World War II and the rise of Nazism in Germany are certainly two very well covered topics. However, most history books pertaining to them deal with Germany on the national level, and so skim over or skip many of the details and minutia that contributed to their development. This book fills that gap by providing a detailed account of the rise of the Nazi party in a single town, and what happened to it after Hitler came to power.
This book, while very interesting and informative, is not meant to be read cover to cover by someone simply wanting to learn about history. Because of the limited scope of the book's study, no detail is omitted, so that much of the text deals with the back and forth of rallies and counter-rallies held by the NSDAP, the SPD, and the various other German parties. Such level of detail is hardly necessary for the average reader, but these parts can easily be skimmed, and overall the book paints a very detailed and informative picture of what life in late Weimar era Germany, the later the Third Reich, was like. It provides detailed explanations of the workings of the Nazi propaganda machine, of what politics were like in that period, what the divisions in German society were and how they shaped events, and so forth. Things that would only be mentioned in overview in a typical book on German history are given the space they deserve here, and so provide a much better understanding of the lives and motivations of ordinary Germans. Furthermore, the book gives brief summaries of what events were happening on the national level at the time, so you always have a clear understanding of the larger forces which drove local sentiment and activities.
I highly recommend this book to those interested in German history, just be aware of the specific focus of this book, as this level of detail may be unnecessary in some cases. Otherwise, enjoy. On the whole, this book reads pretty easily and is much more enjoyable and less dense than most history books I've read.
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Eerily familiar to a reader in the U.S. in 2016
I had the great pleasure of studying under Dr. Allen at the University of Missouri in the 1960s. I still remember some of his lectures fairly well. For one course, a required text was the first edition of this book. Wretched student that I was, I read it through with relish (something that I did not do with many of the other books required of history majors then and there). Now, fifty odd years later, I read it again and with renewed interest - and worry. The forces that Hitler managed and manipulated to bring him to power in Germany in 1933 were eerily familiar to a reader in the United States in 2016. The Demagogues are not the same, but the message is. And it is so because it appeals to the same widespread sense of disconnection and disaffection in the population.Our country was once great, but has been allowed to crumble by the weaklings in our government. The Others have brought things to this awful pass. Our so-called leaders won't deal with them but I will. Only I will. I will make us great again. Other nations will fear us, as they should.Now, I'm not suggesting that this is a "repeat" of history. It's more of a rhyme. The checks and balances in our system will almost certainly prevent the rapid rise to supreme power that Hitler managed. I do not see any U.S. Congress passing anything like the Enabling Acts of 1933. But the ethos that demagogues represent is alive and well in America.
Top reviews from other countries
sandra white
Great book for those interested in Hitler and how he ...
Reviewed in Canada on February 20, 2017