Recommended Reading

[Latvian Swede]

I can't tell you how many books I've read about WWII since joining this forum last March 2009. I had always been interested in this history - and I want to thank all who posted the book reading suggestions on this thread. I've mostly read individual experiences during the war, mostly from Jewish survivors. So now I have a list of MORE books to read from all the suggestions here!

edited to add: right now I'm reading The Belarus Secret: The first full account of an extraordinary clandestine operation carried out in direct defiance of presidential orders: How certain government agencies, in the aftermath of WWII, smuggled into the U.S. hundreds of Nazi collaborators from Eastern Europe--and have continued to protect them from investigation and deportation by John Loftus.
I still can't believe the U.S. would keep these Nazi collaborators hidden here... probably a few still left!

[Roderick]

"Adolf Hitler" by John Toland is an outstanding bio about the most complex personality of the century XX.

>Rod

[fjohns]

I just received a copy of While Six Million Died by Arthur D. Morse published by Random House in '68. The sub-title is A Chronicle of American Apathy. The book is in three parts and the contents look good.

Part 1: The Bystanders. Part II: The Victims. Part III: The Rescuers.

I spot perused and the text looks good and informative, covering subjects and quoting from externals;
From the SS St. Louis affair: Children playing on deck a game. A deck chair barrier. Two boys, one playing guard:
A: "Are you a Jew?"
B: "Yes," replied the child at the barrier.
A: "Jews are not admitted!" snapped the [playing role] guard.
B: "Oh, please let me in. I'm only a very little Jew."

Four countries accepted the rag-tag group from the St. Louis: Belgium, France, Holland, and England. Morse goes on to say that only those in Britain were truly safe and that the numbers from the other three countries invaded leave doubt as to how many escaped "the Solution."

Fred

[immelmann020716]

"A Woman In Berlin", By Anonymous
A pre-war female journalist's account of life in Russian occupied Berlin. Written as a diary, which it was, it starts on approx. 20, April 1945, and covers eight weeks of life in this opressive situation. She details life on a daily basis as the city is occupied. Descriptions of mass rape, hunger and general destruction of daily life and the city itself, abound. It is a personal account and, as such, I found myself sympathizing with the reader. As the details of her experiences unfolded, I found myself enthralled, and could hardly put the book down, it so held my attention.
This is a great read for anyone wanting to get a first-hand, honest description of life in Russian occupied Berlin.

[tippman]

I wonder is this a place where I could link some very interesting podcasts which I came across ?
I realise that podcasts are not strictly reading as such but these podcasts concern the Ostfront.

The podcasts in question are the work of Dan Carlin, an American political writer and amateur historian.

http://dancarlinhh.libsyn.com/media/dan ... ront_I.mp3

http://dancarlinhh.libsyn.com/media/dan ... ont_II.mp3

http://dancarlinhh.libsyn.com/media/dan ... nt_III.mp3

http://dancarlinhh.libsyn.com/media/dan ... ont_IV.mp3

The podcasts cover the entire Ostfront campaign and ultimately the Soviet role in the fall of Berlin in 1945.

I know that a lot of you are very familiar with the minutae of these campaigns but others may not be and these podcasts
could act as a good reference (hopefully for some of you at least).

[tippman]

"A Woman In Berlin", By Anonymous
A pre-war female journalist's account of life in Russian occupied Berlin. Written as a diary, which it was, it starts on approx. 20, April 1945, and covers eight weeks of life in this opressive situation. She details life on a daily basis as the city is occupied. Descriptions of mass rape, hunger and general destruction of daily life and the city itself, abound. It is a personal account and, as such, I found myself sympathizing with the reader. As the details of her experiences unfolded, I found myself enthralled, and could hardly put the book down, it so held my attention.
This is a great read for anyone wanting to get a first-hand, honest description of life in Russian occupied Berlin.

I agree Immelmann, this book is an excellent read.

[immelmann020716]

Another of interest..."Lone Star Stalag", by Michael Waters. Tells the story of one of the largest POW camps in Texas. Located in Hearne,TX, it covers issues regarding daily life in the camp of the same name...Camp Hearne. The author is a proffessor at Texas A&M University, and together with a team of archeaology students they excavated the camp site, writing of their finds in Proffessor Water's book. Much more information on the daily lives of the POWs and the running of the camp are contained within. It can be a bit dry on some details, but overall a good read. I recommend it. I plan to visit the site soon as, it is only a 2 hour car drive from my home.

[Mike Shaner]

Just finished "A Woman in Berlin" and agree that it is a well-written diary of only two months at the end of the war.

[Polar bear]

hello,

"Living with the Enemy" the story of the german occupation of the Channel islands 1940-45, by Roy McLoughlin

[Grünherz]

Lovre,
Well written post!
But, re: Eva, I recall reading a biography of hers some years ago---not the same title. Quite informative but I don't have the book in front of me.
Tom

[german71]

city under siege by michael d haydock is mostly about berlin right after ww2 and is mostly about the allied persons controlling the city but has quite a bit about germans good reading material.

[german71]

guy sajer the forgotton soldier is one of the best written books i have ever read. If you like ww2 or just like to read this book is a must.

[woodyab]

I have observed quite a few remarks about the poverty of Ukraine, BeloRus, etc. The Ukraine was treat abominably by Stalin. Isolated until millions died of starvation. Their poverty stems from this time.. In reality worse than Hitler's regime, Pol Pot, and other megalomaniacs.
A book I recommend for Linkar especially, and naturally others on the site, would be: Dallin, Alexander. German Rule in Russia 1941-1945. A study of occupation policies. 2nd Ed.1981. It is a thick tome. Somewhat heavy going but very insightful. Had Hitler's regime followed Rosenberg's design for the East things would have been remarkably different,(maybe), however he came up against Himmler, Koch and others jockeying for the spoils of war in the East.
The Ukraine and other States, had always been a thorn in Stalins side, therefore had the German heir achy used this independent streak to its fullest, and isolated Muskovy, as advocated by Rosenberg, things would have been different. Something that has happened now in Russia with the Independence of the various States, was put forward by him in 1941.
Thanks for your time.
Tony

[Helmuth]

Very excellent reading suggestions. I really enjoyed A woman in Berlin.

A book I found interesting is Hitler's Jewish Soldiers, by Bryan Mark Rigg. ISBN 0-700601358-7.
Not only was being Jewish a problem in the Third Reich, but also being part Jewish and being a soldier. This can be a bit dry reading, but I liked the personal accounts which included enlisted men to high ranking military officials and Hitler's personal involvement of whether they should be able to serve in the military, or face expulsion and loss of pensions and benefits.

Thank you for sharing your reading experiences.
Kreg

[oberstgruppenfuhrr2011]

Hi I'm reading "Berlin at war" by roger Moorhouse, It's a great book that depicts what the day to day life in Berlin was like for the civilians during the third Reich. there's not many books written from this point of view so thought id give it a go. it starts of with Hitler's 50th birthday parade in Berlin 20th of April 1939. Which was the largest military display ever put on by the NSDAP. I particularly like the way it starts with
"Unbroken sunshine was forecast for Thursday the 20th of April 1939, "Fuhrerwetter" as it was known in Nazi Germany." Even the weather was named after there fuhrer! This book was written so well I actually felt as thou I was there sitting in the VIP grandstand to north of the boulevard, built to accommodate 5,000 of Hitler's special guests and assorted representatives. (there was another Grand stand built for the public to the south of the boulevard to hold another 5,000 spectators) Along with a young Wehrmacht lieutenant "Alexander Stahlberg"
QUOTE; "I learned that thousands of tickets were being issued solely to party members and prominent personalities, so (quite without authority) I put on my new made-to-measure dress uniform, hung the sword of the Pasewalk cuirassiers at my side and went down to the grand stand. There I simply followed the signs to the individual groups of seats on the stand. CD-Corps Diplomatique-seemed to me the best chance, and in the twinkling of an eye there I was amidst all the pomp and circumstance of the foreign military attaches." Of course there was also some there who did not support the Nazi's & had turned out merely to witness what they rightly expected to be a great spectacle. One such Berliner recalled "The crowed stretched out the 'German greeting'. 'Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!' we hear them shout. Those that do not raise there arm are immediately arrested. Yet, as we look around, we see around fifteen to twenty people who like us, have managed to extricate themselves from the crowed and have hastily disappeared into the calm of the side street. 'good day', we say as we pass. 'good day', they reply genially. One of them even raises his hat with a smile."

I am only part way through the second chapter and already find it to be interesting, deeply engrossing, and an easy read. Well worth a look.