Blood and Iron: From Bismarck to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History

by Otto Friedrich

Book Overview

A chronicle of German history focuses on the role played by the von Moltke family. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060168668
• ISBN13: 9780060168667
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 434 Pages
• Weight: 0.13 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Smooth reading.

This highly readable book focuses specifically on the lives of 3 male Von Moltke with Prussian backgrounds-2 military and one with civilian influences.The beginning traces the family roots which find the family mainly in Denmark and Prussia(pre-Germany) during the 1100's AD and after.The family during this period is aristocratic and strongly military influenced sort of a "warlord for hire" type. The first Von Moltke covered in the book whose carreer encompasses almost 2/3 of the book,is the hero of the Franco-Prussian War(1871)Field Marshall Helmuth Karl Von Moltke.The Field Marshal was the "genius " behind the WArs of German Unity throughout the 1840's -1860's.Fascinatingly enough he was 71 years old at the time of the war. At this time there was no Germany per-se,just a few powerful German speaking nation states of which Prussia came to dominate over due to its economic power and its potent army.Relations between France and Germany at this time are anything but friendly with a history of both declaring war on each other so many times it's hard to assess blame.England sort of sits back and let them fight it out without interference as long as neither France nor the German states dominate Europe.Helmuth does not come across as someone who glorifies in militaristic options but does not back down from a threat either.The book goes into detail about the Field Marshal's life in regard to the formation of modern Germany and discusses Bismarck and Nietzche. The epithet on the Field Marshals' tombstone reads"Love is the fulfilling of the law". This would show how distant he would be from the National Socialists of the 1930's.Ironically his grave was purportedly looted by Gypsies after WW2 to obtain metal for repairing pans. The second Moltke covered is a nephew Helmuth Johannes who often receives the blame for the German disaster at the first battle of the Marne(1915).The author spends alot of time going over Moltke's correspondence in regard to mobilization of the German army after the assasination of Archduke Ferdinand.He focuses on how Helmuth John tried to avoid the mobilizations but when he saw the die was cast for the war he put German interests first.Helmuth John on numerous occasions refused to accept command and the author gives proof that Helmuth had command pushed upon him rather than he himself seeking it.After the 1st Marne where Germany was stalemated/defeated Helmuth Johannes health broke and he died shortly after.It seems as if the responsibility and unsureness of the need for the war finished him,or so implies the author.This shows how sensitive in fact the VonMoltkes were,and didn't take war as a pleasure or game! The final Moltke covered is Helmuth James who was executed in 1945 for speaking against Hitler. What's interesting as the author points out is that Helmuth James was a very early critic of the Nazis but he more or less got away his comments until the Nazis began losin

Germany's interesting history as told through one family

It's a fascinating book that looks at one family's enormous impact on the history and psyche of Germany from the late 1800s through the WW II. Looking at three men from three generations of German (Prussian) nobles, you can trace the ascendency of Germany in the 1800s, its near domination of Europe during WW I, and then the seeds of its downfall during WW II. I bought the book because I was moving to Germany and wanted to know more than the basic history known by most Americans. I found this book at Powells and read it with great enjoyment. The author, former Time's editor I believe, did an excellent job balancing details with the flow of the writing.

From Bismarck to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History

Book in wonderful condition, very rapid delivery

The field marshal, the 'nervous nephew,' and the martyr

In the relatively brief history of Germany as a unitary state (131 years old this year), few non-royal families have played as important a role as the von Moltke family. In a time when the 'sweeping family saga' is a popular fiction genre, the fact that this story isn't only true, but also extremely well written, should commend it to any reader with an interest in European history.Of course, the von Moltke family's impact actually reaches back before the Reich into the history of Prussia. The first of three men Otto Friedrich focuses on, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke (1800-1891), was Prussia's key military strategist during the Franco-Prussian War, and possibly Germany's greatest strategist ever, surpassing even his friend and mentor, Clausewitz. His nephew and namesake, General Helmuth von Moltke (1848-1916), on the other hand, was nervous, indecisive, and largely unable to deal with the responsibilities of command that came to him in part due to his famous name. The third Helmuth, Count Helmuth James von Moltke (1907-1945), was one of nature's noblemen. A liberal (in the European sense), he was actively involved in the opposition to Hitler and Nazism -- a fact that led to his execution shortly before the Reich's own collapse. The letters Helmuth James wrote from prison, to his wife most notably, but to others as well, are deeply moving, and filled with a Christian spirit that reminded me of St Paul's own epistles from prison.Otto Friedrich is a tremendously skilled historian, and also an excellent writer. 'Blood and Iron' is well documented, logically presented, and also very readable. Plus, he's not afraid to share his opinions and interpretations, most particularly in 'A Note on Sources' following the close of the narrative. His insights there on other documents and histories are well worth reading. As, indeed, is this entire book. I recommend it very highly.

The Good, the Relatively Good and the Mediocre

A recurrent feature of Hollywood war movies of the sixties and seventies was the "good German" - the anti-hero (often played by a Max Schell type, though James Mason as Rommel was another attempt) who, despite his allegiance, was essentially humane. Subsequent literature (e.g. Hitler's Willing Executioners) has largely exploded the myth that the Reich was riddled with conscientious objectors. Nevertheless, some Germans truly were on the side of the angels, and among them Helmuth James von Molke, who met his end in the aftermath of the briefcase bombing, was especially heroic. The last third of this book is devoted to his underground campaign to overthrow Hitler and establish a peaceful model for the future. The first subject of the book is his great-uncle, Helmuth von Molke of the Prussian General Staff, who masterminded Prussia's triumph over Denmark and then victory in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars of the 1860s and 1870s. Despite his association with Prussian militarism, old von Moltke was driven by a firm sense of personal ethics, and for all the pain associated with his wars, at least they were brief. The same cannot be said for his nephew, the hapless Helmuth Johannes von Moltke, appointed Chief of the German General Staff in the lead up to World War One. Faced with the challenge of updating the already-flawed Schlieffen Plan, he actually managed to make it worse, dooming Germany, France, Belgium and Britain to four years of trench warfare. The von Moltkes are modern Prussia's most remarkable clan, and in the concluding chapter we are treated to a "Where Are They Now" of its surviving members.