What do you think?
Rate this book
Historia de la Gestapo
Gestapo. Estas tres sílabas hicieron temblar a Alemania y a Europa entera durante doce años. Nunca, en ninguna época y en ningún país, una organización tuvo tal poder, tal complejidad ni tal perfección en su eficacia del horror.
En las páginas de este libro, Jacques Delarue ha desentrañado su mecanismo interno para mostrarnos cómo el régimen nazi sólo pudo imponerse gracias a este armazón.
A pesar de la abundante bibliografía existente sobre el nazismo, se conocen poco las biografías de los hombres que manejaron la Gestapo. En este libro son mostrados con sus vicios, debilidades y también cualidades.
Su destino cambió el día que el hitlerismo les proporcionó una nueva «moral» que cambió su conciencia por una sumisión total al dogma nazi, lo que dio lugar al nacimiento de una banda por la fuerza bruta: desaparecieron los derechos más elementales.
Encarnado en cierta forma en la Gestapo, el nazismo intentó conseguir, sin éxito, la destrucción del hombre tal como lo conocemos, pues el imperio nazi era el de la fuerza total, compuesto por amos y esclavos y sin respeto por el derecho la libertad. Y aunque ahora nos parezca una pesadilla de un tiempo pasado, los hombres no tienen derecho a olvidar tan deprisa. Nunca.
En esta obra básica de la historiografía contemporánea, traducida a numerosos idiomas y ganador del Prix Litteráire de la Résistance y del Prix Aujouid´hui en 1963, Jacques Delarue desveló cómo el régimen nazi se impuso gracias a una compleja estructura policial.
En las páginas de este libro, Jacques Delarue ha desentrañado su mecanismo interno para mostrarnos cómo el régimen nazi sólo pudo imponerse gracias a este armazón.
A pesar de la abundante bibliografía existente sobre el nazismo, se conocen poco las biografías de los hombres que manejaron la Gestapo. En este libro son mostrados con sus vicios, debilidades y también cualidades.
Su destino cambió el día que el hitlerismo les proporcionó una nueva «moral» que cambió su conciencia por una sumisión total al dogma nazi, lo que dio lugar al nacimiento de una banda por la fuerza bruta: desaparecieron los derechos más elementales.
Encarnado en cierta forma en la Gestapo, el nazismo intentó conseguir, sin éxito, la destrucción del hombre tal como lo conocemos, pues el imperio nazi era el de la fuerza total, compuesto por amos y esclavos y sin respeto por el derecho la libertad. Y aunque ahora nos parezca una pesadilla de un tiempo pasado, los hombres no tienen derecho a olvidar tan deprisa. Nunca.
En esta obra básica de la historiografía contemporánea, traducida a numerosos idiomas y ganador del Prix Litteráire de la Résistance y del Prix Aujouid´hui en 1963, Jacques Delarue desveló cómo el régimen nazi se impuso gracias a una compleja estructura policial.
552 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
630 people are currently reading
1245 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
December 6, 2018
I read quite a bit of historical fiction set during WWII so I thought it would be a good idea to read an actual history in order to have a firmer grasp on the events. The madman and his Nazis gained power with astonishing speed and should serve as a warning to us all. In twelve short years, Himmler built an organization based upon absolute obedience regardless of what atrocious orders were handed down. And, this was prior to his monstrous development of the industrialized murder of millions. This is an incredibly detailed account which is what a good examination of history should be. However, it is dated because much more information has been uncovered since its publication. We are told “never forget” and yet we do. We only need to look at Syria or Somalia (to name a few) for evidence of our amnesia.
March 29, 2019
The word Gestapo can still send chills down one's spine as that organization was perhaps the most terrifying embodiment of a government's disregard for the value of human life in modern times....or maybe all times. Born from the SS, it was a veritable killing machine with unlimited power from 1933 until the defeat of Nazi Germany. Once an individual found themselves under scrutiny by the Gestapo, their chance of survival was practically nil. Even relatives of persons accused of "crimes against the state" were not safe. The Gestapo was everywhere, watching, watching, watching.
The author was a member of the French Résistance and luckily escaped with his life. Because the book was published in 1962, he had access to former Gestapo members, victims, diaries, and trial documents. His research is extensive and I felt that his facts were valid even though his hatred for the Gestapo practically leapt from the pages. It is sometimes difficult to follow the organizational chart (for lack of a better term) since the Gestapo was part of a complicated system but it did not deter me and I would recommend this book for a clear view of the Gestapo's crimes against humanity.
The author was a member of the French Résistance and luckily escaped with his life. Because the book was published in 1962, he had access to former Gestapo members, victims, diaries, and trial documents. His research is extensive and I felt that his facts were valid even though his hatred for the Gestapo practically leapt from the pages. It is sometimes difficult to follow the organizational chart (for lack of a better term) since the Gestapo was part of a complicated system but it did not deter me and I would recommend this book for a clear view of the Gestapo's crimes against humanity.
November 30, 2015
The narrator said some names weird, consequently I was hearing about people like Doctor "Hole In Bum" and Lt "Hoe Fucker". And frankly some of the phrasing was hilarious. "Penetrating the rear" happened a lot, but my personal favorite was when someone was "assigned to stiffen Hitler" but ended up being "reprimanded for a lack of firmness". I mean really. This was originally written in French, so I like to think the translator was just screwing with people.
But really, this was very informative. I wouldn't recommend it for someone with only a passing interest in WWII history, its a bit intimidating. It's an exhaustive account, and even going into this knowing who everyone was and with some familiarity with events, I lost the thread of the book several times. And a little dry, even for a history book.
But really, this was very informative. I wouldn't recommend it for someone with only a passing interest in WWII history, its a bit intimidating. It's an exhaustive account, and even going into this knowing who everyone was and with some familiarity with events, I lost the thread of the book several times. And a little dry, even for a history book.
June 1, 2023
To this day it's probably the most detailed book that covers Gestapo history. Whilst a lot was written about the Nazi machine in the years following its demise, it wasn't until 1962 that Delarue wrote this comprehensive account where the sole focus was that of the Third Reich's secret police. I doubt it will be bettered. From it's origins under Goering before being shifted into the hands of Himmler, it was shocking but fascinating to learn of it's brutal methods, whilst some of the laws passed were just beyond belief. The Gestapo operating throughout France was of particular interest, along with the Night of the Long Knives purge in 1934 (Operation Hummingbird), that saw the combined SS, SD & Gestapo forces go after Ernst Röhm and other leaders of the Sturmabteilung paramilitary wing (SA), after Hitler learnt that Röhm, his once close friend, had an increasingly radical rhetoric, including wanting more power for the SA and seeing change when it came to Germany's most important industries. The Führer, wanting to complete his stranglehold over Germany, perceived the SA as too much of a growing threat - one that needed to be stamped out. The death toll could have been as high as 1,000, including the execution of Röhm himself. But this is nothing when compared to the years that lie ahead, including dawn raids and interrogations that make the Stasi look soft in comparison, and obviously the continuous mass killings where one couldn't even put a number on the final death toll come the end of the war. Let's just say it was off the scale, and by the end of the book I could see why the word 'horror' was used in the title.
October 14, 2023
Ocena: 3.5 ⭐
"Ta užasna avantura koja je opustošila Nemačku, raskomadala je, uništila i osramotila, mogla je da zadesi i bilo koji drugi narod. Ako je narod izložen neprekidnoj propagandi, teroru, potpunoj militarizaciji, potkazivanju, nadzoru, ako se omladina omamljuje sumanutim principima nacizma, ako se slave kriminalci, ako se narod potpuno liši morala i ako poveruje da je odabran narod, rasa gospodara, konačni rezultat ne može biti drugačiji. Koji bi narod odoleo, koji će narod sutra odoleti sličnom režimu? "
"Ta užasna avantura koja je opustošila Nemačku, raskomadala je, uništila i osramotila, mogla je da zadesi i bilo koji drugi narod. Ako je narod izložen neprekidnoj propagandi, teroru, potpunoj militarizaciji, potkazivanju, nadzoru, ako se omladina omamljuje sumanutim principima nacizma, ako se slave kriminalci, ako se narod potpuno liši morala i ako poveruje da je odabran narod, rasa gospodara, konačni rezultat ne može biti drugačiji. Koji bi narod odoleo, koji će narod sutra odoleti sličnom režimu? "
June 21, 2021
Really good book about the Gestapo, Adolph Hitler's secret police, who tortured, murdered, and terrorized millions of people in Nazi Germany and the occupied countries from 1933 to 1945.
This is one of those books that has five star quality writing, but it's not well-organized enough to be a compelling read all the way through. There are enough topics for a dozen different books. The experiments of the Nazi doctors on helpless victims only get a few pages. The plot to assassinate Hitler gets a few pages. The Resistance in France gets a few pages. The final collapse of the Nazi state gets a few pages. The author is a policeman, so there's a lot of inside detail about how the German police force was coopted by the Nazis and how confused the chain of command really was. The author is also French, so most of the powerful stories about real human courage are set in France. But there's very little about the motives of the very large population of French collaborators, and even less about the history of anti-Semitism in France before the Nazis.
This is one of those books that has five star quality writing, but it's not well-organized enough to be a compelling read all the way through. There are enough topics for a dozen different books. The experiments of the Nazi doctors on helpless victims only get a few pages. The plot to assassinate Hitler gets a few pages. The Resistance in France gets a few pages. The final collapse of the Nazi state gets a few pages. The author is a policeman, so there's a lot of inside detail about how the German police force was coopted by the Nazis and how confused the chain of command really was. The author is also French, so most of the powerful stories about real human courage are set in France. But there's very little about the motives of the very large population of French collaborators, and even less about the history of anti-Semitism in France before the Nazis.
February 11, 2013
This was an informative book about an unpleasant subject. Some parts were more interesting than others, but I definitely learned a few new things. It’s a good place to go if you’re interested in some of the main villains of WWII but don’t want to read separate biographies on each of them. It also covered organizational issues, Nazi rivalries, and of course their crimes.
I was struck with how quickly the Nazis were able to take over. I’ve read other histories of Nazi Germany (The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, for example), but this book really hit home how fast and how completely Hitler, Himmler, Goering, and their associates turned Germany into a police state. It’s frightening.
The book was written by a Frenchman, and so it discusses the Gestapo and the SS in France more than it covers Holland or Belgium or Czechoslovakia. It had decent coverage of Poland and the Soviet Union.
Probably 3.5 stars. The writing (a translation from French) was competent if not elegant. There were a few typos in the electronic version, but they weren’t too distracting. The kindle version is only $1.99.
I was struck with how quickly the Nazis were able to take over. I’ve read other histories of Nazi Germany (The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, for example), but this book really hit home how fast and how completely Hitler, Himmler, Goering, and their associates turned Germany into a police state. It’s frightening.
The book was written by a Frenchman, and so it discusses the Gestapo and the SS in France more than it covers Holland or Belgium or Czechoslovakia. It had decent coverage of Poland and the Soviet Union.
Probably 3.5 stars. The writing (a translation from French) was competent if not elegant. There were a few typos in the electronic version, but they weren’t too distracting. The kindle version is only $1.99.
September 16, 2019
It's interesting to read a book written only 17 years after the downfall of Nazism. There are things that have been proven (Bormann's death as and example) and other events that have been uncovered since the writing of this book that have confirmed many of the events in this writing. It is thorough and has many first-hand accounts and documents sited. The accounts of what happened to the Uni students (sofie scholl, her brother and the third student) and how the fought the evil regime are a service to their much unknown events. They are true heroes in a world of over-inflated self-worth. 22 years old and making the world a better place, and killed for doing so.
It doesn't get 5 stars because I feel like it's incomplete. The book went through the years of Nazi rule and events of World War 2, but didn't get as involved in the day to day horrors of the Gestapo and the iron-fist ruthless rule they had over the German citizenry. Much of the events occur in France (where the author is from) and Poland, yet much of the accounts of what happened in other countries would have solidified the book. What happened in Holland, Belgium, Germany, etc? Having read some of the accounts in other novels, this would have required a source the author likely did not have access to view. I can't fault him for this, but I will say that his telling is a complement to those accounts and would be a great source or addition to any library that is looking for an amplification of these events.
It doesn't get 5 stars because I feel like it's incomplete. The book went through the years of Nazi rule and events of World War 2, but didn't get as involved in the day to day horrors of the Gestapo and the iron-fist ruthless rule they had over the German citizenry. Much of the events occur in France (where the author is from) and Poland, yet much of the accounts of what happened in other countries would have solidified the book. What happened in Holland, Belgium, Germany, etc? Having read some of the accounts in other novels, this would have required a source the author likely did not have access to view. I can't fault him for this, but I will say that his telling is a complement to those accounts and would be a great source or addition to any library that is looking for an amplification of these events.
January 11, 2021
Excellent read, very well written and a very difficult book to read. I’ve read and heard about the atrocities committed by the Gestapo before but not in such detail. Very well researched and a great wealth of detailed information about events, individuals and dates. A must read if you like to read about WWII history. Personally I have been fascinated by WWII history and I have read, watched films, and documentaries on the subject. At this moment I decided to delve more into specific organizations such as the Gestapo and individuals who made the Nazi Machine work. Clearly the ability to amass so much power came from the machinations of the Gestapo. They were responsible for clearing the path of every conceivable obstacle on their way to complete control of Germany. It was through sheer terror that the were able to subjugate, manipulate and control the population into doing their bid for world domination. I think that the most shocking aspect was how upfront they went about it. Neither the German population nor the rest of the world were ready for such affront to the rule of law, democracy and inhumanity displayed by the Nazi regime. For these reasons I find important to learn about this period in history. Next I plan to read about individual protagonists in Hitler’s circle of power and their contributions to the Nazi agenda.
September 29, 2015
An intimate look into the rise and fall of the Gestapo
This book explains and demonstrates the rise and fall of the Gestapo, the army, and even the rise of Hitler. It fully explains how a whole country could be forced to be silent as the tortures of the war, the concentration camps, and the persecution of Germans willing to stand up to such heinous acts. This is a must-read in order to better understand the Nazi's reasoning for what they did. I can only pray that our youth continue to study what led to such heinous atrocities in the name of "loyalty."
This book explains and demonstrates the rise and fall of the Gestapo, the army, and even the rise of Hitler. It fully explains how a whole country could be forced to be silent as the tortures of the war, the concentration camps, and the persecution of Germans willing to stand up to such heinous acts. This is a must-read in order to better understand the Nazi's reasoning for what they did. I can only pray that our youth continue to study what led to such heinous atrocities in the name of "loyalty."
April 6, 2024
This was a through read of the rise and fall of the Gestapo and the secret police. Full disclosure, I'm not a fan of true crime, and so much of the text I was skimming as I didn't want to get too deep into the actual sinister history of this sordid organization.
Now, that being said, this is an important book and an important topic. Never in America's history (no, not even the wildest dreams of conspiracy theorists) had we witnessed anything near this awful period in central Europe from 1933 to 1945 - twelve years of horror. The closest thing in America would be slavery, and the extended Jim Crow Laws of the south in the middle 20th century.
The Gestapo and all of these "police" organizations were truly sinister and were able to act without any checks and balances. It wasn't a spy organization, it was a terror organization that had perfected spying and information collection. Anyone who was even suspected of being an "Enemy of the State", was detained, and at the least tortured and held captive to be "re-educated", or as in most cases, were executed--sometimes within hours of detainment.
I started to get funky dreams while reading it, so when it got really graphic, I began to skim-read so as to not internalize the accounts that the author was depicting.
Now, as for the writing, it is a bit jumbled. This may be because it was rushed to print once the info was available, the time-frame of the printing (1962 - originally in French), or the fact hat there are some odd translations into English.
If you really want to research this topic and want to know the "ground zero" info from unclassified Nuremburg transcripts and papers that had been declassified in France/Germany/Poland/etc. than this is the book you must read. If you want to know the process that the Gestapo built and just want to learn more of their insidious activities, maybe look in another direction.
Now, that being said, this is an important book and an important topic. Never in America's history (no, not even the wildest dreams of conspiracy theorists) had we witnessed anything near this awful period in central Europe from 1933 to 1945 - twelve years of horror. The closest thing in America would be slavery, and the extended Jim Crow Laws of the south in the middle 20th century.
The Gestapo and all of these "police" organizations were truly sinister and were able to act without any checks and balances. It wasn't a spy organization, it was a terror organization that had perfected spying and information collection. Anyone who was even suspected of being an "Enemy of the State", was detained, and at the least tortured and held captive to be "re-educated", or as in most cases, were executed--sometimes within hours of detainment.
I started to get funky dreams while reading it, so when it got really graphic, I began to skim-read so as to not internalize the accounts that the author was depicting.
Now, as for the writing, it is a bit jumbled. This may be because it was rushed to print once the info was available, the time-frame of the printing (1962 - originally in French), or the fact hat there are some odd translations into English.
If you really want to research this topic and want to know the "ground zero" info from unclassified Nuremburg transcripts and papers that had been declassified in France/Germany/Poland/etc. than this is the book you must read. If you want to know the process that the Gestapo built and just want to learn more of their insidious activities, maybe look in another direction.
October 9, 2016
A very informative and detailed book about Gestapo, the way it got to have so much control, the power struggle between Nazi leader and of course, the end of it all. It is definitely worth a try if you know at least a bit about World War 2, if you can remember numerous German names and if you want to learn more.
April 27, 2024
Just because the details exposed in this book are facts registered by the history and actually lived and suffered by so many people, we may believe the horrors described on this book were true.
As Mr. Delarue himself says it, back in 1960 he took the text of this book directly from real registers raised during the malevolent years of Nazism.
Since the information was taken directly from existent records -the text is organized and presented as a summary of those documents- this book deserves to be read, in order to learn how an evil man –Himmler- incredibly, in just 12 years, built a so intricate and obeying organization, aimed exclusively to restrict liberty, submit millions of people in various European countries and built death factories around Europe for efficiently kill millions of human beings.
Really, the devil exists. We must be conscious that provided the convenient circumstances; such an organization may appear again.
Although interesting, the book is a little bit difficult to read because too many uncommonly words are used. The original was written in French Language and perhaps the translator used frequently the dictionary, hence, the text has so many words related with that language that even though correct, have a sort of forced meaning into the phrase where they are located, therefore, the reason for me to give 4 stars to this book.
I fully recommend this book, which is a reflection of what is at present happening and preparing to come in some Latin-American countries.
As Mr. Delarue himself says it, back in 1960 he took the text of this book directly from real registers raised during the malevolent years of Nazism.
Since the information was taken directly from existent records -the text is organized and presented as a summary of those documents- this book deserves to be read, in order to learn how an evil man –Himmler- incredibly, in just 12 years, built a so intricate and obeying organization, aimed exclusively to restrict liberty, submit millions of people in various European countries and built death factories around Europe for efficiently kill millions of human beings.
Really, the devil exists. We must be conscious that provided the convenient circumstances; such an organization may appear again.
Although interesting, the book is a little bit difficult to read because too many uncommonly words are used. The original was written in French Language and perhaps the translator used frequently the dictionary, hence, the text has so many words related with that language that even though correct, have a sort of forced meaning into the phrase where they are located, therefore, the reason for me to give 4 stars to this book.
I fully recommend this book, which is a reflection of what is at present happening and preparing to come in some Latin-American countries.
July 17, 2009
Insightful and interesting. Discussed the primary minds behind the Gestapo and the S.S. like; Himmler, Heydrich, and Goering to name a few. Discusses the birth of National Socialism and explains the drama of that scandalous Roehm.
Some of the things that will continue to run through my head was an interesting tidbit concerning the Nazi "breeding farms" between select prized Aryan individuals who could produced fine Nordic specimens for the Reich. The interesting part concerned a study made sometime in the 1950's that tested the intelligence of these babies raised by the Reich and found that they scored, on a whole, infinitely lower than other children.
Another fact that I was aware of about the Nazi use of Jewish "human parts" like, fat for soap and hair for socks and slippers. But the thing that haunts me was that in 1945, 7 tons of human hair was found. I was trying to think of how horrible that must have been. Seven tons of human HAIR!! Decompression chamber experiments were equally revolting. In fact, the author simply wrote at times that the tortures were "too indescribable" or "too revolting to convey."
In all, a great book to add to any WWII history buffs collection.
Some of the things that will continue to run through my head was an interesting tidbit concerning the Nazi "breeding farms" between select prized Aryan individuals who could produced fine Nordic specimens for the Reich. The interesting part concerned a study made sometime in the 1950's that tested the intelligence of these babies raised by the Reich and found that they scored, on a whole, infinitely lower than other children.
Another fact that I was aware of about the Nazi use of Jewish "human parts" like, fat for soap and hair for socks and slippers. But the thing that haunts me was that in 1945, 7 tons of human hair was found. I was trying to think of how horrible that must have been. Seven tons of human HAIR!! Decompression chamber experiments were equally revolting. In fact, the author simply wrote at times that the tortures were "too indescribable" or "too revolting to convey."
In all, a great book to add to any WWII history buffs collection.
February 28, 2018
Very dense and detailed in the material. World War II is one my of my favorite historical topics, but I think this would be a difficult book for someone unfamiliar with general knowledge about the Nazi party and various parts. The author spent little time with backstory and the reader needed to be somewhat familiar with names, conflicts, etc. But, this allowed for a more in depth exploration about the "in's and out's" of the Gestapo, which I appreciated.
August 10, 2019
Ugh... what horrible people.
The book was well written and well researched, but the topic was horrifying. What they did to each other and to the masses was disgusting, and this book is an important history of how the Gestapo rose to power.
I always have a hard time following multiple storylines, so I got a little lost trying to keep up with each new leader and group that was trying to rise to power. There were various officers who rose and fell, and other police and military units that broke off and merged and took over and grew over time, eventually becoming the feared black-uniformed Gestapo.
I haven't recommended this book to my friends because of its content, but I always feel like I need to stay connected to the horrors of history to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy today.
The book was well written and well researched, but the topic was horrifying. What they did to each other and to the masses was disgusting, and this book is an important history of how the Gestapo rose to power.
I always have a hard time following multiple storylines, so I got a little lost trying to keep up with each new leader and group that was trying to rise to power. There were various officers who rose and fell, and other police and military units that broke off and merged and took over and grew over time, eventually becoming the feared black-uniformed Gestapo.
I haven't recommended this book to my friends because of its content, but I always feel like I need to stay connected to the horrors of history to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy today.
August 23, 2014
Given that this book was written in fifties and the topic is very close to the author (who was a victim of the Gestapo), its a very interesting description of how the Gestapo worked, the infighting, the total control, and just how quickly ordinary people can be corrupted in the right situation. The book is a bit dated and does not have some of the more recent information regarding that era. But it presents just how terrifying and brutal they were and how good they were at control.
Its interesting because there are many similarities between the Gestapo and the KGB. It would be interesting to get the author's comparison.
Its interesting because there are many similarities between the Gestapo and the KGB. It would be interesting to get the author's comparison.
March 2, 2018
How to accurately reflect on a writing of such sheer horror...
Took me awhile to read this one, as it is not good bedtime reading, nor something that you can read just a few pages at a time. As a historical reference, however, it is definitely top notch.
At times a bit organizational heavy. (Such as descriptions of each of the subdivisions within a particular branch of the Gestapo...) However, at the same time, it's necessary to show the breadth and scope of the organization itself.
I'd recommend it to history buffs, or those needing a reference material, but otherwise? Probably something to avoid.
Took me awhile to read this one, as it is not good bedtime reading, nor something that you can read just a few pages at a time. As a historical reference, however, it is definitely top notch.
At times a bit organizational heavy. (Such as descriptions of each of the subdivisions within a particular branch of the Gestapo...) However, at the same time, it's necessary to show the breadth and scope of the organization itself.
I'd recommend it to history buffs, or those needing a reference material, but otherwise? Probably something to avoid.
December 25, 2018
Not an easy read
If you are squeamish, I would not recommend reading this book. However, if you are a history buff, especially a WWII history buff, I do recommend reading it. It is well written, well researched, and informative. I learned things I had not previously known. I didn't go with 5 stars because I found I would get confused trying to follow the various intricate Nazi organizations. After reading this book, I'm not sure who was more evil - Hitler or Himmler. I feel it is important to read these types of books because we need to be reminded of the capacity some people have for evil in order to prevent such people from gaining the power the Nazis had.
If you are squeamish, I would not recommend reading this book. However, if you are a history buff, especially a WWII history buff, I do recommend reading it. It is well written, well researched, and informative. I learned things I had not previously known. I didn't go with 5 stars because I found I would get confused trying to follow the various intricate Nazi organizations. After reading this book, I'm not sure who was more evil - Hitler or Himmler. I feel it is important to read these types of books because we need to be reminded of the capacity some people have for evil in order to prevent such people from gaining the power the Nazis had.
April 3, 2019
I am fascinated by WW2 biographies and novels. Included in that fascination is the horrendous Nazi regime and everything surrounding it. I still can hardly grasp how man’s inhumanity to man plunged to such a low point.
This book, however, did not hold my interest. It was written from a historians viewpoint, and went deep into the weeds with nearly every incident outlined. I found it very frustrating.
Once I discovered his style, and realized I didn’t like it, I skimmed the balance of the book and picked up a few interesting facts. Otherwise, I’d suggest you pass.
This book, however, did not hold my interest. It was written from a historians viewpoint, and went deep into the weeds with nearly every incident outlined. I found it very frustrating.
Once I discovered his style, and realized I didn’t like it, I skimmed the balance of the book and picked up a few interesting facts. Otherwise, I’d suggest you pass.
August 14, 2017
The evil described in this book would be incredible if not for the documentation and sworn statements of the people who survived. So many innocent civilians died at the hands of these monsters.
Although the book sometimes bogs down in details about inpronoucible names and the dates jump around a bit, any previous reading about WWII and Nazi Germany helps to tie it all together. Let us hope, never again.
Although the book sometimes bogs down in details about inpronoucible names and the dates jump around a bit, any previous reading about WWII and Nazi Germany helps to tie it all together. Let us hope, never again.
May 8, 2020
Very dense with lots of valuable historical information. I gave it three stars due to poor writing and lack of organization. Characters are often mentioned with little to no introduction and chapters suddenly change topics with no explanation.
Consequently, it is very difficult to understand for anyone who isn't already highly familiar with Nazi history. For most potential readers, I would recommend finding a different book on the subject.
Consequently, it is very difficult to understand for anyone who isn't already highly familiar with Nazi history. For most potential readers, I would recommend finding a different book on the subject.
June 24, 2025
Balancing depth while being concise, Delarue provides enough WWII history providing context for the Gestapo's place in it to make sense.
It is slightly terrifying to see the political posturing and propaganda of Nazi Germany sounds very familiar to the rhetoric of various world leaders today. I guess I'll need to read 'It can't happen here', soon.
It is slightly terrifying to see the political posturing and propaganda of Nazi Germany sounds very familiar to the rhetoric of various world leaders today. I guess I'll need to read 'It can't happen here', soon.
June 29, 2022
This is an excellent work about one of the world's most secretive agencies that played an important role in the second world war.
The Gestapo started from an idea of Hermann Goering as a secret police agency that gradually transformed into a politico-military machine with fearsome power and was involved in all matters of Germany and World War II. Founded by Goering on April 26, 1933, and through the perfection of other SS commanders such as Himmler, Heydrich, Muller... The Gestapo has truly become a nightmare for their victims but a perfect tool for destroying the opponents of their possessors. The Gestapo played an important role at the turning points of the Nazi Party at that time, it was they who set the Reichstag building under fire to launch the suppression of the opposing parties, and eliminated Roehm and the political figures who stood in their way. Then the Gestapo themselves started the wheel of war from 1936-1939 through various forms of espionage, eliminating those who opposed them in the military, and even acting as victims in order to legitimize the invasion of Europe. And during the war from 1940-1944, the Gestapo's power was invincible when they appeared everywhere, in all fields, managed concentration camps, overwhelmed the army and even possessed separate combat corps. But the fear and influence of the Gestapo did not stop all those who opposed them and the defeat of the German army. The Gestapo rulers relied on this agency to tear each other apart, vying for power to stay on top of a losing Germany. It was these wolves that fought for power that contributed to making the Gestapo a force and also contributed to its self-destruction
The Gestapo started from an idea of Hermann Goering as a secret police agency that gradually transformed into a politico-military machine with fearsome power and was involved in all matters of Germany and World War II. Founded by Goering on April 26, 1933, and through the perfection of other SS commanders such as Himmler, Heydrich, Muller... The Gestapo has truly become a nightmare for their victims but a perfect tool for destroying the opponents of their possessors. The Gestapo played an important role at the turning points of the Nazi Party at that time, it was they who set the Reichstag building under fire to launch the suppression of the opposing parties, and eliminated Roehm and the political figures who stood in their way. Then the Gestapo themselves started the wheel of war from 1936-1939 through various forms of espionage, eliminating those who opposed them in the military, and even acting as victims in order to legitimize the invasion of Europe. And during the war from 1940-1944, the Gestapo's power was invincible when they appeared everywhere, in all fields, managed concentration camps, overwhelmed the army and even possessed separate combat corps. But the fear and influence of the Gestapo did not stop all those who opposed them and the defeat of the German army. The Gestapo rulers relied on this agency to tear each other apart, vying for power to stay on top of a losing Germany. It was these wolves that fought for power that contributed to making the Gestapo a force and also contributed to its self-destruction
March 16, 2025
Η Ιστορία της Γκεστάπο, πρώτη έκδοση το 1962 και μεταφρασμένο στα Ελληνικά το 1984, αποτελεί μια ιστορική καταγραφή της διαβόητης μυστικής αστυνομίας του 3ου Ράιχ. Ωστόσο, δεδομένης της χρονολογίας έκδοσής του, το έργο παρουσιάζει ανακρίβειες, καθώς από τότε έχουν προκύψει νέες πηγές και ιστορικά στοιχεία που έχουν ανατρέψει ή αναθεωρήσει ορισμένες από τις πληροφορίες που περιλαμβάνονται στο βιβλίο.
Η αφήγηση εστιάζει κυρίως στη δράση της Γκεστάπο στην Γερμανία, δίνοντας ιδιαίτερο βάρος στη Γαλλία μετά την κατάληψη της από τους Ναζί. Αν και αυτή η προσέγγιση είναι ενδιαφέρουσα, περιορίζει την ευρύτερη εικόνα της λειτουργίας της Γκεστάπο σε άλλα κατεχόμενα εδάφη. Ο Delarue επιχειρεί να καταγράψει τις μεθόδους, τη δομή και τη λειτουργία της υπηρεσίας, όμως ορισμένες αναλύσεις του φαίνεται να αντικατοπτρίζουν αντιλήψεις της εποχής του και όχι τα μεταγενέστερα ευρήματα των ιστορικών ερευνών.
Παρά τις αδυναμίες του, το βιβλίο προσφέρει μια εκτενή περιγραφή της Γκεστάπο και του ρόλου της στη ναζιστική μηχανή καταστολής. Ωστόσο, για κάποιον που θέλει μια πλήρη και πιο ακριβή εικόνα της οργάνωσης, υπάρχουν πλέον πιο σύγχρονες και τεκμηριωμένες μελέτες που προσφέρουν ανανεωμένες προσεγγίσεις και βασίζονται σε περισσότερες πηγές.
Συνολικά, Η Ιστορία της Γκεστάπο του Jacques Delarue είναι ένα έργο που μπορεί να ενδιαφέρει τους μελετητές της περιόδου, αλλά η παλαιότητα των πληροφοριών, οι ανακρίβειες, καθώς και η προβληματική μετάφραση και επιμέλεια, μειώνουν την αξία του ως ιστορικό ανάγνωσμα.
Ο Ναζής
Οι Ναζήδες
Των Ναζήδων
Τους Ναζήδες
Η αφήγηση εστιάζει κυρίως στη δράση της Γκεστάπο στην Γερμανία, δίνοντας ιδιαίτερο βάρος στη Γαλλία μετά την κατάληψη της από τους Ναζί. Αν και αυτή η προσέγγιση είναι ενδιαφέρουσα, περιορίζει την ευρύτερη εικόνα της λειτουργίας της Γκεστάπο σε άλλα κατεχόμενα εδάφη. Ο Delarue επιχειρεί να καταγράψει τις μεθόδους, τη δομή και τη λειτουργία της υπηρεσίας, όμως ορισμένες αναλύσεις του φαίνεται να αντικατοπτρίζουν αντιλήψεις της εποχής του και όχι τα μεταγενέστερα ευρήματα των ιστορικών ερευνών.
Παρά τις αδυναμίες του, το βιβλίο προσφέρει μια εκτενή περιγραφή της Γκεστάπο και του ρόλου της στη ναζιστική μηχανή καταστολής. Ωστόσο, για κάποιον που θέλει μια πλήρη και πιο ακριβή εικόνα της οργάνωσης, υπάρχουν πλέον πιο σύγχρονες και τεκμηριωμένες μελέτες που προσφέρουν ανανεωμένες προσεγγίσεις και βασίζονται σε περισσότερες πηγές.
Συνολικά, Η Ιστορία της Γκεστάπο του Jacques Delarue είναι ένα έργο που μπορεί να ενδιαφέρει τους μελετητές της περιόδου, αλλά η παλαιότητα των πληροφοριών, οι ανακρίβειες, καθώς και η προβληματική μετάφραση και επιμέλεια, μειώνουν την αξία του ως ιστορικό ανάγνωσμα.
Ο Ναζής
Οι Ναζήδες
Των Ναζήδων
Τους Ναζήδες
September 20, 2018
An extremely unpleasant, even horrific read. And a requisite one, both for those who are glad that hellishness is over and those ever alert for a present day redux. You can, and should, read for yourselves the grisly horror of the Nazis, and perhaps worse, the at best cowardice and at worst, the silent and self-serving confirmation and support of the atrocities by the German populace. But hear what Delarue says in summation:"The crimes of Nazism are not the crimes of one nation. Cruelty, a taste for violence, the religion of force, ferocious racialism, are not prerogatives of a period or of a people. They are of all ages and of all countries....but let a regime come which not only liberates these terrible impulses but makes a virtue of them... in which gentleness, kindness, pity, respect for law, and a taste of freedom were no longer virtues, but inexpiable crimes. It was a world in which one could only obey by crawling, killing on orders, and dying oneself in silence...It was a world where people exterminated for pleasure and where murderers were treated as heroes....If a people is subjected to a regime composed of obsessional propaganda, terror, total militarization, denunciation, and surveillance...if criminals are glorified; if a nation is deprived of all morality and persuaded that is an elect people...the final result will always be the same....What people could resist a similar regime tomorrow? ...And who will be tomorrow's victims?"
July 16, 2018
Listened to the audiobook, with some distracting mispronunciations and odd emphases. Takes forever to get to the Gestapo, so you get not only how the Gestapo was formed but a whole background history of how Hitler and the National Socialists came to power, and what they did once they seized it, the Reichstag fire, Night of the Long Knives, etc. Comic book caricature descriptions of big-name Nazis, all grotesque monsters with odd physical attributes, no banality of evil. Written by a French survivor of Gestapo treatment in the early 1960s so based on old research (from transcripts of the Nuremberg trials, for e.g.) and memoirs therefore out-of-date compared with modern histories of this well-researched period.
It's chilling, insightful and comprehensive, almost too much detail to be honest, which bogs down the narrative. At times it was like dipping into one of J Robert Janes' St-Cyr and Kohler crime novels set in Occupied France- Delarue's book must be one of his sources- only this account of terror, intimidation and executions is all too horribly real, ruthless repression of resistance, torture, deportations to concentration camps (the last convoy left Paris the week before liberation in August 1944).
A rather dry read but an informative one, interesting to anyone wanting to know more about the Gestapo and how it operated throughout the Nazi period. Dated but still valuable as a source and a history.
It's chilling, insightful and comprehensive, almost too much detail to be honest, which bogs down the narrative. At times it was like dipping into one of J Robert Janes' St-Cyr and Kohler crime novels set in Occupied France- Delarue's book must be one of his sources- only this account of terror, intimidation and executions is all too horribly real, ruthless repression of resistance, torture, deportations to concentration camps (the last convoy left Paris the week before liberation in August 1944).
A rather dry read but an informative one, interesting to anyone wanting to know more about the Gestapo and how it operated throughout the Nazi period. Dated but still valuable as a source and a history.
February 1, 2022
Exquisitely Researched and Written
Truly horrific! The author did a brilliant job documenting the rise, development and fully functioning, Europe-wide reach of the Gestapo. I had not realized how much power Himmler had. His fingers were in everything. I think the writer had been in the French Resistance as he does refer to partially witnessing auditorily some faux trials and subsequent murders of fellow prisoners. His bias was obviously towards the happenings in France but he did a fair coverage of all the personalities and events in other Nazi occupied areas. The book chillingly lays out the laws and orders, written and unwritten, attitudes, and colossal and unfeeling cruelty perpetrated by the Gestapo and their various affiliated organizations. So much senseless killing! Even suspicion of wrong thinking could get you imprisoned, tortured and shot. Everyone spying on everyone else and voluminous files and documentation to back it up. And the cool efficiency of it all. Not for the faint of heart and sensibilities. Published in 1962 when memories were still fresh, this is an excellent addition to WWII historic literature.
Truly horrific! The author did a brilliant job documenting the rise, development and fully functioning, Europe-wide reach of the Gestapo. I had not realized how much power Himmler had. His fingers were in everything. I think the writer had been in the French Resistance as he does refer to partially witnessing auditorily some faux trials and subsequent murders of fellow prisoners. His bias was obviously towards the happenings in France but he did a fair coverage of all the personalities and events in other Nazi occupied areas. The book chillingly lays out the laws and orders, written and unwritten, attitudes, and colossal and unfeeling cruelty perpetrated by the Gestapo and their various affiliated organizations. So much senseless killing! Even suspicion of wrong thinking could get you imprisoned, tortured and shot. Everyone spying on everyone else and voluminous files and documentation to back it up. And the cool efficiency of it all. Not for the faint of heart and sensibilities. Published in 1962 when memories were still fresh, this is an excellent addition to WWII historic literature.
July 17, 2024
I liked the book. I am giving it 3 stars for a few reasons. I do like it, however, and this is indeed a lot due to my limited knowledge of Nazi personnel, I found it at times overwhelming because of the massive amount of constantly rotating personalities and time line skipping. A lot of new 'characters' for me and it is quite difficult to keep track of ranks and their movement through the years when the time line is not straight forward.
That being said, it is a book packed with information, although somewhat coloured by bias opinions of the writer, which is understandable. Believe it or not, I found certain aspects humorous in this book. Every single physical description of people like Himmler or Goebbels or any other Nazi is painted in such a negative way that I had to chuckle at them a little bit.
This is a very interesting, very information packed review of the Gestapo and the way the Nazis came to power in Germany and in so much of Europe. It is not a light read. But I do recommend it. Be however prepared to occasionally Google a few details or people to have a better understanding.
That being said, it is a book packed with information, although somewhat coloured by bias opinions of the writer, which is understandable. Believe it or not, I found certain aspects humorous in this book. Every single physical description of people like Himmler or Goebbels or any other Nazi is painted in such a negative way that I had to chuckle at them a little bit.
This is a very interesting, very information packed review of the Gestapo and the way the Nazis came to power in Germany and in so much of Europe. It is not a light read. But I do recommend it. Be however prepared to occasionally Google a few details or people to have a better understanding.
May 29, 2020
Will we ever learn from history? There are many books written about Nazis, Nazi Germany, the Third Reich, the Holocaust, WWII, etc., but this is written specifically about the rise, structure, power, and scope of just the Gestapo. This was originally written about 17 years after the end of WWII, so there was some confirmation about some of the deaths and clarification of some of the rumors.
One line at the end really struck a chord with me “If a people is subjected to a regime composed of obsessional propaganda, terror, total militarization, denunciation, and surveillance, and one inculcates in its youth the delirious principles of Nazism; if the criminals are glorified; if a nation is deprived of all morality and persuaded that it is an elect people; a Herrenvolk, the final result will always be the same.
One line at the end really struck a chord with me “If a people is subjected to a regime composed of obsessional propaganda, terror, total militarization, denunciation, and surveillance, and one inculcates in its youth the delirious principles of Nazism; if the criminals are glorified; if a nation is deprived of all morality and persuaded that it is an elect people; a Herrenvolk, the final result will always be the same.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews