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painterz's review against another edition
5.0
The quote from the psychologist who interviewed Hoss while he was in prison stayed with me:
"His character is that of the amoral psychopath, which in itself, and correlated with his personal development history, indicates a dearth of parental love and unconscious hostility towards the father. Secondly, there is the influence of National Socialism, which enabled this sadistic psychopath to commit unprecedented inhumanities in a framework of apparent social and political respectability."
A social framework, that allows psychopaths to operate in apparent social and political respectability. Well, there's a sign of our times, and a sheer stark warning of where we are going.
"His character is that of the amoral psychopath, which in itself, and correlated with his personal development history, indicates a dearth of parental love and unconscious hostility towards the father. Secondly, there is the influence of National Socialism, which enabled this sadistic psychopath to commit unprecedented inhumanities in a framework of apparent social and political respectability."
A social framework, that allows psychopaths to operate in apparent social and political respectability. Well, there's a sign of our times, and a sheer stark warning of where we are going.
lagarrett's review against another edition
4.0
Parallel stories of a German Jew and the Kommandant of Auschwitz. Hanns escaped Germany and joined the British army and ended up hunting down Rudolf. Factual, but not sensational, with a lot of nuances about the principle characters. Nothing is simple. An excellent read.
abisko's review against another edition
3.0
A good book, interesting and at times fascinating but gripping by no means. The paradoxical life of the Kommandant as loving husband and father at the same time as being the sadistic, animalistic leader of Auschwitz was beyond bizarre. At the same time trying to come to any understanding of the how's and why's of what creates this type of subhuman seems far beyond the scope of this book. He is what he was - a mass murderer of millions. He hated because he thought he should - was told he should. A pitiful follower surrounded by many of the same ilk.
queserasarahh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
francisjshaw's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating story full of unlikely connections which climaxes in a meeting between men with very different pasts. Attempting to understand a man who did terrible things, mixed with a man who wanted the opposite, provides a dramatic true story.
vivika13's review against another edition
4.0
Rudolf Höss é um nome conhecido daqueles que estudam a Segunda Guerra Mundial mais a fundo; a estranhamente marcante figura do comandante de Auschwitz era dono de uma espécie de 'currículo exemplar' dentro da SS. Alguns se lembram dele como um comandante 'não tão ruim', que por vezes chegava a se opor à espancamentos entre oficiais e internos, enquanto outros se lembram dele como um comandante maldito, sádico e cruel. Afinal, qual seria a verdadeira faceta daquele que, após o final da guerra, foi incluído na lista de Criminosos de Guerra Procurados?
Hanns Alexander conseguiu algo que muitos Judeus Alemães tentaram em vão: fugir do estado nazista antes de sua tenebrosa ascensão. Vivendo na Inglaterra, Hanns e seu irmão gêmeo Paul sentiram a necessidade de lutar contra o ditador que arruinou a vida de seu povo e seus país natal, decidindo assim pelo alistamento nas forças estrangeiras do Exército Inglês.
O livro narra o sombrio período por duas perspectivas bem diferentes: Höss em sua infância e juventude conservadora em Baden-Baden, sua participação na Primeira Guerra Mundial, seu rápido crescimento dentro do partido (incluindo o auxilio de seu 'padrinho', Henrich Himmler), suas intermináveis transferências de campo (ele passou por Sachsenhausen, Dachau e por fim em Auschwitz), além de sua participação na criação da chamada 'Solução Final ao Problema Judaíco'; isso tudo contrastando com a sua vida familiar na luxuosa villa nos arredores de Auschwitz. Em capítulos alternados somos apresentados a história de Hanns e Paul, irmãos gêmeos que durante sua adolescência acabam deixando a Alemanha ao lado dos pais, visando assim uma vida mais segura em outro país. Já próximo ao fim do conflito, Hanns acaba sendo requisitado para um trabalho misterioso com as forças aliadas: ele teria de caçar e prender aqueles que constavam na lista de procurados por crimes de guerra e assim levá-los a Nuremberg.
Com os capítulos alternados, assistimos de camarote a como Hanns caçou e prendeu Rudolf, levando-o a julgamento. Também temos acesso a excertos do diário/biografia escrita por Höss na prisão, além de trechos de seu julgamento em Nuremberg. Os detalhes são impressionantes: Höss, literalmente, ajudou a criar a máquina de assassinato em massa nazista, arquitetou a melhor forma para 'dispensar' os corpos e transformou Auschwitz em um campo de extermínio que viria a ser modelo para quaisquer outros campos em andamento.
Uma outra questão positiva no livro é a escrita de Thomas Harding: antropologista por formação, apenas descobriu no enterro de seu tio-avô Hanns que ele havia sido um Nazi Hunter e a curiosidade falou mais alto: começou uma pesquisa entre membros da familia para maiores detalhes, visitou locais e até chegou a contatar familiares ainda vivos de Höss. Uma recriação história muito bem elaborada, daquelas que deixariam muitos historiadores orgulhosos.
Hanns Alexander conseguiu algo que muitos Judeus Alemães tentaram em vão: fugir do estado nazista antes de sua tenebrosa ascensão. Vivendo na Inglaterra, Hanns e seu irmão gêmeo Paul sentiram a necessidade de lutar contra o ditador que arruinou a vida de seu povo e seus país natal, decidindo assim pelo alistamento nas forças estrangeiras do Exército Inglês.
O livro narra o sombrio período por duas perspectivas bem diferentes: Höss em sua infância e juventude conservadora em Baden-Baden, sua participação na Primeira Guerra Mundial, seu rápido crescimento dentro do partido (incluindo o auxilio de seu 'padrinho', Henrich Himmler), suas intermináveis transferências de campo (ele passou por Sachsenhausen, Dachau e por fim em Auschwitz), além de sua participação na criação da chamada 'Solução Final ao Problema Judaíco'; isso tudo contrastando com a sua vida familiar na luxuosa villa nos arredores de Auschwitz. Em capítulos alternados somos apresentados a história de Hanns e Paul, irmãos gêmeos que durante sua adolescência acabam deixando a Alemanha ao lado dos pais, visando assim uma vida mais segura em outro país. Já próximo ao fim do conflito, Hanns acaba sendo requisitado para um trabalho misterioso com as forças aliadas: ele teria de caçar e prender aqueles que constavam na lista de procurados por crimes de guerra e assim levá-los a Nuremberg.
Com os capítulos alternados, assistimos de camarote a como Hanns caçou e prendeu Rudolf, levando-o a julgamento. Também temos acesso a excertos do diário/biografia escrita por Höss na prisão, além de trechos de seu julgamento em Nuremberg. Os detalhes são impressionantes: Höss, literalmente, ajudou a criar a máquina de assassinato em massa nazista, arquitetou a melhor forma para 'dispensar' os corpos e transformou Auschwitz em um campo de extermínio que viria a ser modelo para quaisquer outros campos em andamento.
Uma outra questão positiva no livro é a escrita de Thomas Harding: antropologista por formação, apenas descobriu no enterro de seu tio-avô Hanns que ele havia sido um Nazi Hunter e a curiosidade falou mais alto: começou uma pesquisa entre membros da familia para maiores detalhes, visitou locais e até chegou a contatar familiares ainda vivos de Höss. Uma recriação história muito bem elaborada, daquelas que deixariam muitos historiadores orgulhosos.
kmardahl's review against another edition
5.0
The five stars do not indicate that this is a good book in the classic sense of the term "good". It is a very well-written book, but it is a necessary kind of book. One of those stories that must be told for the sake of future generations.
After visiting Auschwitz nearly two years ago, I was curious to read books about the place. I think I wanted to find an explanation for how something as horrible as the events at Auschwitz could ever happen. I think I was also hoping for a bit of justice somewhere. Someone paying even a fraction of the price for the horrors. This is one such book. Hanns Alexander and his family were fortunate enough to escape Germany before Jews were rounded up and sent off to concentration camps. Relocating to London, he soon found himself in a position to bring some of the war criminals to justice, the most important one being Rudolf Höss, the Kommandant of Auschwitz. That is, that one who set up the system for the Nazis' mass murder of Jews and other people unwanted by the Nazi regime.
Rudolf Höss wrote his own version of his life, which has been published in many languages. I don't think I could stomach book. The way Thomas Harding tells his story juxtaposed with the story of his great uncle is well-done and thought-provoking. Harding tells the story of two people and the very different values they each developed in life and what drove the one to hunt down the other.
I did wonder whether I could handle this story and considered just reading the intro and the end. I thought I could get the basic set-up and feel the justice in the capture of Höss. This isn't the type of book you "curl up with". I happen to be fighting a bad cold at the moment and was able to read it all in one sitting, thanks especially to the story's layout and clear writing. I also read all the footnotes as I went along. They contain more details and background explanations.
In the past year, I have read two other books about survivors of Auschwitz - one a true story and one fiction. I think this is it for a while. There is only so much of this story one can stomach. I'd recommend this book as one the why stories - why would someone do this. Not that you understand or sympathise with Höss, but you can get a glimpse into what might be behind such behaviour. You also get a glimpse into what drives others to bring such people to justice. I definitely recommend this book if you are curious about any of these things.
After visiting Auschwitz nearly two years ago, I was curious to read books about the place. I think I wanted to find an explanation for how something as horrible as the events at Auschwitz could ever happen. I think I was also hoping for a bit of justice somewhere. Someone paying even a fraction of the price for the horrors. This is one such book. Hanns Alexander and his family were fortunate enough to escape Germany before Jews were rounded up and sent off to concentration camps. Relocating to London, he soon found himself in a position to bring some of the war criminals to justice, the most important one being Rudolf Höss, the Kommandant of Auschwitz. That is, that one who set up the system for the Nazis' mass murder of Jews and other people unwanted by the Nazi regime.
Rudolf Höss wrote his own version of his life, which has been published in many languages. I don't think I could stomach book. The way Thomas Harding tells his story juxtaposed with the story of his great uncle is well-done and thought-provoking. Harding tells the story of two people and the very different values they each developed in life and what drove the one to hunt down the other.
I did wonder whether I could handle this story and considered just reading the intro and the end. I thought I could get the basic set-up and feel the justice in the capture of Höss. This isn't the type of book you "curl up with". I happen to be fighting a bad cold at the moment and was able to read it all in one sitting, thanks especially to the story's layout and clear writing. I also read all the footnotes as I went along. They contain more details and background explanations.
In the past year, I have read two other books about survivors of Auschwitz - one a true story and one fiction. I think this is it for a while. There is only so much of this story one can stomach. I'd recommend this book as one the why stories - why would someone do this. Not that you understand or sympathise with Höss, but you can get a glimpse into what might be behind such behaviour. You also get a glimpse into what drives others to bring such people to justice. I definitely recommend this book if you are curious about any of these things.
angscott's review against another edition
5.0
Won this book via Goodreads giveaways. Very interesting read, would suggest it to others. So much could be said, but I don't even have the words. Well researched and well written.
minty808's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, just a phenomenal book. Difficult but moving and a part of history that must never be forgotten. A must read for anyone who enjoys history and reading about the second world war.