Gold in the Furnace: Experiences in Post-War Germany

By Savitri Devi

Book Overview

Gold in the Furnace is an ardent National Socialist's vivid and moving account of life in occupied Germany in the aftermath of World War II, based on extensive travels and interviews conducted in 1948... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974626457
• ISBN13: 9780974626451
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Black Sun Publications
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Now in paperback: A beautiful edition of a highly readable and historically interesting book

I wish to add only one thing to my review of the clothbound edition which is copied below: This is a beautifully-designed and durably constructed paperback. The paper is acid-free; the cover is printed on heavy, glossy stock; and the pages bound in sewn signatures, which is the most durable way of binding a paperback. As the publisher puts it so well: Given proper care, this book might outlast the Kali Yuga. It certainly deserves to. It is a book I would be glad to receive and proud to give as a gift. Savitri Devi is one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever encountered, and GOLD IN THE FURNACE is one of her most interesting books. She was born Maximine Julia Portaz in France in 1905 of English, Italian, and Greek ancestry. From an early age, she showed remarkable intellectual gifts. She eventually became fluent in 8 languages and conversant with 20 others. She earned MA degrees in philosophy and chemistry and a Ph.D. in philosophy. (Her principal thesis was on the philosophy of mathematics.) She did not, however, pursue an academic career, for her interests were drawn increasingly toward religion, political activism, and animal welfare. In 1929, she rejected Biblical religion and embraced Indo-European paganism and Hitler's National Socialism. In 1935, she went to India because she saw Hinduism as the last living (at least partly) Indo-European pagan religion. While in India, she took the pen-name Savitri Devi, took part in the Hindu Nationalist movement, wrote books on the solar cult of the Pharaoh Akhnaton, and even spied for the Japanese during WW II. After the war, Savitri Devi divided her time between Europe and India, writing books and devoting her life to the promotion of National Socialism and animal welfare. She died in 1982. Even those who are completely at odds with Savitri's philosophy find it hard not to admire her brilliant mind, dignified and often beautiful prose, fervent devotion, and courage in the face of a hostile and uncomprehending world. GOLD IN THE FURNACE is Savitri's first National Socialist book. It was written in Occupied Germany in 1948-49, much of it in the Werl prison were Savitri was incarcerated for distributing National Socialist propaganda. The book contains historical narratives of WW II and the Occupation, first person accounts of Savitri's travels and the people she met (including the great Swedish explorer Sven Hedin and the Indian dance master Ram Gopal), and chapters on the philosophical foundations and constructive political program of National Socialism. GOLD is more than just a work of history, but it is perhaps the first historical "revisionist" book on WW II and its aftermath written from a National Socialist point of view. Savitri Devi is relentless in exposing Allied atrocities and hypocrisy. But she is less discerning when dealing with Allied propaganda, so she accepts many lies at face value and only later came to discard them, after reading the works of other revisionists. But it w

A beautiful edition of a highly readable and historically interesting book

Savitri Devi is one of the most remarkable individuals I have ever encountered, and GOLD IN THE FURNACE is one of her most interesting books. She was born Maximine Julia Portaz in France in 1905 of English, Italian, and Greek ancestry. From an early age, she showed remarkable intellectual gifts. She eventually became fluent in 8 languages and conversant with 20 others. She earned MA degrees in philosophy and chemistry and a Ph.D. in philosophy. (Her principal thesis was on the philosophy of mathematics.) She did not, however, pursue an academic career, for her interests were drawn increasingly toward religion, political activism, and animal welfare. In 1929, she rejected Biblical religion and embraced Indo-European paganism and Hitler's National Socialism. In 1935, she went to India because she saw Hinduism as the last living (at least partly) Indo-European pagan religion. While in India, she took the pen-name Savitri Devi, took part in the Hindu Nationalist movement, wrote books on the solar cult of the Pharaoh Akhnaton, and even spied for the Japanese during WW II. After the war, Savitri Devi divided her time between Europe and India, writing books and devoting her life to the promotion of National Socialism and animal welfare. She died in 1982. Even those who are completely at odds with Savitri's philosophy find it hard not to admire her brilliant mind, dignified and often beautiful prose, fervent devotion, and courage in the face of a hostile and uncomprehending world. GOLD IN THE FURNACE is Savitri's first National Socialist book. It was written in Occupied Germany in 1948-49, much of it in the Werl prison were Savitri was incarcerated for distributing National Socialist propaganda. The book contains historical narratives of WW II and the Occupation, first person accounts of Savitri's travels and the people she met (including the great Swedish explorer Sven Hedin and the Indian dance master Ram Gopal), and chapters on the philosophical foundations and constructive political program of National Socialism. GOLD is more than just a work of history, but it is perhaps the first historical "revisionist" book on WW II and its aftermath written from a National Socialist point of view. Savitri Devi is relentless in exposing Allied atrocities and hypocrisy. But she is less discerning when dealing with Allied propaganda, so she accepts many lies at face value and only later came to discard them, after reading the works of other revisionists. But it would be unfair to criticize the first word in revisionism for not being the last word. This new edition of GOLD is truly beautiful. As far as I know, it is the first hardcover edition ever. The quality of production is equal to the best university press books. It is printed on acid free paper, with heavy gold stamped, black cloth covers, and with a beautiful dust-jacket printed on heavy, glossy paper. The hardcover I have is part of a numbered limited edition of 200 copies, and once these sell out,