eye opener. The author gives several real life examples of Nazi war criminals living the good life in the United States. The author
takes several cases of Nazis who have set up residency in the
United States. The details of these individuals false residency
makes for informative reading as well.The network that protects
these individuals is given attention as well.This makes for scary reading that Nazi war criminals could actually live the good life of the United States as normal American citizens. This
is a book that will make you wonder. Read this book. It is definitely a page turner.

It is the height of hubris to think that you can write something new, interesting, and important on the subject of war. Armed conflict has been at the center of discussion, writing, and study as far back as there has been writing. But Goemans has actually done it. This book is provocative, timely, and timeless. It should be read by anyone who is interested in war, peace, or history. (The case studies on World War I are easily worth the price of the book whatever you think of the main thesis!)

According to Clausewitz, an understanding of war cannot be meaningfully divorced from political life. Indeed, he maintains, whenever we attempt to do so, the many links connecting the two phenomena are lost and we are left virtually bereft of understanding. One of the several virtues in this tightly argued and scholarly tome by Stanford professor Hein Goemans is its meticulous and careful consideration of empirical evidence in assessing the interaction and influence of such interrelated factors in what he refers to as "war termination". Using the massive data concerning what specific factors helped to finally bring an end to the First World War to create a fascinating case study, Goemans marshals an articulate and convincing argument regarding the fashion in which these mutually reinforcing factors come to bear on the progress toward cessation of hostilities.

Goemans' thesis proceeds from a simple yet provocative premise; that leaders decide to either prosecute or cease fighting at least partly based on how the terms of settlement affect their postwar fate. The author argues that the belligerents make an initial assessment of their chances to succeed in their war aims based on what they learn from their engagements with the enemy, and that such battlefield assessment is a critical factor in determining what is possible in terms of settling the hostilities. He shows how different kinds of regimes blend this assessment with both their understanding of the international structure they are operating within as well as with their own domestic political considerations. According to the author, war settlement is only possible when a situation he refers to as "bargaining space" develops, i.e., both sides come to similar conclusions regarding the likely outcome as well as the advantages of settling now rather than later.

Goemans is at his best when arguing for a more sophisticated appreciation for how this multiplicity of factors interacts in a dynamic setting that is "realpolitik", and demonstrates how such mutually reinforcing factors influence the war goals and determination of future action by individual belligerents. For example, in a telling example Hoemans illustrates that in spite of a stunning defeat at Verdun, the French decided to escalate their war aims; their collective faith in the personal capabilities of Robert Nivelle were so great that they expected to gain the advantage despite all the setbacks. Likewise, his consideration of how domestic political circumstances and the subjective reading of the international situation by both German and Russian officials influenced the course and outcome of the war.

His scholarly approach as well as an unfortunate tendency toward continuing use of very carefully constructed terms and phrases may at times seem a bit repetitive and initially a bit off-putting to the general reader, yet understanding the academic tone of the book, seems perfectly understandable. The author is, after all, writing a book for other academics rather than for a general audience, even though I'm confident that many serious students of military history will find this particular academic book a fascinating and useful read. When all is said and done, this is a very interesting book, and it is one I highly recommend to those students of military history who appreciate the amazingly complex interaction of a welter of factors in determining the onset, progress, and termination of war.

Goemans has written a remarkable book. He offers a new answer to an oft overlooked question: why do wars continue and why do they stop? This question is all the more important because, as he points out, theories on the causes of war often try to predict why a war broke out, amounting perhaps to an explanation of the first shots fired, or first day a border is crossed. Intuitively, however, this is not why the study of war has such a prominent place in International Relations. Rather, it is the enormous amount of destruction, the lives lost, the cities and towns ruined that make war such a compelling subject. These horrific consequences of war, however, are not explained by any explanations of when first shots were fired, or when borders were first crossed, but must be explained by answering the question what made the war go on! Moreover, as he points out, an understanding of the causes of war termination might be logically prior to any understanding of the causes of war initiation. After all, leaders think about war and its consequences before they decide to get involved. The book also does an admirable job at generating new hypotheses; to pick just one, he presents a novel explanation for why countries sometimes choose to employ risky military strategies. One of the most important strengths of the book is that it does not just pay lip service to different methodological aproaches, but indeed integrates insights from rational choice, quantitative analysis and in-depth case studies. Overall, this is a remarkably ambitious book in many respects; even more remarkable is that Goemans actually pulls it off.

"The Watershed" by Arthur Koestler is a magnificent piece of literature that is unique, yet well organized and informative of the life and works of Johannes Kepler. Koestler does a great job in showing how the modern world-view was slowly replaced by the medieval world-view and how science has progressively advanced. He has a direct goal to demonstrate the distinction between Humanities and Sciences. I believe it is a necessary book to read for anyone interested in science. It enables the reader with a greater understanding of the universe and the planets in our solar system. It is also unique in showing the struggles Kepler and many scientists face during their lives that they must overcome. Kepler's personal writings fused with Koestler's outside commentary provide for an informative read applicable to any reader. Koestler shows how Kepler's studies directly influenced modern astronomy and physics through his three laws, which were pivotal in the works of Isaac Newton. Also, he effectively demonstrates the process in which Kepler drew up his theories and found his discoveries, as well as the resistance he faced from the general public, himself, and other factors. "The Watershed is one biography that should be read by anyone interested in physics, astronomy, or any other science.

This book is an excellent read for all inquiring minds, young and old. As a young avid reader, it was this book and the memory of Koestler's words describing not only Kepler himself, but of the watershed crest where thought and reason began to cascade down the slope of knowledge; it was this that ignited within me the spark that touched off a greater quest for knowledge. My son is now nine, and I hope that this book may have the some of the same cathartic effect on him.

Arthur Kooestler was a true 20th century man. At various periods in his life he was a refugee, communist, Zionist and democratic-socialist. He was a true cosmopolitan, in the positive sense, and also a student of the history of science.
The Watershed is a hymn to a forgotten hero of science - the astronomer J. Kepler who lived in the latter part of the 16th and early part of the 17th centuries. Koestler projects him as a true genius, the father of modern cosmology, who laid the foundation for modern astronomy and who paved the way for Newtonian physics but never realized the importance of his three laws. Kepler was caught between two worlds: the medieval theological world based on Aristotelian physics and modern science based on observation and calculation. If you like he was caught between his heart and his mind. This is readily seen in his works which range from the mystic to the scientific.
Keplers three laws were:
1.the planets do not orbit in circles but in ellipses.

2.the speed of the planets vary during their orbit.
3.there is an exact correlation between a planets' period of revolution around the sun and it's distance from the sun: the squares of the periods of revolution of any two planets are as the cubes of their mean distance from the sun.
In fact, Kepler had discovered gravity but didn't realize it. This great mind couln't make the the final jump into modernity. This book is a really fine portrayal of Kepler as a great thinker, a man of his times and as Everyman with the same personal problems we all experience.
I strongly reccomend this forgotten work to anybody interested in the history of science.

I second "historian0"'s review, and I have to add that the numerous first person accounts from letters and interviews make this an excellent choice for a logic-staged child studying this time period. My 6th and 8th graders will be reading this to get an understanding of how their lives would have been ordered if they were born into Hitler's Germany.

In purchasing this book, I was looking for a quick glance into the lives of German youth during the Third Reich and I got just that. The book thouroughly explains the HItlerjugend mindset and mentality. It has a great educational value because a lot of terms and historical events are explained so that everybody understands what they're reading. It is an afternoon read with a very inside depth. I recommend this book to people of all ages and educational backgrounds.

My parents lived during the WW II in Poland. The war stories shaped my childhood, especially since my mother's family lived in Silesia, close to the boarder with Germany. My family was dealing with "bad" and "good" Germans all the time. I always wanted to understand people on the other side, their mindset, since I realize that these people were like us. They were just born on the other side of the boarder.

This book gives a right perspective. It does not demonize Germans or German youth. It just shows how the totalitarian system affect people. Very interesting, very informative and with good pictures. The author uses the personal accounts to help to understand young people in Germany in that time. This is not the account of "good" versus "bad". It helps us to learn from the mistakes of Nazi generation.

Just finished this book and found it insightful, well written and extremely useful. Kupfer is that rare gem... a historian who can really write. This book is a treasure.

I had the pleasure of studying underneath Charles Kupfer at Penn State Harrisburg and the next best thing to sitting down with him in a classroom is picking up this book. Dr. Kupfer is a thorough researcher and a skilled writer with the training of a journalist and a historian rolled into one. WWII history is a favorite of mine and I particularly enjoyed learning about this under-reported aspect to the war. I may be biased, but I would recommend this book to the casual reader of history and the serious scholar alike. An evening spent with Charles Kupfer, be it in written form or in a class is an evening well spent.

Charles Kupfer, clearly a wordsmith of the top rank, has written a fantastic book about how the news media covered the enormously important events of World War II. Through clear and enjoyable writing, the author helps one understand what it would have felt like to be a member of the American public during this time. I found this book to be a wonderful discourse on a largely under-discussed aspect of World War II. While reading the book, I couldn¡¦t help ponder about the differences between today¡¦s media and that of yesteryear. The power of the press was never more important than during that time, as Dr. Kupfer clearly shows how the news media played a crucial forming public sentiment. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the media and/or World War 2 as it provides one a startling fresh take on well known historic events. I greatly look forward to reading other books by Charles Kupfer.

This book is amazing. It's the best non-fiction that I've read in years; it's as chilling as an action packed fiction book. The footnotes and sources take up about a 1/3 of the book; read all of the archived documents!

I discovered this book two years ago at our local library after I saw the documentary on public TV. I've read it twice.

It's helped inspire me to remember that 1 person really can make a difference, even if our contributions are a lot less! We can't take our freedoms for granted!

"When Truth Was Treason" gives an important look into the experience of some of the German people under the control of the Nazi State during the atrocities taking place in Germany during World War II. I especially enjoyed the added information included in the extensive footnote section at the end of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to know of the heroism of some of those who resisted the evil of Hitler. This is a moving account of a side of the history of World War II we are often completely unaware of.

You will find out about Nazism, but the book is about courage. FULL of documents...chilling.

A Witness to Barbarism is a wonderful insight into the mind of hitler from a different viewpoint. The people he hired to record all his meetings recount their memories of the interaction Hitler had with his Aides and his reactions to events of the war. I couldn't put this book down. I highly recommend the book to anyone with any interest in history.

Witness To Barbarism is a well written biography and first hand account of Hansen's dealings with Hitler's five Stenographers. Included in this book are many photographs offering evidence used in the actual Dachau trials. This book is essential for both historical and educational purposes. It is easy to read and simply hard to put this book down.

Compelling, easy to read and I couldn't put this book down until I finished. Of particular interest to me were the interviews with five of Hitler's personal recorders. They told the author about Hitler's behaviors and characteristics that over-powered men of his inner circle. These recorders' interviews, during the time of the Dachau trials, were verified when the author returned to Germany in 1984 and 1985 to re-interview the last surviving recorder. These interviews confirmed Hitler's dominance during his war crimes conferences.

I would recommend this book to any high school or college professor who teaches the Holocaust.

The story of "Second Schweinfurt" was already somewhat familiar to my family. This was the raid in which my grandfather barely managed to escape his B-17 as it fell from the sky. As a child I remember him talking about that experience and his time as a POW, but I never understood the larger picture until I read this book.

The research that went into this book was based both on official military records and numerous interviews with flight crews, and obviously was performed with great care and attention. Although my grandfather was not interviewed for the book, I was amazed at how closely the book matched the stories he had told, sometimes word for word.

The leadership failures on this day lead to devastating losses for the 305th Bomb Group, and this very valuable book does an excellent job of explaining exactly what went wrong.

There could be no better title for this book. The 8th Air Force flew into a meat grinder on this October 1943 mission. Mr. Kuhl gives a hair raising description of flying over the Reich without the benefit of long range fighter escort (Little friends). There were several raids on Schweinfurt and Reginsburg(sp?) to knockout ballbearing and aircraft factories. On the particular day of the mission described in this book every factor fell in the favor of the defender, the early warning worked, fighters were ready and anti-aircraft (flak) emplacements were prepared all the way from the coast of Europe to the target and back. There are excellent first hand accounts of battling it out with Luftwaffe aircraft, getting hit with 88mm flak and of one B-17 making a mad dash in and out of Alpine valleys trying to outrun the pursuing fighters to neutral Switzerland. Sadly there was a trail of parachutes all acoss Europe as the doomed mission went into and came out of the target area. Good photos. Good description of weapons and tactics used by both side. I highly recomend this book to WW2 aviation buffs.

Only the WWII airwar novel "The Triumph and the Glory" can rival Kuhl's classic book on the Schweinfurt raid. His recounting of the experience of the 305th BG on this horrific October day is spellbinding, I am very impressed and highly recommend Wrong Place Wrong Time to everyone interested in WWII.

Adolf Cluss, Architect; From Germany to America.

Even as a coffee-table book, Adolf Cluss - Architect will hold its own, given its graphic layout, excellent illustrations, and readable format. But it is far more than that. For a student of the history of Washington DC, one interested in German-American life, or one with an interest in the public architecture of the 19th century, a reader will find this book hard to put down.

Adolf Cluss admittedly is not a well known name outside of architectural circles and therefore it may surprise the reader to learn that a German immigrant conceived of and directed the construction of the great and splendid Arts and Industries Building of the Smithsonian Institution as well as other public buildings and elegant private mansions in Washington, many of which have escaped the wrecker's ball and are still standing. He put his mark on the skyline of Washington during the latter part of the 19th Century. He was a master of decorative ornate brickwork and soaring spires and seemed to abhor the solid, unbroken plane of any vertical surface. Much of his inspiration seemed to have come from the buildings in his hometown of Heilbronn, Wuerttemberg in Southwestern Germany where he was born in 1825.

He came from a long line of master builders and craftsmen, the son of a prominent builder in their city, and though not wealthy, Cluss's father believed in practical education for his sons. Young Adolf was a tall, handsome and intelligent young man, and perceptive to not only the physical world around him but of ideas and social conditions. On the cusp of the massive industrial revolution that would reshape Germany, he and other young intellectuals became involved with the problems facing the masses of old-line workers - saddle and harness makers, barge operators, etc, who faced lean times as their jobs were replaced by machines.

He joined in with other young men of like radical mind and became involved in the progressive political thinking of the day. They staged rallies which by and large were ignored by the workmen but attracted the attention of ultra-radical thinkers such as Karl Marx. Father Cluss apparently thought it prudent to hie young Adolf off to the New World to afford him a change of scenery but most certainly to keep him out of trouble. He escaped just in time for within months the abortive revolution of 1848 had broken out and many of his contemporaries were imprisoned or had to escape Germany under considerably less favorable circumstances.

Marx apparently saw young Cluss as the most likely of likely recruits to his cause and began a series of correspondence which continued long after he was becoming established in Washington as an up-and-coming architect and designer. Marx perhaps would have been disappointed with Cluss in later years as a leader of world revolution as he became thoroughly enmeshed with the life and times of the "ruling" classes in Washington, acquiring both fame and wealth as a result of his work.

The book provides not only a detailed biographic portrait of his life but displays excellent photographs of his work as well as detailed architectural drawings, street maps and many peripheral photographs of the Washington DC of his day. The cover alone is striking - a portrait of the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building done in a way that captures minute detail that only old-time large format plate film could do.

The only person to be personal friends with both Ulysses S. Grant and Karl Marx, the enigmatic architect Adolph Cluss lived in two worlds: the Germany of his youth, which he left after the failure of the 1848 revolutions, and the young American republic, where he came to organize workers and stayed to rebuild its capital city. Scholarly yet accessible, this eloquently illustrated volume illuminates the varied facets of Cluss's previously forgotten career. It puts this remarkable architect back on the historical screen.