Germany. Interwar years.
Discussion
Looking for a recommendation on a history book that doesn't read like a school textbook.
Read loads on WW1 and WW2 but feel my knowledge of what happened in between is somewhat lacking. One that covers the fallout of WW1 to the creation of the Weimar Republic and all that entails to the eventual rise of Hitler and his goon squad is what I'm after.
Anyone got any ideas?? Feels like it was a fascinating time but it seems not much is written about it (not in English anyway!)
Read loads on WW1 and WW2 but feel my knowledge of what happened in between is somewhat lacking. One that covers the fallout of WW1 to the creation of the Weimar Republic and all that entails to the eventual rise of Hitler and his goon squad is what I'm after.
Anyone got any ideas?? Feels like it was a fascinating time but it seems not much is written about it (not in English anyway!)
Frustratingly I can’t be much help to you with this question, on account of so much of my knowledge of the Weimar Republic coming directly from a school textbook. For a general overview that ought to be acceptable, but for an understanding as opposed to a narrative I don’t think it’ll be much assistance.
However, what I might suggest is a book I read probably 6 or 7 years ago, with the warning that you may not like it. It is ‘Young Hitler’ by an author called Claus Hant, and the reason I’m warning you that it might not scratch the itch for knowledge is because the author himself describes it as a ‘non-fiction novel’. Essentially, it is a novel based upon the facts we know about the life Hitler led prior to his ascent to power; where possible it fills in the blanks as best it can, and it is precisely in that context that it provides a look at life in the Weimar Republic. As I’ve said, I haven’t read the book in a long time so may be looking back upon it too fondly.
In keeping with fiction, there is a novel by Hans Fallada called ‘Wolf amongst Wolves’ also set in the Weimar Republic. Like anything else I have not yet read by Fallada, it remains a priority on my reading list. There is an English translation but my only experience of Fallada’s works in English has been via Michael Hoffman’s translations.
It is a deeply frustrating thing for me to be unable to give you any solid recommendations for non-fiction, and I cannot deny the leap to “Why not a novel about Hitler?” is likely indicative of having been railroaded through the curricular understanding of the Weimar Republic. I’ll have another think about the topic tonight / tomorrow and hopefully may come up with a few more answers for you.
However, what I might suggest is a book I read probably 6 or 7 years ago, with the warning that you may not like it. It is ‘Young Hitler’ by an author called Claus Hant, and the reason I’m warning you that it might not scratch the itch for knowledge is because the author himself describes it as a ‘non-fiction novel’. Essentially, it is a novel based upon the facts we know about the life Hitler led prior to his ascent to power; where possible it fills in the blanks as best it can, and it is precisely in that context that it provides a look at life in the Weimar Republic. As I’ve said, I haven’t read the book in a long time so may be looking back upon it too fondly.
In keeping with fiction, there is a novel by Hans Fallada called ‘Wolf amongst Wolves’ also set in the Weimar Republic. Like anything else I have not yet read by Fallada, it remains a priority on my reading list. There is an English translation but my only experience of Fallada’s works in English has been via Michael Hoffman’s translations.
It is a deeply frustrating thing for me to be unable to give you any solid recommendations for non-fiction, and I cannot deny the leap to “Why not a novel about Hitler?” is likely indicative of having been railroaded through the curricular understanding of the Weimar Republic. I’ll have another think about the topic tonight / tomorrow and hopefully may come up with a few more answers for you.
The Germans were lucky, the awful society of those times nearly spawned the destruction of the world.
My Granduncle was very much involved in the war, but his hatred of Germany came about because of the Weimar years.
His archive, which spanned the 1930’s to the ‘70’s is part of the National records office archives. Because they are a confidential donation, and a large part of them are covered by the Official Secrets Act it is not possible to reproduce much of them, but I shall give an insight here by quoting a particular operation against Nazi Germany that he was involved in. It gives one a sense of the implacable horror the Nazis faced, and delineates how helpless they were against the terror of British ingenuity.
‘October 4, 1942.
I spoke today to Beaverbrook and reminded him that without my Aunt P. he wouldn’t have been introduced to A.B.L, and without that no Max. He was a bit put out, but conceded the towel and such after we talked further.
I wanted to speak to him about my new plan, and I told him I knew that he still had Winstons ear. To his credit, once he had listened and had a mutter to himself he agreed, I do think though that the fact that Gladys was present and was very enthusiastic from the beginning was a help.
I suppose I should elaborate somewhat - I was born in India, in Jodhpur, where my Father was a sort of diplomat. Of course, we moved all over the Raj and I was always struck by both the beauty of India and the loveliness of its people.
When I was eight I was wrenched away to Germany with my parents, leaving the luscious titties of my nurse, Pookyu, a gigantic Bengali lady with a luxurious, jasmine tainted beard, and Dosii, our half witted, donkey bothering servant, who doted on me and often shared his dug-tobacco pipe when my parents were away.
I was inconsolable, and cried piteously for my nurse. Mama arranged for a new Lady, who was one from Bavaria to take up the slack, but she wouldn’t do - her titties produced an awful, rank sauerkraut and her comforting handjobs were severely lacking the practised eastern touch I was used to.
Because of this I determined to destroy Germany.
In those heady years, while my Father was military Attache to the Berlin embassy, I studied German society with an overwhelming passion, and I came to a terrible and startling conclusion.
The Germans - Like the Indians - are a nation predicated upon the bovine.
Milk, Cheese, the docility of its populace, sausages that taste of excrement and an obsession with brown, all mark out the Germanic psyche as a nation caught in the inescapable glare of Bovinaria.
The cowlike udders of its women, the laughable milk based deserts, an ideology of leather and mountain meadows, awful rotting beef sausages - these were the nation-ruining insights that I brought to my eventual meeting with Churchill and the rest of the High command, a scant week after my meeting with Lord Beaverbrook.
My plan, which was immediately approved by both Winston and Admiral Cunningham, (who was in attendance as Eisenhowers representative), was to parachute into Germany, several highly trained commando, teams to disrupt the Reichs milch industry. A large group of military and civilian planners concluded that my endeavour would force Germany to capitulate within three months.
In Conjunction with SOE and the recently formed OSS, I formulated a plan. Our missions were to be nearly suicidal - ‘one way’, was the term I remember - but, the risk and its outcome were judged to be worth it. Of course, I would lead one of the teams.
After careful R.AF. analysis, the areas containing the largest concentrations of Hitlers cows would be identified, and covered by diverting raids, commando/veterinarian teams would be dropped in.
Although the teams were heavily armed with conventional weapons, the main anti-milchenworkindustrie weapon was a compression moulded Bakelite bull phallus’ which delivered an ovary numbing electrical shock.
From undercover locations, wearing costumes similar to pantomime horses, but expertly tailored to represent handsome bulls, commando teams consisting of a highly trained killer and a combat veterinarian would sally forth, raping several hundred cows each night and as each ungulate reach its climax, delivering a sterilising electrical shock.
Within weeks Germany would be crippled.
It was not to be.
I was called to the Admiralty and told to stand the operation down, and burn all the phallus’ and associated costumes - the reason ?.
Almost unbelievably, it was felt by the Royal family to be to inhumane and that the fact that the Bakelite phallus was found to be an enlarged replica of my own indicated certain unacceptable conclusions.
I was awfully put out by these ideas - it had hardly been practical to spend several hours keeping a bulls penis erect while compression moulding it. as a matter of fact I myself had the most awful difficulty keeping firm, even though I had those photos of Gracie Fields and the ‘lost’ coke bottle.
oh well, never mind.’
From our vantage point of fifty years or so, we see that it truly was inhumane and would have plunged most of Europe into starvation. Thank god that although the cold war raged, our wise leaders never again contemplated such a course of action.
Our very race was threatened by this awful perversion of science and warfare, we see from our lofty vantage of years that the age of the atomic and hydrogen bombs have spared us the horror of unrestrained livestock violation.
My Granduncle was very much involved in the war, but his hatred of Germany came about because of the Weimar years.
His archive, which spanned the 1930’s to the ‘70’s is part of the National records office archives. Because they are a confidential donation, and a large part of them are covered by the Official Secrets Act it is not possible to reproduce much of them, but I shall give an insight here by quoting a particular operation against Nazi Germany that he was involved in. It gives one a sense of the implacable horror the Nazis faced, and delineates how helpless they were against the terror of British ingenuity.
‘October 4, 1942.
I spoke today to Beaverbrook and reminded him that without my Aunt P. he wouldn’t have been introduced to A.B.L, and without that no Max. He was a bit put out, but conceded the towel and such after we talked further.
I wanted to speak to him about my new plan, and I told him I knew that he still had Winstons ear. To his credit, once he had listened and had a mutter to himself he agreed, I do think though that the fact that Gladys was present and was very enthusiastic from the beginning was a help.
I suppose I should elaborate somewhat - I was born in India, in Jodhpur, where my Father was a sort of diplomat. Of course, we moved all over the Raj and I was always struck by both the beauty of India and the loveliness of its people.
When I was eight I was wrenched away to Germany with my parents, leaving the luscious titties of my nurse, Pookyu, a gigantic Bengali lady with a luxurious, jasmine tainted beard, and Dosii, our half witted, donkey bothering servant, who doted on me and often shared his dug-tobacco pipe when my parents were away.
I was inconsolable, and cried piteously for my nurse. Mama arranged for a new Lady, who was one from Bavaria to take up the slack, but she wouldn’t do - her titties produced an awful, rank sauerkraut and her comforting handjobs were severely lacking the practised eastern touch I was used to.
Because of this I determined to destroy Germany.
In those heady years, while my Father was military Attache to the Berlin embassy, I studied German society with an overwhelming passion, and I came to a terrible and startling conclusion.
The Germans - Like the Indians - are a nation predicated upon the bovine.
Milk, Cheese, the docility of its populace, sausages that taste of excrement and an obsession with brown, all mark out the Germanic psyche as a nation caught in the inescapable glare of Bovinaria.
The cowlike udders of its women, the laughable milk based deserts, an ideology of leather and mountain meadows, awful rotting beef sausages - these were the nation-ruining insights that I brought to my eventual meeting with Churchill and the rest of the High command, a scant week after my meeting with Lord Beaverbrook.
My plan, which was immediately approved by both Winston and Admiral Cunningham, (who was in attendance as Eisenhowers representative), was to parachute into Germany, several highly trained commando, teams to disrupt the Reichs milch industry. A large group of military and civilian planners concluded that my endeavour would force Germany to capitulate within three months.
In Conjunction with SOE and the recently formed OSS, I formulated a plan. Our missions were to be nearly suicidal - ‘one way’, was the term I remember - but, the risk and its outcome were judged to be worth it. Of course, I would lead one of the teams.
After careful R.AF. analysis, the areas containing the largest concentrations of Hitlers cows would be identified, and covered by diverting raids, commando/veterinarian teams would be dropped in.
Although the teams were heavily armed with conventional weapons, the main anti-milchenworkindustrie weapon was a compression moulded Bakelite bull phallus’ which delivered an ovary numbing electrical shock.
From undercover locations, wearing costumes similar to pantomime horses, but expertly tailored to represent handsome bulls, commando teams consisting of a highly trained killer and a combat veterinarian would sally forth, raping several hundred cows each night and as each ungulate reach its climax, delivering a sterilising electrical shock.
Within weeks Germany would be crippled.
It was not to be.
I was called to the Admiralty and told to stand the operation down, and burn all the phallus’ and associated costumes - the reason ?.
Almost unbelievably, it was felt by the Royal family to be to inhumane and that the fact that the Bakelite phallus was found to be an enlarged replica of my own indicated certain unacceptable conclusions.
I was awfully put out by these ideas - it had hardly been practical to spend several hours keeping a bulls penis erect while compression moulding it. as a matter of fact I myself had the most awful difficulty keeping firm, even though I had those photos of Gracie Fields and the ‘lost’ coke bottle.
oh well, never mind.’
From our vantage point of fifty years or so, we see that it truly was inhumane and would have plunged most of Europe into starvation. Thank god that although the cold war raged, our wise leaders never again contemplated such a course of action.
Our very race was threatened by this awful perversion of science and warfare, we see from our lofty vantage of years that the age of the atomic and hydrogen bombs have spared us the horror of unrestrained livestock violation.
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