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Secret Germany: Stefan George and His Circle
Published in Hardcover by Cornell University Press (2002-05-31)
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A Fine Book on an Esoteric Subject...
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2005-01-16
Review Date: 2005-01-16
Brilliant Study of Germany's Greatest Poet, Stefan George
Helpful Votes: 22 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-24
Review Date: 2002-08-24
I wish to stress with some urgency that in my view this recently issued monograph on Germany's greatest poet, Stefan George, who was likewise one of modern Europe's most enigmatic and disturbing political presences, constitutes an achievement of incomparable significance in the historiography of cultural modernism. Experto crede: I have been occupied in studying these individuals for thirty years or more, and I can assure students that Robert Edward Norton has shed more light than admirers of Stefan George would have thought possible upon a dazzlingly talented, albeit indubitably eccentric,literary cenacle at whose center stood the masterful and charismatic visionary who was its spiritus rector.
Although George began his literary career as something of a minor Teutonic satellite on the far fringes of the French Symbolist movement (we learn, for instance, that the poet became quite close, both personally and artistically, to several of the Symbolist School's leading lights, viz., Paul Verlaine and Stephane Mallarme to mention just two of the more prominent figures) the predominant emphasis in Robert E. Norton's monograph rests upon the author's entertaining presentation of a wide range of hitherto obscure details involving the poet's later career, when his personal pretensions began to outweigh his literary career--over which George assiduously endeavored to cast a shroud of mystery and ambiguity--as well as unlocking for us a treasure trove of hitherto obscure biographical facts and anecdotes about the disciples and associates who drifted into the orbit of George-Kreis at one time or another. These anecdotes cover the waterfront, from uproarious and barely believable brawls that erupt out of the blue between alpha-intellects who are not what one would describe as pugilists, to grotesque tales of oddballs and geniuses who prefer to gussy themselves up in amazing couture in order to be wearing chic and appropriate threads when sallying out to attend the legendary and elaborate masqued balls that were almost a matter of routine in Schwabing-Muenchen. That custom, we learn, dictates that these people are more often than not attired in Roman-styled togas or, when feeling somewhat more daring, decked out in some gaudy purple-dyed gown that has been designed to garb a middle-aged intellectual who is impersonating the Magna Mater!
We learn also that these bright young things also hold somewhat outre "language orgies" in the course of which one of the oddest of the odd, viz., Alfred Schuler, launches himself into a catatonic state and then proceeds to time-travel back to ancient Rome (to visit his idol, of course, the Roman Emperor Nero!).
On the darker side of these affairs, the narrative presents more ominous anticipations and adumbrations of ominous types of cultic behaviors and ritual observances many of which would one day come to exert a profound and troubling influence on a less purely literary gathering of activists, viz., Hitler's National Socialists, whose adherents were to inherit so many elements of George's uniquely--even oppresively--authoritarian leadership style, along with the [Schuler-inspired]adoption during the fin de siecle period of the swastika as a sort of occult sigil of mystical might, one that came to adorn the title page of the Circle's official literary journal, the Blaetter fuer die Kunst.
We're also given numerous details about the poet's itinerary as he wandered from one associate's flat to another's (he was definitely what one might call a "professional house-guest"), along with fresh discoveries about the incredible group of renowned thinkers and creative writers (among whom the most talented were surely philosopher Ludwig Klages, archaeologist Alfred Schuler, poet Hugo von Hoffmansthal, and Shakespearean scholar Friedrich Gundolf), all of whom became adherents to the famous "Circles" that were so idiosyncratic a feature of cultural life in Schwabing-Munich at the dawn of the 20th century.
In closing, I repeat that I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in German culture, in the nascent proto-National Socialist scene in early 20th century Bavaria, or simply in the spectacle of some of the weirdest intellectuals ever to have come down the pike.
Putting a Human Face on George
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2004-11-29
Review Date: 2004-11-29
Over there they pronounce his name, "Gay-or-ga," and over there they treated him almost as a god. From American shores we find it difficult to see why Stefan George attained the eminence we once did, but Norton does his very best to penetrate two mysteries--one is the mystery of George's decline in reputation--and the other is, what made him the extraordinary character he was, and what is it about Germans that makes them need heroes and leaders so badly?
George was a talented poet, and apparently a homosexual, and early on he fell in love with the brilliant young poet Hugo von Hoffmanstahl, who drew back when confronted with the full force of George's love, and later became Richard Strauss' favorite librettist and the author of, for example, Der Rosenkavalier, a work that has lasted longer than any of George's own poetry. But, in the US, George has always been shrouded by a mist of romance and also by suspicions that he was somehow a proto-Nazi. His sympathizers say that he was resolutely anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi, but his case was not helped by his insistence on showing the swastika under the impression that its use could distinguished as separate from that of the National Socialists. Stefan George drew a cult around himself, and around the image of his boyfriend, known as "Maximin," who died early and young and thus became, for the George-kreis (or circle), an image of national and personal purity and unrealized potentiality. It is a sad story and Norton gives us a Stefan George who seems almost human, if a bit over-rated. It is hard to believe that eighty or ninety years ago people thought of him as they did Lenin. It has been a long time since a mere poet attained that kind of status in world affairs.
George was a talented poet, and apparently a homosexual, and early on he fell in love with the brilliant young poet Hugo von Hoffmanstahl, who drew back when confronted with the full force of George's love, and later became Richard Strauss' favorite librettist and the author of, for example, Der Rosenkavalier, a work that has lasted longer than any of George's own poetry. But, in the US, George has always been shrouded by a mist of romance and also by suspicions that he was somehow a proto-Nazi. His sympathizers say that he was resolutely anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi, but his case was not helped by his insistence on showing the swastika under the impression that its use could distinguished as separate from that of the National Socialists. Stefan George drew a cult around himself, and around the image of his boyfriend, known as "Maximin," who died early and young and thus became, for the George-kreis (or circle), an image of national and personal purity and unrealized potentiality. It is a sad story and Norton gives us a Stefan George who seems almost human, if a bit over-rated. It is hard to believe that eighty or ninety years ago people thought of him as they did Lenin. It has been a long time since a mere poet attained that kind of status in world affairs.
Essential!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2002-07-16
Review Date: 2002-07-16
Robert Norton's landmark biography on Stefan George and his circle truly is an exceptional book in every respect. Expansive in its inclusion of meticulous detail, this work stands as the definitive biography on George in any language to date.
The Sky on Fire: The First Battle of Britain 1917-1918 and the Birth of the Royal Air Force (1st Edition)
Published in Hardcover by Holt, Rinehart and Winston (1966)
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Very relevant to today's conflicts
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-20
Review Date: 2003-03-20
As I sit here watching the early missle/air war against Baghdad in March, 2003, I want to contact the news broadcasters to give them information that I learned from this book.
I read this book 20 years ago from the library and have wanted to re-read it ever since. (I'm going to order a copy today.)
Well written. Very informative. Highly recommended.
Excellent historical volume on WW1 heavy bombing
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-10-02
Review Date: 1999-10-02
I have the original hardback edition of this book, and found it to be very well researched and written. Besides the history of the great German biplane bombers, it explains the frustration of England in developing a defense against this new type of warfare. Also, the fight in the English government to establish an independant Air Force is also discussed. An interesting read for history students or aviation enthusiasts.
Career fighter pilot loved it.
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1998-03-17
Review Date: 1998-03-17
As an air defense pilot 1954-1970 with a hobby of military history I thought the book well researched and detailed and instills in the reader what it was like back then in a hostile sky. I have read the book several times and still find it fascinating. Walt (BJ) Bjorneby Lt/Col, USAF, (Ret), pilot F86/F102/F104/F4
Perfectly detailed and written book on a forgotten subject.
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-21
Review Date: 1999-12-21
Have you ever bought a book because you were interested in the subject matter, only to realize upon reading the first chapter that the writer does not know how to entertain? If you have, then brace yourself, because this book is NOT like that. The author filled each chapter with relevant insights into the characters that make up the events. Not once was I overpowered by facts alone. I have read highly praised novels that lacked the emotion, suspense, etc, that this book displays. To top it off, the author writes with unbelievable knoweldge of a subject that is too often overlooked: the implications of the First Battle of Britian.
A Spy at the Heart of the Third Reich (Library Edition): The Extraordinary Life of Fritz Kolbe, America's Most Important Spy in World War II
Published in Audio CD by Tantor Media (2005-03-01)
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Unforgettable Tale About An Unsung Hero of World War II
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-17
Review Date: 2005-11-17
Until I had picked up Lucas Delattre's "A Spy at the Heart of the Third Reich: The Extraordinary Life of Fritz Kolbe, America's Most Important Spy in World War II", I had never heard before of this book's fascinating subject. Without question, he became an important source of information to the United States on the state of affairs in Nazi Germany towards the latter half of World War II. But still more fascinating is that he came "out of the cold", unannounced, and introduced himself to skeptical American and British intelligence operatives in Switzerland as a German foreign service employee willing to work alone against a diabolical, despotic regime. Delattre - and his English translator George A. Holoch, Jr. - have told a riveting tale in the best tradition of a Graham Greene or John Le Carre novel, but here, the truth is surely much stranger than fiction. I was especially intrigued with how well Kolbe had won over the Americans, especially Allen Dulles, the OSS station chief in Switzerland, and that he managed to provide - without any detection by his superiors in the foreign ministry or by the Gestapo - invaluable information on Nazi-occupied Europe and Japanese-occupied Asia. And I find it remarkable that Kolbe escaped detection by the Gestapo when quite a few of his friends and colleagues did not, and were executed eventually for their resistance against the Nazi dictatorship. It's a pity that this story had a bittersweet ending for Kolbe, who could not serve in the Federal Republic of Germany's foreign ministry due to the influence of former Nazis who objected to having a "traitor" working in their midst; much to Germany's credit, he has been remembered posthumously with a memorial room in the current Foreign Ministry office. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested not only in World War II, but in events in Germany immediately after the war.
The spy who was left out in the cold
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-20
Review Date: 2006-03-20
This must be one of the most remarkable stories to come out of World War II, and Fritz Kolbe must be one of that war's most unique personalities. During the last two years of the war, and at the risk of his life, Fritz Kolbe brought to the Allies over 2600 secret documents from Hitler's Foreign Office in Berlin. As a result, at war's end he was regarded as "the prize intelligence source of the war." For all this, he asked nothing.
Kolbe was a minor official in the Foreign Office who had managed to maintain his position despite never having joined the Nazi Party. He came to detest the Nazi regime and, despite the inherent risks, resolved to do everything in his power to help bring it down. In early 1943, despite not being a party member, he managed to wangle a trip to Bern, Switzerland as a diplomatic courier. Once there, he attempted to contact the British secret service but they turned him away.
Kolbe then managed to contact the Bern office of the fledgling American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - the forerunner of today CIA - which was headed by Allen Dulles. Kolbe brought with him about two hundred Nazi top secret documents. Dulles was somewhat uncertain, but decided to take a chance on Kolbe and gave him the cover name George Wood. From that time on, Kolbe provided Dulles with highly classified information regarding the third Reich, its plans, its weaponry, its manufacturing plants and their locations, damage to factories and other installations by allied aircraft, Germany's negotiations with other countries, and strategic information concerning the Japanese war machine. In addition, Kolbe's information helped identify German spies and/or their locations in Ireland, Ankara, and Africa.
But sadly, much of this information was never acted upon by the Allies. For some inexplicable reason the OSS office in Washington assigned his file to the counter-espionage service which spent most of its time trying to verify the authenticity of the source. Even more sadly, shortly before his death President Roosevelt mandated that no special consideration should be given to Germans who risked their lives to aid the Allied cause. Germany's surrender must be unconditional.
Thus the ultimate irony: It has been said that no good deed shall go unpunished. So, if Fritz Kolbe's heroic efforts to help bring down Adolph Hitler's Nazi Germany can be considered a good deed by mankind, then Kolbe certainly received his just reward. For at war's end, and with the newly established German Foreign Office largely staffed with ex-Nazi officials, Fritz Kolbe found himself blacklisted as a traitor and left out in the cold.
He had many friends in America's Office of Strategic Services (OSS), but despite the best efforts of his friend, Allen Dulles, who's reputation as a spy master Kolbe had almost single handedly created, Kolbe was never able to resume his career. Instead, he went from one low paying job to another until his death on February 16, 1971. This was a sad end for a forgotten hero who strangely enough might have wanted it that way.
Kolbe was a minor official in the Foreign Office who had managed to maintain his position despite never having joined the Nazi Party. He came to detest the Nazi regime and, despite the inherent risks, resolved to do everything in his power to help bring it down. In early 1943, despite not being a party member, he managed to wangle a trip to Bern, Switzerland as a diplomatic courier. Once there, he attempted to contact the British secret service but they turned him away.
Kolbe then managed to contact the Bern office of the fledgling American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - the forerunner of today CIA - which was headed by Allen Dulles. Kolbe brought with him about two hundred Nazi top secret documents. Dulles was somewhat uncertain, but decided to take a chance on Kolbe and gave him the cover name George Wood. From that time on, Kolbe provided Dulles with highly classified information regarding the third Reich, its plans, its weaponry, its manufacturing plants and their locations, damage to factories and other installations by allied aircraft, Germany's negotiations with other countries, and strategic information concerning the Japanese war machine. In addition, Kolbe's information helped identify German spies and/or their locations in Ireland, Ankara, and Africa.
But sadly, much of this information was never acted upon by the Allies. For some inexplicable reason the OSS office in Washington assigned his file to the counter-espionage service which spent most of its time trying to verify the authenticity of the source. Even more sadly, shortly before his death President Roosevelt mandated that no special consideration should be given to Germans who risked their lives to aid the Allied cause. Germany's surrender must be unconditional.
Thus the ultimate irony: It has been said that no good deed shall go unpunished. So, if Fritz Kolbe's heroic efforts to help bring down Adolph Hitler's Nazi Germany can be considered a good deed by mankind, then Kolbe certainly received his just reward. For at war's end, and with the newly established German Foreign Office largely staffed with ex-Nazi officials, Fritz Kolbe found himself blacklisted as a traitor and left out in the cold.
He had many friends in America's Office of Strategic Services (OSS), but despite the best efforts of his friend, Allen Dulles, who's reputation as a spy master Kolbe had almost single handedly created, Kolbe was never able to resume his career. Instead, he went from one low paying job to another until his death on February 16, 1971. This was a sad end for a forgotten hero who strangely enough might have wanted it that way.
Tale of a Hero
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-25
Review Date: 2005-05-25
This is a truly unforgettable biography of a German civil servant and diplomat who risked his life to spy for the allies during WWII.He was a member of the German diplomatic service, who had the courage (almost alone among his colleagues), to refuse to join the Nazi party. As the war went on, he was steadily promoted, ending up in a position in which he had access to top-secret documents. Driven by his conscience, he decided that he must help the allies, and this he did at the risk of his life, by smuggling documents to Switzerland. For his first trip across the German - Swiss frontier, he wrapped secret documents around his thighs, under his trousers! Discovery by customs agents would have led to his arrest and eventual execution.
When he first arrived in Zurich, he attempted to contact British and American spy organizations, but was treated by them with great suspicion, and considered a 'double agent'. Eventually he was able to gain the trust of Allen Dulles who acted as head US espionage in Switzerland during this period. Fritz Kolbe worked with Dulles for several years, during which he was able to transmit over 2,600 secret documents to the Dulles organization. From the outset, he astonished his American colleagues by refusing any and all payment for his dangerous work. As the war end approached, he even attempted to form a guerilla group in Berlin, but was dissuaded from this by his US handlers, who persuaded him that his work as a spy was too important for him to take on extra risks. When the war was over, he was unable to find employment in the German diplomatic service, because he was considered a traitor by the many ex-Nazis who had managed to re-enter German government service. He died of cancer in 1971.
When he first arrived in Zurich, he attempted to contact British and American spy organizations, but was treated by them with great suspicion, and considered a 'double agent'. Eventually he was able to gain the trust of Allen Dulles who acted as head US espionage in Switzerland during this period. Fritz Kolbe worked with Dulles for several years, during which he was able to transmit over 2,600 secret documents to the Dulles organization. From the outset, he astonished his American colleagues by refusing any and all payment for his dangerous work. As the war end approached, he even attempted to form a guerilla group in Berlin, but was dissuaded from this by his US handlers, who persuaded him that his work as a spy was too important for him to take on extra risks. When the war was over, he was unable to find employment in the German diplomatic service, because he was considered a traitor by the many ex-Nazis who had managed to re-enter German government service. He died of cancer in 1971.
True but Incredible Story
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-03
Review Date: 2005-06-03
It seems like the release of previously secret information from World War II will never end. This book is based on information from the OSS archives that was finally released in 2000. It tells a story that was simply unknown before.
Fritz Kolbe was a walk in. One day he walked in to the OSS office in Switzerland and offered to spy on Germany. Both the British and the Americans were very concerned that he was a double agent. Eventually though Allen Dulles, then head of the OSS in Switzerland took a chance with him.
Kolbe was a medium level officer in the German foreign office. He was not a Nazi and became disenchanted with the Nazi regime. All in all he passed some 2,600 secret documents to the OSS.
After the war Kolbe wanted to continut working for the German Foreign Office. But the Nazi officials who had by then re-entered the German government considered him a traitor and refused to employ him.
The CD is read by Michael Prichard, who has recorded some 430 full length books.
Fritz Kolbe was a walk in. One day he walked in to the OSS office in Switzerland and offered to spy on Germany. Both the British and the Americans were very concerned that he was a double agent. Eventually though Allen Dulles, then head of the OSS in Switzerland took a chance with him.
Kolbe was a medium level officer in the German foreign office. He was not a Nazi and became disenchanted with the Nazi regime. All in all he passed some 2,600 secret documents to the OSS.
After the war Kolbe wanted to continut working for the German Foreign Office. But the Nazi officials who had by then re-entered the German government considered him a traitor and refused to employ him.
The CD is read by Michael Prichard, who has recorded some 430 full length books.
Stars by Kruger
Published in Hardcover by Morpheus International (1997-10-13)
List price: $34.95
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Average review score:
The Greatest Portrait Artist of All Time!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-05
Review Date: 2006-09-05
This book is filled with some of the greatest portrait art I have ever seen! Kruger uses a wide variety of styles. Some images seem to be caricature in nature, while others are more realistic, and still others are totally unique in style and hard to catagorize. The common thread of all the images in this book is that they portray the character of the subject with unmatched accuracy and ability. The images in this book can best be described by one word, 'WOW'! The high quality of this book's printing also does great justice to these astounding images. All in all I give this book 'two thumbs up' 'way up'! Highly recommended for those interested in art that is innovative and masterful.
Great textural works!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-21
Review Date: 2000-08-21
No need to say that it is again the collection of Mr Kruger's brilliant caricutures of stars from which you can find out those great brush strokes stand out.
Fascinating creativity
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-06-18
Review Date: 2000-06-18
Outstanding illustrations of celebrities in verious fields, such as movie stars, singers... Great reference and resource for character design.
the best of his generation.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-26
Review Date: 2001-12-26
sebastian kruger is the best caricaturist of his generation. i would put him up there with levine and hirshfeld. but unlike those two kruger doesn't have a style. his consistency lies in his constant exploration of other styles. He approaches each celebrity with a fresh eye. No two pictures in this book look the same, but all are done with impeccable skill. This book is wonderful at showing some of his more popular subjects. The reproductions are great except for two blurry images. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in celebrities, caricatures, acrylics, airbrushes, and people with big noses.
Stasiland
Published in Hardcover by Text Publishing (2003-01)
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Total Information Awareness
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-28
Review Date: 2007-08-28
Anna Funder gives a sharply cut and moving (in)human face to the now defunct German Democratic Republic by interviewing former Stasi members (the top, foreign spies, informants, organizers) and their direct or indirect victims.
In `a world where there was nothing to buy, nowhere to go, and where anyone who wanted to do anything other than serve the Party, risked persecution or worse', the Stasi's aim was to know everything about everybody with all means, even radiation. As the author poetically states: everybody had `a mirror Nemesis' in a Stasi department. The result was that everyone suspected everyone else and turned into an `internal emigration' for the sheltering of their secret inner lives.
In fact, the Stasi was a formidable organization (one informant for every 6,5 citizens) created in order to defend the government against its own people.
Anna Funder exposes the real Stasi mentality: `The most important thing you have is power" (Chief E. Mielke). Its colossal archives were partly shredded after the fall of the Berlin Wall (15000 sacks) and are being puzzled together. A truly Herculean task.
The author paints a society built on ideological fiction (human nature was a work-in-progress which could be improved by Communism) and on blatant lies (a multi-party democracy, no former Nazis, not responsible for the Holocaust).
But what is left after the collapse? A `Wall in the Head'. The victims are still heavily marked (psychological damage by the terrifying effect of total surveillance) and some Stasi men still hope that the Wall will be built again.
Anna Funder wrote a formidable evocation of life in a communist one party state protected by a wall.
A must read.
In `a world where there was nothing to buy, nowhere to go, and where anyone who wanted to do anything other than serve the Party, risked persecution or worse', the Stasi's aim was to know everything about everybody with all means, even radiation. As the author poetically states: everybody had `a mirror Nemesis' in a Stasi department. The result was that everyone suspected everyone else and turned into an `internal emigration' for the sheltering of their secret inner lives.
In fact, the Stasi was a formidable organization (one informant for every 6,5 citizens) created in order to defend the government against its own people.
Anna Funder exposes the real Stasi mentality: `The most important thing you have is power" (Chief E. Mielke). Its colossal archives were partly shredded after the fall of the Berlin Wall (15000 sacks) and are being puzzled together. A truly Herculean task.
The author paints a society built on ideological fiction (human nature was a work-in-progress which could be improved by Communism) and on blatant lies (a multi-party democracy, no former Nazis, not responsible for the Holocaust).
But what is left after the collapse? A `Wall in the Head'. The victims are still heavily marked (psychological damage by the terrifying effect of total surveillance) and some Stasi men still hope that the Wall will be built again.
Anna Funder wrote a formidable evocation of life in a communist one party state protected by a wall.
A must read.
Stories of life in the GDR, the real-life Orwellian state
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-02
Review Date: 2007-01-02
When author George Orwell wrote Animal Farm and 1984 he wrote of the contemporary and future 'proletarian' dictatorships. The German Democratic Republic, more than any other state before or since, came the nearest to a state of perfected and complete absolute control over its citizens' lives. The author of Stasiland, Anna Funder, has done a suberb job of revivifying this state in her readers' minds through the personal stories of the GDR's inhabitants. I got this book for Christmas and had it read in three days, so good I never wanted to put it down.
The book's chapters trace the lives of various GDR citizens, both those being oppressed and the Stasi personnel charged with terrifying the GDR's people into abject submission. In Soviet Russia there was one KGB agent for every 5830 people, in Nazi Germany one Gestapo agent for every 2000 people, but in the GDR there was one Stasi - or full-time informer - FOR EVERY 63 PERSONS (see p. 57)!
Funder hears shocking tales of personal tragedy, bizarre - but true - stories of GDR logic, and personal justifications from ex-Stasi men themselves. One 15-year-old girl singlehandedly, without any prior planning(!), almost manages to escape over the Berlin Wall, getting within a couple meters of freedom. Another family is permanently separated from their seriously ill son for his first five years of life. And one woman's personal and career life is ruined when she refuses to submit to ideological control.
The author also interviews some famous GDR personalities, such as musician Klaus Renft, the evil-spirited Karl Von Schnitzler, and Hagen Koch (who literally wrote the plan for the wall). She also interviews the puzzle people trying to piece back together the shredded Stasi files. And she also meets with Stasi agents, who for one reason or another, decided to join the 'dark side'.
As I was reading the book, I couldn't help but become absolutely convinced that, despite the very publicized efforts of the German gov't to piece back together the Stasi files, in fact, German (and all other Eastern European) CURRENT LEADERS WANT TO COMPLETELY OBLITERATE EVIDENCE OF THEIR OWN CRIMES DURING THE COMMUNIST REGIMES. The fact of the matter is that many of the former communist elite are still in power now and are using all their gov't influence to ensure they are never, EVER going to be outed! So, in reality, many of them have gotten away with murder and look set to lead comfortable lives into retirement. Many times throughout the book I sensed a continuing cover-up and obfuscation by former Stasi men.
The German government's extremely feeble, half-hearted attempt to reassemble the Stasi files with a staff of 30 or so persons is an absolute farce! Funder calculates it will take them over 300 years to reassemble the files at this rate. With a budget in the billions of euros, it becomes patently obvious the German government's objective is to NOT reassemble the incriminating files. A person might even believe that the Stasi File Authority is headed by a person, Herr Raillard, who is secretly charged by gov't leaders with eliminating any damning evidence that is actually found. This isn't a surprise, as it is the same across the entire former Communist bloc.
This is a great book with a wonderfully direct, realistic writing style. I hope Ms. Funder writes a sequel to the book. I would have liked to have seen some photos too, though. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in life in Eastern Europe.
The book's chapters trace the lives of various GDR citizens, both those being oppressed and the Stasi personnel charged with terrifying the GDR's people into abject submission. In Soviet Russia there was one KGB agent for every 5830 people, in Nazi Germany one Gestapo agent for every 2000 people, but in the GDR there was one Stasi - or full-time informer - FOR EVERY 63 PERSONS (see p. 57)!
Funder hears shocking tales of personal tragedy, bizarre - but true - stories of GDR logic, and personal justifications from ex-Stasi men themselves. One 15-year-old girl singlehandedly, without any prior planning(!), almost manages to escape over the Berlin Wall, getting within a couple meters of freedom. Another family is permanently separated from their seriously ill son for his first five years of life. And one woman's personal and career life is ruined when she refuses to submit to ideological control.
The author also interviews some famous GDR personalities, such as musician Klaus Renft, the evil-spirited Karl Von Schnitzler, and Hagen Koch (who literally wrote the plan for the wall). She also interviews the puzzle people trying to piece back together the shredded Stasi files. And she also meets with Stasi agents, who for one reason or another, decided to join the 'dark side'.
As I was reading the book, I couldn't help but become absolutely convinced that, despite the very publicized efforts of the German gov't to piece back together the Stasi files, in fact, German (and all other Eastern European) CURRENT LEADERS WANT TO COMPLETELY OBLITERATE EVIDENCE OF THEIR OWN CRIMES DURING THE COMMUNIST REGIMES. The fact of the matter is that many of the former communist elite are still in power now and are using all their gov't influence to ensure they are never, EVER going to be outed! So, in reality, many of them have gotten away with murder and look set to lead comfortable lives into retirement. Many times throughout the book I sensed a continuing cover-up and obfuscation by former Stasi men.
The German government's extremely feeble, half-hearted attempt to reassemble the Stasi files with a staff of 30 or so persons is an absolute farce! Funder calculates it will take them over 300 years to reassemble the files at this rate. With a budget in the billions of euros, it becomes patently obvious the German government's objective is to NOT reassemble the incriminating files. A person might even believe that the Stasi File Authority is headed by a person, Herr Raillard, who is secretly charged by gov't leaders with eliminating any damning evidence that is actually found. This isn't a surprise, as it is the same across the entire former Communist bloc.
This is a great book with a wonderfully direct, realistic writing style. I hope Ms. Funder writes a sequel to the book. I would have liked to have seen some photos too, though. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in life in Eastern Europe.
Puzzle People
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-01
Review Date: 2007-08-01
Stasiland is the former East Germany, a country where the Stasi, the secret police, spied on every inhabitant, kept files on everybody, and seemed all-powerful. Anna Funder has written about the Stasi in a way that sometimes seems like fiction, other times like memoir, and ultimately like an exceptionally readable history.
The Berlin of Funder's book is post-Wall Berlin, but it is as gray and paranoid as the Berlin of John le Carre's spy novels. Funder seems depressed throughout, and it is no wonder. She spends all her time interviewing former "Ossis," East Germans who were victims of the Stasi or who were former Stasi themselves. Even her irrepresible rock musician friend reveals that his band was declared "non-existent" by the Stasi. The secret police were so thorough that he cannot find any evidence that his group, which recorded several albums and was quite popular in the East, ever existed.
Through Funder, we hear from Miriam, who nearly made it over the Wall at age sixteen, but was caught, jailed, and blacklisted. Shortly after she married, her husband was arrested, then the Stasi showed up at Miriam's door to tell her that her husband had killed himself. She refused to believe the obvious lie and the subsequent funeral was a bizarre farce. Decades later, Miriam is still trying to make sense of it all, still searching for clues to explain what really happened.
Frau Paul tells of her newborn son whose East German doctors risked their careers by smuggling the infant to the West because it was his only chance to survive a life-threatening condition. Frau Paul was denied permission to visit her baby unless she agreed to help the Stasi trap an acquaintance of hers. She desperately wanted to see her son, whose condition kept him in hospital for years, but knew that if she agreed to help the Stasi just once, she would be theirs for life. The child was well-cared for, but was growing up with only the hospital staff as his family. When he left the hospital at age six and returned to his family in the East, he was polite but distant with the parents who were strangers to him. Forty years later, Frau Paul still considers herself the traitor to her country and failure as a parent that the Stasi told her she was.
Not all of the stories are tragic. Funder learns of a woman the Stasi tried to recruit to spy on her co-workers. The woman agreed, then went to work and cheerfully told everyone that the Stasi had recruited her to be a spy. Since her cover had been blown, she was no longer useful to the Stasi. They never bothered her again.
Funder visits the office of the "puzzle people," workers who put shredded documents from Stasi files back together. The papers reveal who the Stasi was watching, what they discovered, and who the informers were. Ossis may now request to see their files, but many of the files have yet to be put back together. The director tells Funder that at the rate of an average of ten reconstructed documents a day per employee, it will take forty puzzle people 375 years to reconstruct all the shredded documents. And, he explains, "as you see, we have only thirty-one employees."
Little by little, Funder allows us to realize that the Stasi does not exist as a curious and irrelevant moment in history. The torture devices in the Stasi museum and the thousands of bags of shredded documents that recall the abuses of power are evidence of a government that still haunts the lives of millions of former Ossis. It had seemed so powerful, but when the end came for the Stasi, it was without violence in a peaceful revolution of people who were just fed up.
The Berlin of Funder's book is post-Wall Berlin, but it is as gray and paranoid as the Berlin of John le Carre's spy novels. Funder seems depressed throughout, and it is no wonder. She spends all her time interviewing former "Ossis," East Germans who were victims of the Stasi or who were former Stasi themselves. Even her irrepresible rock musician friend reveals that his band was declared "non-existent" by the Stasi. The secret police were so thorough that he cannot find any evidence that his group, which recorded several albums and was quite popular in the East, ever existed.
Through Funder, we hear from Miriam, who nearly made it over the Wall at age sixteen, but was caught, jailed, and blacklisted. Shortly after she married, her husband was arrested, then the Stasi showed up at Miriam's door to tell her that her husband had killed himself. She refused to believe the obvious lie and the subsequent funeral was a bizarre farce. Decades later, Miriam is still trying to make sense of it all, still searching for clues to explain what really happened.
Frau Paul tells of her newborn son whose East German doctors risked their careers by smuggling the infant to the West because it was his only chance to survive a life-threatening condition. Frau Paul was denied permission to visit her baby unless she agreed to help the Stasi trap an acquaintance of hers. She desperately wanted to see her son, whose condition kept him in hospital for years, but knew that if she agreed to help the Stasi just once, she would be theirs for life. The child was well-cared for, but was growing up with only the hospital staff as his family. When he left the hospital at age six and returned to his family in the East, he was polite but distant with the parents who were strangers to him. Forty years later, Frau Paul still considers herself the traitor to her country and failure as a parent that the Stasi told her she was.
Not all of the stories are tragic. Funder learns of a woman the Stasi tried to recruit to spy on her co-workers. The woman agreed, then went to work and cheerfully told everyone that the Stasi had recruited her to be a spy. Since her cover had been blown, she was no longer useful to the Stasi. They never bothered her again.
Funder visits the office of the "puzzle people," workers who put shredded documents from Stasi files back together. The papers reveal who the Stasi was watching, what they discovered, and who the informers were. Ossis may now request to see their files, but many of the files have yet to be put back together. The director tells Funder that at the rate of an average of ten reconstructed documents a day per employee, it will take forty puzzle people 375 years to reconstruct all the shredded documents. And, he explains, "as you see, we have only thirty-one employees."
Little by little, Funder allows us to realize that the Stasi does not exist as a curious and irrelevant moment in history. The torture devices in the Stasi museum and the thousands of bags of shredded documents that recall the abuses of power are evidence of a government that still haunts the lives of millions of former Ossis. It had seemed so powerful, but when the end came for the Stasi, it was without violence in a peaceful revolution of people who were just fed up.
Learning about life in former Stasi-controlled GDR (DDR) through many different eye-glasses
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-08
Review Date: 2006-01-08
Anna Funder is an Australian writter who found herself in Berlin several years after the Berlin wall and Communism in former GDR (German Democratic Republic; or DDR in the German language) collapsed.
Through personal stories of former East Germans, Anna tries to put together a mental pictures of what life in former GDR was like. And this mental picture is a stark, dark, oppressive, and paranoid collage of people's lives' stories.
One will learn that East Germany was 'the most perfected surveillance state of all time,' where there was one Stasi officer or informant for every 63 people. The book covers the national formation of the GDR regime and also discuss the cultural background of why Germans were willingly subjecting themselves to authority. The best torture method devised by the Stasi was sleep deprivation. With all this and more, the author makes the point that the regime would not have survived without the Soviet military muscle and presence.
The book also presents some light and funny trivia: the quasi-scientific method of 'smell sampling' used by the 'Firm' (Stasi), the East German silly dance style called 'Lipsi' and the corny or mind-numbing propaganda TV shows.
Interviewing people who lost loved ones in the evil regime's prisons, persons who taught counterintelligence classes for the Stasi, who worked as informants or undercover policeman, students who tried to escape across the Berlin Wall, and persons who are still believers in the 'proletarian' revolution and are nostalgic about the values of the former Socialist republic.
By reading this ecclectic biography collage you will learn about German cultural values, GDR political and idiological history, the Stasi (one of the most feared secret police organizations). Stasiland also shows how much the Stasi archives ruined many lives in former East Germany.
A recommended counter-balance to the gloomy and depressing theme of this non-fiction is the romance/drama/comedy movie "Good Bye Lenin (2003)."
Through personal stories of former East Germans, Anna tries to put together a mental pictures of what life in former GDR was like. And this mental picture is a stark, dark, oppressive, and paranoid collage of people's lives' stories.
One will learn that East Germany was 'the most perfected surveillance state of all time,' where there was one Stasi officer or informant for every 63 people. The book covers the national formation of the GDR regime and also discuss the cultural background of why Germans were willingly subjecting themselves to authority. The best torture method devised by the Stasi was sleep deprivation. With all this and more, the author makes the point that the regime would not have survived without the Soviet military muscle and presence.
The book also presents some light and funny trivia: the quasi-scientific method of 'smell sampling' used by the 'Firm' (Stasi), the East German silly dance style called 'Lipsi' and the corny or mind-numbing propaganda TV shows.
Interviewing people who lost loved ones in the evil regime's prisons, persons who taught counterintelligence classes for the Stasi, who worked as informants or undercover policeman, students who tried to escape across the Berlin Wall, and persons who are still believers in the 'proletarian' revolution and are nostalgic about the values of the former Socialist republic.
By reading this ecclectic biography collage you will learn about German cultural values, GDR political and idiological history, the Stasi (one of the most feared secret police organizations). Stasiland also shows how much the Stasi archives ruined many lives in former East Germany.
A recommended counter-balance to the gloomy and depressing theme of this non-fiction is the romance/drama/comedy movie "Good Bye Lenin (2003)."
Stauffenberg: A Family History, 1905-1944
Published in Hardcover by Cambridge University Press (1995-10-27)
List price: $90.00
Used price: $6.73
Average review score:
Es lebe unser heiliges Deutschland!
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-16
Review Date: 2005-11-16
"Long live our holy Germany" were the last words of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg on the night of July 20, 1944. Peter Hoffmann's magnificient book is a salute to the Stauffenberg brothers and most importantly Claus von Stauffenberg. Stauffenberg was the real thing, a man of deep Christian principles and extradionary courage who knew that the future of Germany was more important than his life and the life of his fellow conspirators. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live in freedom. Stauffenberg is not only a hero of Germany, but of anyone on earth who loves freedom and respects the laws of God and humanity. Stauffenberg was Germany's guardian angel, who attempted to save his nation and slay the man he deemed "the antichrist." Doctor Hoffmann paints a wonderful picture of Stauffenberg's early life and military career. He then moves into minute detail of the plot to kill Hitler and the man whom fate had chosen to lead it. Simply a great scholastic achievement.
The ultimate Stauffenberg biography.
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 1999-07-25
Review Date: 1999-07-25
Peter Hoffmann's biography of Stauffenberg is the best anyone is likely to write on the subject. The book comprehensively assesses all primary sources hitherto used by Stauffenberg's previous biographers, plus many additional sources which the author himself found. Hoffmann's previous books, among them 'THE HISTORY OF THE GERMAN RESISTANCE, 1933-1945', and 'HITLER'S PERSONAL SECURITY' serve as a foundation to this work which, all told, spans 30 years of scholarly research. As the depth and breadth of this study eclipses any other attempt to date, its conclusions are unassailably judicious. Thus, Hoffmann's 'STAUFFENBERG' has made perhaps the most definitive contribution to the historical field of resistance to the Third Reich.
"It must be done. Now."
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-17
Review Date: 2008-07-17
Aside from being the single man in history to make several (and one very famous) attempts on the life of Adolf Hitler, Claus Von Stauffenberg was a unique guy.
Born in 1907 to Prussian aristocracy, Stauffenberg was playing the cello, reciting Shakespeare, and taking an interest in Catholic theology
by the age of exactly 12. Had he made a career out of any of these three, his fate would have been less cruel. Claus Von Stauffenberg, though, was a born soldier.
Ultimately becoming a General Staff officer in the German Abwehr, Stauffenberg and his brothers Berthold and Alexander still made considerable time for poet Stefan George, and were part of his "Secret Germany", a quasi-mystical poetic cult of sorts which worshipped George as "Master, and the three brothers were were prophesied by the poet manque as the future leaders of the Fatherland. Goethe, Holderlin, Rilke and Nietzsche were heralded as the predecessors of the movement. The problem with the entire affair was that George was not very talented and his literary salon was composed mostly of teenage boys.
Despite George, the slow but sure rise of the Third Reich (which, like most Germans, Stauffenberg initially welcomed and his inevitable participation in nearly all of Germany's military campaigns, Claus Von Stauffenberg always retained an odd detachment from his surroundings and a sense of self which was very strong.
The sheer wealth and richness of not only Stauffenberg's life, but the life of his wealthy and somewhat sheltered family--his career as a decorated soldier in the Wehrmacht, his prestige as a model, and as head of the General Staff office--makes his brutal death in front of the Bendleerstrasse in Germany a surreal and bizarre turn of events.
Stauffenberg was aware of Germany's imminent defeat, yet as early as 1942 he was making some quit imprudent remarks about the Fuhrer: "In August 1942 Stauffenberg told Major Joachim Kuhn, a close friend, that the treatment of the Jews and other civilians was monstrous, *that Hitler had lied about the cause of the war*, and that he had to be removed. He then shouted: "They are shooting Jews in the masses. These crimes must not be allowed to continue!"
Then in in another outbrust which later got him arrested, news of more atrocities sparked Stauffenberg to scream in front of SS and general staff alike:"Does not one German soldier have the courage to shoot that pig?"
Attempt after attempt failed; Stauffenberg was regularly seen carrying a "remarkably plump briefcase" (as Albert Speer put it) to three different meetings in Hitler's "Wolf's Lair" in Prussia. Once Hitler did not show up: the second time Stauffenberg's incompetent superiors instructed him to not to set the fuse, and the third time the bomb exploded and by sheer chance did not kill Hitler.
Even in the face of the Gestapo's considerable wrath, Stauffenberg did his best to get the coup de'etat to to succeed. In a most fortunate turn of events for Stauffenberg, probably, a General Staff officer involved in the plot turned on the other plotters and had a handful of them, Claus included, shot on the night of July 20, 1944.
Why? Why was such a priviliged and wealthy figure in the German army who would certainly never have been charged with war crimes choose to sacrifice his life, the life of his family and friends, in an attempt so tenuous and fraught with uncertainty?
The answer, I think, lies in Stauffenberg's unbelievable bravery, sense of common decency, and Christian background. Without these things he may indeed have been a terrifying force for the Third Reich. He could no longer stomach what was going on around him. Peter Hoffmann here gives the definitive biography of this heroic man who embodies perhaps the most inspiring example of "what might have been" in history. A must read.
Born in 1907 to Prussian aristocracy, Stauffenberg was playing the cello, reciting Shakespeare, and taking an interest in Catholic theology
by the age of exactly 12. Had he made a career out of any of these three, his fate would have been less cruel. Claus Von Stauffenberg, though, was a born soldier.
Ultimately becoming a General Staff officer in the German Abwehr, Stauffenberg and his brothers Berthold and Alexander still made considerable time for poet Stefan George, and were part of his "Secret Germany", a quasi-mystical poetic cult of sorts which worshipped George as "Master, and the three brothers were were prophesied by the poet manque as the future leaders of the Fatherland. Goethe, Holderlin, Rilke and Nietzsche were heralded as the predecessors of the movement. The problem with the entire affair was that George was not very talented and his literary salon was composed mostly of teenage boys.
Despite George, the slow but sure rise of the Third Reich (which, like most Germans, Stauffenberg initially welcomed and his inevitable participation in nearly all of Germany's military campaigns, Claus Von Stauffenberg always retained an odd detachment from his surroundings and a sense of self which was very strong.
The sheer wealth and richness of not only Stauffenberg's life, but the life of his wealthy and somewhat sheltered family--his career as a decorated soldier in the Wehrmacht, his prestige as a model, and as head of the General Staff office--makes his brutal death in front of the Bendleerstrasse in Germany a surreal and bizarre turn of events.
Stauffenberg was aware of Germany's imminent defeat, yet as early as 1942 he was making some quit imprudent remarks about the Fuhrer: "In August 1942 Stauffenberg told Major Joachim Kuhn, a close friend, that the treatment of the Jews and other civilians was monstrous, *that Hitler had lied about the cause of the war*, and that he had to be removed. He then shouted: "They are shooting Jews in the masses. These crimes must not be allowed to continue!"
Then in in another outbrust which later got him arrested, news of more atrocities sparked Stauffenberg to scream in front of SS and general staff alike:"Does not one German soldier have the courage to shoot that pig?"
Attempt after attempt failed; Stauffenberg was regularly seen carrying a "remarkably plump briefcase" (as Albert Speer put it) to three different meetings in Hitler's "Wolf's Lair" in Prussia. Once Hitler did not show up: the second time Stauffenberg's incompetent superiors instructed him to not to set the fuse, and the third time the bomb exploded and by sheer chance did not kill Hitler.
Even in the face of the Gestapo's considerable wrath, Stauffenberg did his best to get the coup de'etat to to succeed. In a most fortunate turn of events for Stauffenberg, probably, a General Staff officer involved in the plot turned on the other plotters and had a handful of them, Claus included, shot on the night of July 20, 1944.
Why? Why was such a priviliged and wealthy figure in the German army who would certainly never have been charged with war crimes choose to sacrifice his life, the life of his family and friends, in an attempt so tenuous and fraught with uncertainty?
The answer, I think, lies in Stauffenberg's unbelievable bravery, sense of common decency, and Christian background. Without these things he may indeed have been a terrifying force for the Third Reich. He could no longer stomach what was going on around him. Peter Hoffmann here gives the definitive biography of this heroic man who embodies perhaps the most inspiring example of "what might have been" in history. A must read.
Definitive History of an Enduring Hero
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-31
Review Date: 2003-05-31
Of the ten or so serious biographies on Stauffenberg, this will stand as the text to refer to for comprehensiveness and objectivity. The prose is clear, the questions of enduring interest are all answered, and the reader meets the man. Unreservedly recommended.
Surviving the Americans
Published in Hardcover by Seven Stories Press (2003-07-01)
List price: $22.00
New price: $6.00
Used price: $4.76
Collectible price: $22.00
Used price: $4.76
Collectible price: $22.00
Average review score:
The Miraculous Story of The Power of The Pen
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-19
Review Date: 2008-05-19
In 1945, 19 year-old Robert Hilliard and 25 year-old Edward Herman, two GIs stationed on an army base in Germany after WW II, were so distressed by the conditions they observed at the nearby St. Ottilien DP Camp they started a massive letter writing campaign to the American people. Ultimately, the contents of the letter came to the attention of President Truman and played a key role in reversing US policy towards the Jews. An excerpt from their lengthy letter reads:
At the hospital of St. Ottilien there are today 750 people including a staff of doctors...attempting to preserve the life they find it hard to believe they still have. Four months ago this same hospital was being used to care for German soldiers. At the same time there were thousands of Jews roaming Germany, sick, tortured, wounded, without food, clothing or help of any kind. One particular group was led by Dr. Zalman Grinberg. For months he has tried to obtain aid for these people. The Germans refused him. The local governments refused him...For these people the Red Cross, UNRRA, the various Hebrew organizations were, although present, nonexistent. If they are to survive the coming winter they need shoes...they need sheets and blankets...medical supplies...the necessities of life and they are depending on you to get it for them. The intolerable situation of the Jews having to beg the Germans for food exists...We are writing to you for you are the only ones that can help...These surviving Jews of Europe want to live. The fact that five children have already been born at St. Ottilien is proof enough."
Like a pebble thrown into the water that creates ripples far beyond what the eye can see, these two young GIs poured out their hearts in a letter to the American people that continues to make waves decades later. Surviving The Americans: The Continued Struggle of the Jews After Liberation is the miraculous story of the role Bob and Ed played in saving the lives of the Jews of St. Ottilien and changing and improving U.S. policy toward all the DP camps.
"Genocide by neglect."
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-26
Review Date: 2005-04-26
"Surviving the Americans" is a shocking and powerful book that recounts the mistreatment of Holocaust survivors by American occupying forces in Europe after World War II. The author, Robert L. Hilliard, was an American soldier stationed in Germany in 1945. This book is Hilliard's account of what he saw and the steps that he and others took to improve the conditions in the DP camps.
After World War II ended, the survivors had no place to go. They could not return to Poland, Germany, or wherever they came from, to resume the lives that they had before the war. Very few survivors were allowed to emigrate to America. Some wanted to enter Palestine, but that was not a realistic hope, since the British had set up a blockade to keep the Jews out.
In Germany, the United States Military Government (USMG) organized DP camps for the survivors. Life in these camps differed from concentration camp life in one key way. The inmates were not sent to gas chambers. However, they were deprived of basic necessities, such as food, medical supplies, and clothing. The Americans surrounded the camps with barbed wire, and some people who tried to leave the camps were shot. Ironically, many survivors of the concentration camps died from malnutrition and disease in the DP camps because of the neglect that they suffered at the hands of their American "saviors." Ironically, known Nazis received plenty of food, decent housing, and jobs, while displaced persons lived in subhuman conditions.
Hilliard focuses on a hospital, St. Ottilien, located in northern Bavaria, in which hundreds of survivors struggled to live from day to day with little food and inadequate medical treatment. Hilliard was conscience-stricken by the conditions in St. Ottilien. Soon, he and his buddies were doing everything that they could to smuggle food to the residents of this hospital. Eventually, Hilliard and a fellow G. I. named Edward Herman sent a famous letter, describing the conditions in the DP camps, that found its way to President Harry Truman. Truman was outraged; he ordered Eisenhower to end the American soldiers' abuse of the Jews in Europe.
"Surviving the Americans" is an informative, provocative, and very unsettling history lesson. It is the compelling and unforgettable story of a few men of conscience who were willing to break U. S. military laws to do what they believed was morally right. As Hilliard says, the world must never forget what happened here, and we must do whatever we can to protect our fellow human beings from those who would destroy them.
After World War II ended, the survivors had no place to go. They could not return to Poland, Germany, or wherever they came from, to resume the lives that they had before the war. Very few survivors were allowed to emigrate to America. Some wanted to enter Palestine, but that was not a realistic hope, since the British had set up a blockade to keep the Jews out.
In Germany, the United States Military Government (USMG) organized DP camps for the survivors. Life in these camps differed from concentration camp life in one key way. The inmates were not sent to gas chambers. However, they were deprived of basic necessities, such as food, medical supplies, and clothing. The Americans surrounded the camps with barbed wire, and some people who tried to leave the camps were shot. Ironically, many survivors of the concentration camps died from malnutrition and disease in the DP camps because of the neglect that they suffered at the hands of their American "saviors." Ironically, known Nazis received plenty of food, decent housing, and jobs, while displaced persons lived in subhuman conditions.
Hilliard focuses on a hospital, St. Ottilien, located in northern Bavaria, in which hundreds of survivors struggled to live from day to day with little food and inadequate medical treatment. Hilliard was conscience-stricken by the conditions in St. Ottilien. Soon, he and his buddies were doing everything that they could to smuggle food to the residents of this hospital. Eventually, Hilliard and a fellow G. I. named Edward Herman sent a famous letter, describing the conditions in the DP camps, that found its way to President Harry Truman. Truman was outraged; he ordered Eisenhower to end the American soldiers' abuse of the Jews in Europe.
"Surviving the Americans" is an informative, provocative, and very unsettling history lesson. It is the compelling and unforgettable story of a few men of conscience who were willing to break U. S. military laws to do what they believed was morally right. As Hilliard says, the world must never forget what happened here, and we must do whatever we can to protect our fellow human beings from those who would destroy them.
Think You Know About World War II?
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-17
Review Date: 2004-09-17
I admit this book truly astounded me. If what you know about the end of the war is the Marshall Plan, that the U.S. rebuilt Europe, you have much to learn!
After V-E Day, the end of the war in Europe, the American "Zone" became a destination for many who hoped that from the Americans, help and kinder treatment would be found. Could that be far from the truth?
Dr. Hilliard, now Professor of Communications at Emerson College in Boston, was there. What we don't know, and now must face, is that very little was done for many months after the war for D.P.s (Displaced Persons), Jews, survivors of the Concentration Camps (Jews, political prisoners, intellectuals). In fact, there was no "official" hospital to take care of those who required such medical assistance, and it took some ingenuity and subterfuge to create one. And, in September, after an article appeared in the New York Times (then a true paper of record), President Truman had to order Dwight Eisenhower to provide more assistance in the U.S. Military Zone to the survivors of the Holocaust and the Third Reich, officially....Eisenhower comfortably situated in Paris.
After V-E Day, during what GIs called "National Lorelei Month", many American soldiers were killed by unrepentant Nazis and Germans if they dared venture (armed or unarmed) from the safety of U.S. installations. Meanwhile, Germans played the black market with crafty soldiers interested in making money, bartering for sex with women (many of whom undoubtedly had lost their husbands and boyfriends to the Reich), and occasionally, supplying an unauthorized hospital which is the focus of this book.
Some 7,000 U.S. personnel lost their lives after V-E Day to the "Werewolves" recruited by Himmler and his disciples in the S.S. (Schutzstaffel), but THIS story is even more obscure and less known. It should be read by anyone interested in peace and the problems of the aftermath of war, as we find almost perpetually somewhere across the globe at any time--not only in the Middle East.
It is a sad story, but a hopeful one, because there are always some who will risk all to help others, and THESE are the meritorious whom we should really honor. These men (some of whom, unfortunately, Dr. Hilliard could not name) also belong in Yad Vashem, for they are the righteous.
After V-E Day, the end of the war in Europe, the American "Zone" became a destination for many who hoped that from the Americans, help and kinder treatment would be found. Could that be far from the truth?
Dr. Hilliard, now Professor of Communications at Emerson College in Boston, was there. What we don't know, and now must face, is that very little was done for many months after the war for D.P.s (Displaced Persons), Jews, survivors of the Concentration Camps (Jews, political prisoners, intellectuals). In fact, there was no "official" hospital to take care of those who required such medical assistance, and it took some ingenuity and subterfuge to create one. And, in September, after an article appeared in the New York Times (then a true paper of record), President Truman had to order Dwight Eisenhower to provide more assistance in the U.S. Military Zone to the survivors of the Holocaust and the Third Reich, officially....Eisenhower comfortably situated in Paris.
After V-E Day, during what GIs called "National Lorelei Month", many American soldiers were killed by unrepentant Nazis and Germans if they dared venture (armed or unarmed) from the safety of U.S. installations. Meanwhile, Germans played the black market with crafty soldiers interested in making money, bartering for sex with women (many of whom undoubtedly had lost their husbands and boyfriends to the Reich), and occasionally, supplying an unauthorized hospital which is the focus of this book.
Some 7,000 U.S. personnel lost their lives after V-E Day to the "Werewolves" recruited by Himmler and his disciples in the S.S. (Schutzstaffel), but THIS story is even more obscure and less known. It should be read by anyone interested in peace and the problems of the aftermath of war, as we find almost perpetually somewhere across the globe at any time--not only in the Middle East.
It is a sad story, but a hopeful one, because there are always some who will risk all to help others, and THESE are the meritorious whom we should really honor. These men (some of whom, unfortunately, Dr. Hilliard could not name) also belong in Yad Vashem, for they are the righteous.
Idealistic Enlisted Men Change US Policy Towards Freed Jews
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-25
Review Date: 2001-08-25
This is an extremely important work, one that should be read by everyone who has any interest whatsoever in World War II in general, in the Holocaust and its aftermath, or in how the liberating American forces dealt with the 'problem' of what to do with the Jewish survivors of Hitler's death camps. It will make the reader reassess the accepted historical view of Americans as the saviors of Europe after World War II. Author Robert Hilliard was a young enlisted man stationed in Germany at the end of the war. Hilliard takes up the cause of helping the freed concentration camp survivors after attending a 'liberation concert' staged by Jews and hearing the speech of a Jewish doctor who has set up a hospital to care for the freed Jews. He learns that though the Jews are free, in most cases they have nowhere to go, no food, no medical care,and no clothing. Many are still wearing their concentration camp clothes months after the war ends, and some are even wearing the clothes of the hated SS guards because they have nothing else. In addition, Jews are dying with startling regularity at the hospital due to lack of food and medical supplies. To make matters worse, they must watch the 'former' Nazis who ran the country under Hitler resume their old lives, despite the evils they have perpetrated. Hilliard finds that American policy in Germany is little better than that of the Germans. Many Jews are kept in barbed wire installations, under MP guard, and have to try to live on 700 calories a day. They watch the former Nazis ingratiate themselves with the US brass through bribery, lies, and sexual favors. Hilliard and his friend Ed Herman decide to do what they can for the hospital, and this book chronicles their efforts. By the end of the book, they take their plea all the way to the top, and are instrumental in changing US occupation policy towards the freed Jews in Germany. Because of the actions of these two enlisted men, President Truman in effect reprimanded Gen. Eisenhower for his laissez-faire attitude in dealing with former Nazis and treatment of freed concentration camp survivors. The book is well-written, and could easily have run hundreds of pages. Hilliard has crafted a lean and powerful book. I hope that it will be read by many students of history, and I recommend it to any person who is not content to accept the sanitized, for-the-masses packaging of complicated historical periods.
Take Your Kids to Europe, 7th: How to Travel Safely (and Sanely) in Europe with Your Children (Take Your Kids to Europe)
Published in Paperback by Globe Pequot (2005-11-01)
List price: $16.95
New price: $6.99
Used price: $2.96
Used price: $2.96
Average review score:
Invaluable Advice!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-26
Review Date: 2007-04-26
This book is indeed a godsend for parents. Although it's geared to Western Europe, over half the book focuses on universal tips that would also be helpful in Turkey or Transylvania, such as how to get kids to try different foods or appreciate museums. I loved this book, and found the author's advice invaluable when I took my two daughters to Europe.
Take Your Kids to Europe
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-08
Review Date: 2007-01-08
We live in London, and travel every chance we have. This book provides great ideas for structuring trips and helping children enjoy the sights and experiences. It's a good companion for families planning European vacations. I am very glad to have this information and always review it before we travel.
Genuinely "all-family" must-have guidebook
Helpful Votes: 30 out of 30 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-02
Review Date: 2006-06-02
The payoff for reading Cynthia Harriman's "Take Your Kids to Europe" carefully is tremendous. We have a five-week trip to Europe coming up and our copy if already getting dog-eared from overreading. This guidebook is different and better. Most "what to do with the kids overseas" books are filled with things you already instinctively knew - i.e. your kid will like Legoland and here is how to get there and the hours it's open. Harriman's guide acknowledges there is more to a successful family trip than just picking the right things to see, and she uses the reactions of her own actual kids to back up her suggestions. For example, she is a master of managing family dynamics on a trip. Here are a few of her suggestions:
1) Everybody wants to do something different, and nobody likes to compromise. It's just about impossible to agree, so Harriman suggests a "leader of the day" system - each member of the family gets a day or part of a day to pick what the "team" will do, where it will eat. Everybody gets to do some of their favorites eventually. This takes some self-discipline on the part of the parents - if the kids want to spend the morning by the pool, you'll have to agree - but you'll get to see that church you want to see in the afternoon.
2) You are looking for family togetherness but in fact that much togetherness can be stressful. For example, your teenager is all about independence. Go ahead and let said teenager hang out alone in the hotel room for an afternoon if that's what she needs. You and your spouse will argue about giving directions; Harriman encourages you to loosen up and learn about each other.
3) Harriman has a lot of good suggestions about how to make a lengthy trip affordable, and gives good suggestions for budgeting in advance.
In additional to general advice, Harriman shows excellent good sense in sections on what attractions to see - she's frank about things the kids were underwhelmed by (most chateaus just aren't as interesting as you'd think to a 9-year-old), and points out things that are actually more fun than they would sound on paper. So rather than 50 kid-oriented attractions in a country (like other books), all presented with equal breathless interest, she might have 20 - 15 her kids really liked (and why), and 5 they didn't like.
Harriman does not recommend many specific hotels and restaurants (there are other sources for those), so you may find you supplement this book with others. But you can't do without this one - I really love it.
1) Everybody wants to do something different, and nobody likes to compromise. It's just about impossible to agree, so Harriman suggests a "leader of the day" system - each member of the family gets a day or part of a day to pick what the "team" will do, where it will eat. Everybody gets to do some of their favorites eventually. This takes some self-discipline on the part of the parents - if the kids want to spend the morning by the pool, you'll have to agree - but you'll get to see that church you want to see in the afternoon.
2) You are looking for family togetherness but in fact that much togetherness can be stressful. For example, your teenager is all about independence. Go ahead and let said teenager hang out alone in the hotel room for an afternoon if that's what she needs. You and your spouse will argue about giving directions; Harriman encourages you to loosen up and learn about each other.
3) Harriman has a lot of good suggestions about how to make a lengthy trip affordable, and gives good suggestions for budgeting in advance.
In additional to general advice, Harriman shows excellent good sense in sections on what attractions to see - she's frank about things the kids were underwhelmed by (most chateaus just aren't as interesting as you'd think to a 9-year-old), and points out things that are actually more fun than they would sound on paper. So rather than 50 kid-oriented attractions in a country (like other books), all presented with equal breathless interest, she might have 20 - 15 her kids really liked (and why), and 5 they didn't like.
Harriman does not recommend many specific hotels and restaurants (there are other sources for those), so you may find you supplement this book with others. But you can't do without this one - I really love it.
Great ideas and advice
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-11
Review Date: 2006-11-11
This book has great ideas on dealing with budgets, luggage, etc. I especially like that they were keen on the idea of an 'extended' stay in Europe e.g., several weeks, and provided some sound examples of how it really doesn't cost much more to do that if you're willing to be flexible with accomodations & meals.
I lived in Europe for several pre-teen and teenage years, and we travelled widely. At the time I was always amazed at the number of people who take these "8 countries in 2 weeks" style tour packages -- the pace is so hectic there's no time to enjoy or experience the places, and they are wholly unsuitable for children.
The book is also good at pointing out attractions that would appeal to kids, which is helpful since most guidebooks focus on the 'serious' sites that kids would find less appealing.
I lived in Europe for several pre-teen and teenage years, and we travelled widely. At the time I was always amazed at the number of people who take these "8 countries in 2 weeks" style tour packages -- the pace is so hectic there's no time to enjoy or experience the places, and they are wholly unsuitable for children.
The book is also good at pointing out attractions that would appeal to kids, which is helpful since most guidebooks focus on the 'serious' sites that kids would find less appealing.
These Strange German Ways
Published in Paperback by Atlantik-Brucke (1997-06)
List price: $13.95
New price: $47.99
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Used price: $2.99
Average review score:
Easy reading for understanding an enigmatic people
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-03
Review Date: 2004-03-03
One of the most comprehensible works for a range of interests in Germanic culture, "These Strange German Ways" approaches the question of "What is German?" with direct, unique descriptions. As a professor at the University of Frankfurt and someone who hast lived in Germany for more than thirty years, Suzanne Stern's occasional, enlightening quips give the impression of an intimate friendship with the Germans. Though Germans may not appreciate her humor, it reflects an Anglo-Saxon perspective on the Teutonic culture (Stern herself is British) whose style is both light and informative. From how to present flowers to the German "Kreislaufstoerung," this book will either picque further interest in this enigmatic people or provide some laughs at their peculiarities.
Is that me?
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-01-31
Review Date: 2001-01-31
I'm amazed! This book shows a detailed understanding of the German psyche. I as a German myself was totally amazed how highly accurate the descriptions are. Although the author sometimes strays a little from the truth (as I see it) in order to help understanding the Strange German Ways, I feel quite at home reading this book. As I have been to the US for a year and tried to explain Germany and the Germans to 'you folks', I would have been really grateful for this book as a companion. This is definitely a 'must have' if you deal with Germans a lot or intend to visit Germany.
It`s all true!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2000-08-19
Review Date: 2000-08-19
i guess this is the first book telling about the sometimes really strange german ways. i, as i am from germany, can just say: the author is right. the book contains everthing important (or not important but funny) and will probably do very well, helping you to understand us strange germans. i am now in the us as an exchange student for 11 month and brought it as a present for my host family - it was real fun reading it together and i guess it made the life with me a little easier for my host family. but: only 4 stars because some things aren`t up-to-date
Truly Spectacular
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-03
Review Date: 2002-06-03
Susan Stern is a remarkable author. She has helped me not just to understand German culture more, but also my understanding of my native American Culture. I met Susan Stern once at a convention at the University of South Carolina with a few of my fellow German students. She is just as remarkable in person as in this book. If you plan on traveling to Germany, be it for Business, to live there, or for tourism, I highly recomend this book. Even if you're not traveling to Germany, this book is great for understanding and comparing your own culture with that of others. One last thing. Read the up-dated book which was published in 2000, not the 1998 version.
They Are My Children, Too: A Mother's Struggle for Her Sons
Published in Hardcover by PublicAffairs (1999-04-01)
List price: $23.00
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Collectible price: $23.00
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Average review score:
Loving the children, all of us
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-22
Review Date: 1999-12-22
Catherine Meyer's book really hit home. There were tears as I read every page. The tragedy of Mrs. Meyer's children and her relationship is becoming more and more evident in our society. All parents and childcare workers should read this book. I too, live in this terrible situation with Mrs. Meyer and can feel her pain. It has been four years and we see little or no results. Prayer has been the only answer to this. My heart goes out to all children, mothers, fathers, and
grandparents who are alienated from each other. Blessings to all of you.
A must read. Children and parents need to be protected.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-21
Review Date: 1999-06-21
As soon as I finished reading this book, I knew that I had to include it as part of my library for reference. I found some familiar phrases, thoughts and ideas within the covers. I am also a left behind parent. My daughter was unlawfully abducted from the United States to Austria in 1995. I think it is important to communicate the harsh reality of International Parental Child Abuction and the responses of various countries involved in this matter. I thought that the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction was explained clearly in the book. It is most noteworthy to be made aware that there are countries which demonstrate a pattern of non-compliance to its obligations of the Hague Convention. I applaud Catherine Meyer and the publisher for bringing awareness to this tragic problem that affects thousands of children and parents worldwide.
unbelievably unjust
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-24
Review Date: 1999-06-24
If this horrible thing can happen to Catherine Meyer with little hope for resolution, think of how many others out there who are not as visible but are experiencing the same nightmare. The whole thing is tragic and wrong!
A real page turner. Every parent should read this.
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1999-05-08
Review Date: 1999-05-08
This is a heartrending and moving account of a mother's worst nightmare. To look to the law for justice and to have the system turn against you must be the most horrendous experience of all. Everyone should read this brilliant account in order to realize how unprotected one is as a parent and worse still, how unprotected children are today. This is an eye-opener. Who would ever suspect that in our democratic society that such a travesty of justice can still happen and affect so many families. When I started reading this book, I simply could not put it down.
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Dr. Norton has done the English-speaking world a great service in producing this fine work of scholarship on a very esoteric subject.
I first learnt of Stefan George in relation to Arnold Schoenberg, who set many of George's poems to music: cf. especially Schoenberg's exquisite and groundbreaking song cycle The Book of the Hanging Gardens, Op. 15 from 1909--his Expressionistic and pantonal year.
As to George's poetry, I think it superior to Rilke's--and Rilke is recognized as one of the great poets of the 20th Century, in any tongue. In the original German, George explored new orthographical techinques such as the elimination of the capitalization of all nouns, excess umlauts, etc.