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Adrian Weale

Autor(a) de Army of Evil: A History of the SS

12 Works 355 Membros 5 Críticas

About the Author

Includes the name: Adrian Weale

Obras por Adrian Weale

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What began as a motley crew of misfits to protect Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the early 1920s became a fearsome brigade of murderers. Academic Adrian Weale tells the story of how this happened in accessible language that has all the requisite research requirements of a work such as this.
He meticulously weaves the story of the SS – Schutzstaffel the Nazi party “praetorian guard” – that controlled law enforcement and security in Nazi Germany and went on to play a key role in the Holocaust.
One of the book’s mysteries is how SS leader Heinrich Himmler, from a psychologically healthy middle class family, who had a happy childhood, became the monster he did. His mother’s interest in the occult and mythology was a strong influence but does not explain how her son became a mass murderer and one of the most reviled people in history.
Another mystery is the high proportion of educated and seemingly well-balanced people who became members.
Himmler’s wielding of power was ruthless yet he was firmly under Hitler’s spell. It was to until the last days of the war that he opposed Hitler and by then it was too late.
Weale has contributed a useful addition to our understanding of the rise and fall of the Nazis. Anyone interested in this historical epoch will gain from The SS.
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
Neil_333 | 2 outras críticas | Mar 6, 2020 |
Very general and mainly from existing sources. Too much on the Holocaust, which is better covered elsewhere. But well written and a good introduction to the subject.
 
Assinalado
ponsonby | 2 outras críticas | Jan 8, 2020 |
During my childhood, I - like most other Danish kids - heard about a chapter in Danish national history that is not exactly a positive one, the story of the Frikorps Danmark volunteers.

These were young, able-bodied men who volunteered to fight for the Germans on the Eastern Front, committing horrendous atrocities in the process. After the war, the survivors were put on trial, but due to the fact that the Danish government had allowed if not encouraged the volunteers, their sentencing was often lenient.

This book covers the story - and the preface - to the lesser-known British equivalent, the British Free Corps. The idea was the same - establish a corps of volunteers to fight the Red Threat. The outcome, however, was entirely different. Comically so. Among the plethora of mind-boggling facts I learned from this was that the BFC never had a strength of more than 30 men - 30 being the magic number for deployment purposes. Weale does an excellent job of unravelling the frankly maddeningly convoluted chain of events that constitute the history of the BFC.

At the centre of the madhouse stood one man - John Amery, and after reading this, you get a picture in your head of a vain, pretentious man who had his head so far up his own backside - and his mind so deep in delusions - that he was ripe for the plucking. And then there's the sections on Mosley and Joyce. Mosley's story is quite well-known, but I was surprised to learn that the infamous "Lord Haw-Haw" tried to flee into Denmark(!) from Flensburg after Germany capitulated.

This is a compact little bomb of a book - perfect for commuter reading. Although some people give you weird looks if you read it on the morning bus - but I guess that is because of the cover photo. That aside, if you come across it - get your hands on it. You will not be let down if you like your history well-researched, well-narrated and colourful.
… (mais)
1 vote
Assinalado
jakadk | 1 outra crítica | May 14, 2018 |
Nasty topic, clear and accurate account.
 
Assinalado
withnail67 | 1 outra crítica | May 11, 2006 |

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Estatísticas

Obras
12
Membros
355
Avaliação
½ 3.5
Críticas
5
ISBN
32
Línguas
3

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