Bounden Duty: The Memoirs of a German Officer, 1932-1945 (English, German and German Edition)

By Alexander Stahlberg

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0080367143
• ISBN13: 9780080367149
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc
• Length: 428 Pages
• Weight: 1.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Hitler's Germany and Wehrmacht in WW2. Account of an intelligent insider.

This book gives you a rare insight in the prewar German aristocratic and political circles shortly before and after Nazi "revolution". You will see how this traditional political elite of Prussia, has been brusquely swept aside or tamed by Hitler; their reactions ranging from clear understanding that the coup would lead to the end of the Old Order and probably a new war to a blind admiration for the Fuehrer. The Prussian Junkers parted with political power very reluctantly and tried hard to harness the criminals from Hitler's group. They even attempted to use their family contacts in England to make the country take a stand against Hitler. The author - an intellectually brilliant scion of a Junker family is torn between his duty for the Fatherland and the hate as well as contempt for the criminal Nazi top. from his point of view Hitler looks very contemptible indeed; a parvenu with bad manners, even worse ethics as well as cheap political and oratory tricks: Stahlberg has nothing but contempt for the powerful Fuehrer Gaze: "he must have trained this a lot in front of a mirror". Then there is the pathetic and contemptible figure of von Papen for which Stahlberg works as an assistant before the "revolution" and thereby sees the process of formation of the first Hitler cabinet from behind the clown's back. Then there is WW2 and the Author's view of it from Feldmarchal Manstein's staff position and similar places. I would recommend to read this before or after Guy Sajer's "Forgotten Soldier" - the war seen by a teenage (but very perceptive) gefreiter. You will have to get used to the Author's manner of looking at tings; for him the political power in Germany and in the Army is where he and his family naturally belong and that is how it should be. He often refers to the Army's impeccable code of honour; an understandable but not entirely true idea. Despite these minor irritants - a magnificent book and a must for all interested in WW2 and polititics of the period.

History, relevant today, great suspenseful read!

This is one of the most important books I have ever read. It tells, in an easy to read, suspenseful manner the story of the developments in nazi Germany to the war and especially documents the last, most death bringing year 1944. The story of the struggle of the German officers, bound by the ingrained Prussian sense of duty, bound to the oath that they took, and facing the reality - executing orders that they know can only spell disaster and finally to their desperate, failed tries at the assassination of Hitler. One still hears the question "how could this all have happened," read this book and you know why. Also in these interesting times of war in Irak, one might find some parallels in history. A story still relevant today! A great book, great read!! Highly recommended!!!!