From 1933 to 1945, the Gestapo was Nazi Germany’s chief instrument of counter-espionage, political suppression, and terror. Jacques Delarue, a saboteur arrested by the Nazis in occupied France, chronicles how the land of Beethoven elevated sadism to a fine art. The Gestapo: A History of Horror draws upon Delarue’s interviews with ex-Gestapo agents to deliver a multi-layered history of the force … the force whose work included killing student resisters, establishing Aryan eugenic unions, and implementing the Final Solution. This is a probing look at the Gestapo and the fanatics and megalomaniacs who made it such a successful and heinous organization—Barbie, Eichmann, Himmler, Heydrich, Müller. The Gestapo’s notorious reign led to the murder of millions. The Gestapo is an important documentation of what they did and how they did it.
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very descriptive and informative- It’s not a novel it’s a history book
Spent some time in Germany this summer and this book was recommended to me by an elderly man of Jewish faith. He walked me through some of the museums as he told me his history. I asked him—Why didn’t your family leave? His reply was that they did not really believe that this could happen……this book explains how cunning the Nazi’s were…..not an easy read but something that everyone should read.
How can people be so evil? Was it the Nazi government brainwashing, the fear that most of the German people felt or an ability of humans to become inhumane as a society?
I learned a lot about evil.
This book is obviously very well researched. I like books with a good vocabulary, and this one certainly has that. However, so far it reads a little slowly. I believe part of the problem on my end is lack of knowledge of the hierarchy of Germany prior to World War II. I have learned a lot of history, but at times I have trouble following all the different groups active at that point. It is certainly not a page-turner, but it opens a window on an era that too few of us are familiar with.
A lot of facts to take in, but a well written book.
Nazis didn’t gain power in Germany by spectacle and crowd appeal. They did it by brutally identifying and executing their political enemies. Goering was one of the worst, much more an aggressive and psychopathic killer than an uncertain, indecisive, and insecure Hitler. Goering routinely added his own personal enemies to any list of targeted political enemies. Fascinating and detailed chronicle of the way the Nazis eliminated enemies and marginalized every system of protest, redress or Justice. Much of this, by the way, including detention and concentration camps, was occurring in 1932 and 1933, not just in the years close to 1939. If this has any cautions for the world, those warnings lie in the evils of consolidation of power, willingness to accept labeling of anti-government groups, etc. The whole story of this seizing of power is reminiscent of tactics used by contemporary authoritarian regimes worldwide.
It was difficult to stay focused and interested which is sad because I really wanted to understand how human beings could turn so cruel.
This book I found very informative. It was a great history lesson on the horror of the Gestapo. It was very well written.
Hard to follow the story line
Very interestng!
Way too many abbreviations and service rank stuff that for the average reader is pretty difficult to understand. The book left me with an even greater sense of repulsion about the Nazi regime. Especially the willingness of the people to “buy into” the horrible behavior of the Gestapo and the failure of the leadership of the regular army and air force to see and attempt to stop the horrifying excess of the Gestapo and Hitler. In my opinion the book is moderately important in its attempt to enlighten about the Nazi era.
I didn’t like it and didn’t finish it. This is uncharacteristic of my reading habits.