Hitler's Children: Sons and Daughters of Third Reich Leaders
Written by Gerald Posner
Narrated by Julian Elfer
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
This second generation of perpetrators in Hitler's Children struggle with their Third Reich inheritance. In grappling with memories of good and loving fathers who were later charged with war crimes, these heirs to the Nazi legacy add a fresh and important perspective to understanding the complexity of what historian, Hannah Arendt, dubbed "the banality of evil."
Hitler's Children is much more, however, than a series of startling family interviews. It is also a spellbinding insider's look at some of the men whose names have become synonymous with terror. This is a classic book about the second generation of Nazi perpetrators (the only one ever to have family interviews with Hess, Mengele, Donitz, and Göring.) No other book author or documentarian ever got those children to talk again. And Norman Frank, the eldest son of war criminal Hans Frank, also never spoke to anyone but Posner.
Gerald Posner
Gerald Posner (b. 1954) is a renowned investigative journalist. Born in San Francisco, California, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, and went on to a career in law. Posner earned international acclaim with Case Closed (1993), an exhaustive account of the Kennedy assassination that debunked many conspiracy theories. Case Closed was a finalist for the Pulitzer for history. Posner has written about topics as varied as Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele, 9/11, Ross Perot, and the history of Motown Records. His most recent book is Miami Babylon (2009), a history of glitz, drugs, and organized crime in Miami Beach. He lives in Miami with his wife, author Trisha Posner.
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Reviews for Hitler's Children
77 ratings8 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A splendid introspective from the children's viewpoint of life with a Nazi father. The dichotomies presented of loving fathers and wicked beasts of the Reich is interesting to hear. I've often wondered if "the sins of the father" were perpetuated through the children. With the notable exception of one or two, these children appear to have made their own way bravely into adulthood with their own sense of morality apart from their fathers' crimes. Very well narrated, easy to understand with a steady cadence & correct pronunciation which allowed for clear understanding of the text. Highly recommend!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5very worthwhile listen. insightful to hear these children I their own words.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Clearly narrated, humane despite the awful history it recounts. Valuable perspective and insight - or lack - from the children of prominent Nazis
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Good book excellent research
Good book excellent research
Good book - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Certo well written and elucidating about the feelings of the children of various nazi war crimininals.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A very readable look at the Third Reich from a point of view that is different. Posner interviewed several individuals who spent their childhood with fathers who were major war criminals (Hess, Goring), lesser known war criminals and one hero, von Stauffenberg. For the most part the children didn’t know about their father’s involvement in the war, until they heard the results of the Nuremberg Trials. Attitudes range from near hatred by one of Hans Frank’s sons to Hess’s son believing his father was framed, or at least railroaded. One surprising revelation was the fact that Admiral Nimitz gave a statement in support of Grand Admiral Donitz’s use of unrestricted submarine warfare.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I've oftern wondered what it would be like to grow up knowing your parent had committed serious crimes against humanity. Thanks to Library Thing, I found this book.Gerald L. Posner interviewed children of Nazi party members. This book examines their relationships with their fathers and is well worth reading. It is non-judgemental about this second generation, allowing their voices and feelings -- often ambiguous -- to come through.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Very well written and researched account of the lives of the some of the children of notorious Nazi figures, more particularly how their parents role in Nazi Germany affected their own lives in later years. Really good read.