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Hitler's Scientists: Science, War, and the Devil's Pact
An eye-opening account of the rise of science in Germany through to Hitler’s regime, and the frightening Nazi experiments that occurred during the Reich
A shocking account of Nazi science, and a compelling look at the the dramatic rise of German science in the nineteenth century, its preeminence in the early twentieth, and the frightening developments that led to its collapse in 1945, this is the compelling story of German scientists under Hitler’s regime. Weaving the history of science and technology with the fortunes of war and the stories of men and women whose discoveries brought both benefits and destruction to the world, Hitler's Scientists raises questions that are still urgent today. As science becomes embroiled in new generations of weapons of mass destruction and the war against terrorism, as advances in biotechnology outstrip traditional ethics, this powerful account of Nazi science forms a crucial commentary on the ethical role of science.
A shocking account of Nazi science, and a compelling look at the the dramatic rise of German science in the nineteenth century, its preeminence in the early twentieth, and the frightening developments that led to its collapse in 1945, this is the compelling story of German scientists under Hitler’s regime. Weaving the history of science and technology with the fortunes of war and the stories of men and women whose discoveries brought both benefits and destruction to the world, Hitler's Scientists raises questions that are still urgent today. As science becomes embroiled in new generations of weapons of mass destruction and the war against terrorism, as advances in biotechnology outstrip traditional ethics, this powerful account of Nazi science forms a crucial commentary on the ethical role of science.
577 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
59 people are currently reading
899 people want to read
About the author
John Cornwell
83 books49 followersJohn Cornwell is a British journalist, author, and academic. Since 1990 he has directed the Science and Human Dimension Project at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he is also, since 2009, Founder and Director of the Rustat Conferences. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (University of Leicester) in 2011. He was nominated for the PEN/Ackerley Prize for best UK memoir 2007 (Seminary Boy) and shortlisted Specialist Journalist of the Year (science, medicine in Sunday Times Magazine), British Press Awards 2006. He won the Scientific and Medical Network Book of the Year Award for Hitler's Scientists, 2005; and received the Independent Television Authority - Tablet Award for contributions to religious journalism (1994). In 1982 he won the Gold Dagger Award Non-Fiction (1982) for Earth to Earth. He is best known for his investigative journalism; memoir; and his work in public understanding of science. In addition to his books on the relationship between science, ethics and the humanities, he has written widely on the Catholic Church and the modern papacy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 6, 2011
This was boring as shit. That's about all I have to say. It took me two years to read it. But I was turned off it early on for the author's take on Hitler's alleged vegetarianism. I have seen it said Hitler was a veg, and I have also seen it that he ate pheasant. Therefore, he was not a vegetarian. Regardless of whether he was, the author presents Hitler as an ignoramus who thought he knew all about science but did not -- and this does not seem farfetched to me -- but the section at the beginning where Cornwell is sort of listing Hitler's foibles, "proving," so to speak, his instability or lack of grasp on reality, includes vegetarianism. As if vegetarianism is some bizarre behavior of people who have little grip on reality.
I take exception to this because, of course, it's not true. Vegetarians have more of a grip on reality than omnivores. Also, that it's most likely untrue that Hitler was a vegetarian (he banned all German vegetarian groups when he took office) makes me doubt the research/validity of the rest of Cromwell's book. How can you trust an author who most likely gets this simple fact wrong? So that did not dispose me kindly toward whatever else Cornwell wrote.
And it was boring. I mean, really really boring.
I take exception to this because, of course, it's not true. Vegetarians have more of a grip on reality than omnivores. Also, that it's most likely untrue that Hitler was a vegetarian (he banned all German vegetarian groups when he took office) makes me doubt the research/validity of the rest of Cromwell's book. How can you trust an author who most likely gets this simple fact wrong? So that did not dispose me kindly toward whatever else Cornwell wrote.
And it was boring. I mean, really really boring.
December 4, 2023
An overview of the state of German science leading up to the war and analysis of its progress and participation during the war. It deals with several categories of scientific effort, in physics towards the atom bomb, rocket science with a minimal detour into jets, medical progress (found the link from smoking to lung cancer, identifed the negative impacts of asbestos, etc) dealing with horrifying medical experimentation and racial hygiene/euthanasia. The book delves into the general story of how racisim impacting German science, with a significant number of brilliant Jewish people fleeing the country, or being removed from the practicing their scientific skills. There is no doubt this significantly damaged the Germany's scientific progress and made it harder for them to win the world war.
The book does spend some time looking at whether German scientists chose not to pursue the atom bomb because of how terrible it could be - a controversial subject, but one some German scientists after the war talked about and used the subject to say they were (in this space) morally superior to allied scientists.
The book does deal (lightly, as this is more history than analysis) with the question of whether good science can come from an evil regime? While there are significant concerns with ethics and how science arrives at progress, the answer seems to be yes.
The book does spend some time looking at whether German scientists chose not to pursue the atom bomb because of how terrible it could be - a controversial subject, but one some German scientists after the war talked about and used the subject to say they were (in this space) morally superior to allied scientists.
The book does deal (lightly, as this is more history than analysis) with the question of whether good science can come from an evil regime? While there are significant concerns with ethics and how science arrives at progress, the answer seems to be yes.
December 17, 2017
I am a history buff especially history of the 2nd World War, not only the conflict itself but the events leading upto it, the various contributing factors and as well as the aftermath. The mental state of the German Volk, the inner workings of the German Reich,, the persona of the Fuhrer have always intrigued yet scared me (especially these days as our favorite democracy seems to be stumbling down a very similar path to Germany in the 30’s)
I picked up this book with a bit of excitement and a lot of interest. I was ready to be taught and anxious to learn. I was looking forward to it filling the gaps in my knowledge.
Well....... for the most part this book was a disappointment. The research preliminary, the information mostly basic and the perceived results (derived by the author) sweeping (???)
This book was supposed to be primarily about the collaboration of the learned men, the men of science with Hitler and the Nazis - Science’s Pact with the Devil ! how science in Germany entered into a subservient role to the Nazi regime almost voluntarily ! Unfortunately a huge portion of this book was spent laminating over the General evils of Hitler and his regime... and not always in context with their twisted relationship with science.
It does go into roles played by Bohr, Heisenberg as well as Einstein... though not in enough details. It does address the Nazi doctors and their inhumane experiments. In my opinion these should have been the crux of the book not side story.
We do get a good glimpse into the German Rocket program as well their (lack of) development of the Atomic bomb. The author does a decent job in describing the social, political, human nature of why Certain programs succeeded in Nazi Germany while others languished. Reading about the petty disputes, the inter agency rivalries, the over whelming nature of Hitler’s Diety like persona ; all of this does out a huge dent in the image of the Hyper efficient German Nazi State.
I categorize this book into “could have been much much better”... if you are a history buff, grab it but keep expectations realistic !
I picked up this book with a bit of excitement and a lot of interest. I was ready to be taught and anxious to learn. I was looking forward to it filling the gaps in my knowledge.
Well....... for the most part this book was a disappointment. The research preliminary, the information mostly basic and the perceived results (derived by the author) sweeping (???)
This book was supposed to be primarily about the collaboration of the learned men, the men of science with Hitler and the Nazis - Science’s Pact with the Devil ! how science in Germany entered into a subservient role to the Nazi regime almost voluntarily ! Unfortunately a huge portion of this book was spent laminating over the General evils of Hitler and his regime... and not always in context with their twisted relationship with science.
It does go into roles played by Bohr, Heisenberg as well as Einstein... though not in enough details. It does address the Nazi doctors and their inhumane experiments. In my opinion these should have been the crux of the book not side story.
We do get a good glimpse into the German Rocket program as well their (lack of) development of the Atomic bomb. The author does a decent job in describing the social, political, human nature of why Certain programs succeeded in Nazi Germany while others languished. Reading about the petty disputes, the inter agency rivalries, the over whelming nature of Hitler’s Diety like persona ; all of this does out a huge dent in the image of the Hyper efficient German Nazi State.
I categorize this book into “could have been much much better”... if you are a history buff, grab it but keep expectations realistic !
May 20, 2024
What a fascinating read! It was interesting to learn about the perspectives of Hitler's scientists. It is a fantastic read if you are also a scientist and want to learn more about how they made WMD during the war.
September 11, 2023
The Nazi war machine had several parts: the scientific researchers, corporations, and the military. Many scientists may not have been Nazis but did serve their Fatherland in their development of weapons like the V2 and early jet plane technology. John Cornwell dwells less on the morality of the scientists with much of the book catalogs German war research. Many scientists were involved in Holocaust era medical experiments that would not be done if they believed their subjects were human beings. Nazi backed science produced major accomplishments that the US and Soviet Union took advantage of in the Cold War. The end of the book seems to meander from the main text with modern concerns becoming the focus. Overall I liked reading this book.
February 15, 2022
Absolutely fascinating and engagingly written. Cornwell manages to explain technical concepts clearly and effectively, and keeps the pace plugging along briskly through otherwise dense material. If anything, this book is mistitled, since it really is about German science in the 20th century more generally. Cornwell synthesizes information and also provides his own analysis, especially in service of correcting (what he views as) historical myths about Heisenberg and Speer. But you can choose to agree with his thesis or not; Cornwell provides the facts. Anyone interested in WW2 or the history of science would be well served by picking this up.
My only real critique is that the last section veers away from the narrative, and into a more general take on the role of morality in science and a scientist's role in assuring moral value to his or her work. I think the rest of the book allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusion, and this didactic element was unnecessary and also not as engaging as the preceding chapters.
Finally, I feel obligated to address some of the views espoused by other reviewers. If a reader found this boring or not up their alley, so be it. But to say that this book unfairly criticizes the Nazi regime is simply untrue. There is, for instance, very little discussion of the Holocaust at all. What information there is relates to human experiments and the use of slave labor by German industrialists, which is presented mainly in the form of eyewitness testimony (including from the experimenters, not just experimentees). Later on, Cornwell leans into the role of morality in science by documenting German scientists' reactions to the discovery of the concentration camps and the dropping of the atomic bomb. One need not believe in the authenticity of the underlying information to assess their reactions.
Additionally, I was unable to find the portion of the text which asserted that Albert Speer was a member of the Nazi party. But a central theme of the book is intended to dispel the image Speer concocted at the Nuremberg trials of himself as an unenthusiastic participant in the Hitler regime. One can hardly deny the fact that Speer became head of armaments and had a close personal relationship with Hitler. Whether he was technically a member of the party, or found not to be so at Nuremberg, doesn't undercut Cornwell's arguments.
In summary, this book is fascinating and even-handed. I highly recommend it.
My only real critique is that the last section veers away from the narrative, and into a more general take on the role of morality in science and a scientist's role in assuring moral value to his or her work. I think the rest of the book allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusion, and this didactic element was unnecessary and also not as engaging as the preceding chapters.
Finally, I feel obligated to address some of the views espoused by other reviewers. If a reader found this boring or not up their alley, so be it. But to say that this book unfairly criticizes the Nazi regime is simply untrue. There is, for instance, very little discussion of the Holocaust at all. What information there is relates to human experiments and the use of slave labor by German industrialists, which is presented mainly in the form of eyewitness testimony (including from the experimenters, not just experimentees). Later on, Cornwell leans into the role of morality in science by documenting German scientists' reactions to the discovery of the concentration camps and the dropping of the atomic bomb. One need not believe in the authenticity of the underlying information to assess their reactions.
Additionally, I was unable to find the portion of the text which asserted that Albert Speer was a member of the Nazi party. But a central theme of the book is intended to dispel the image Speer concocted at the Nuremberg trials of himself as an unenthusiastic participant in the Hitler regime. One can hardly deny the fact that Speer became head of armaments and had a close personal relationship with Hitler. Whether he was technically a member of the party, or found not to be so at Nuremberg, doesn't undercut Cornwell's arguments.
In summary, this book is fascinating and even-handed. I highly recommend it.
March 19, 2017
This book was a wake up call, I never realized that a writer could try and rewrite history and promote a narrative of hatred and negative propaganda of the worst kind. I read this book twice just to make sure it was not a alternative universe with alternative facts. There are so many assumptions and misunderstandings that it read like a fairy tale written to misinform and mislead the reader into thinking that the German people were incompetent. I don't think John Cornwell did much research into any facts about German Science, he believes Einstein was some sort of Genius and his theories are correct, which has been shown him to be a plagiarist and liar, with relativity now in the dust bin, many try to keep scientism alive though. Darwin has also been debunked, regardless of what the liberal universities keep preaching.
The National Socialists created the outline for all the real sciences for the next 80 years, by the weeding out of "theory before fact" approach which achieved nothing prior to the clear minded and practical Germanic genius. Industry and invention owes so much to this period in history from the National Socialist approach, we would not have the leaps and bounds in our current technology that we see without the practical groundwork laid by the German Scientists of that time.
Science by Cornwells writing seems to want to return to the wasted efforts of a hierarchy that can no longer be called science, but a religion. He weaves stories like a fiction writer assuming the outcomes and their history to be real, in his mind only.
Calling the well mannered, artistically profound and scientific accurate nature of the German people a constant slur of "Nazi" was a aggravating, disingenuous and misdirected term that I almost through the book away. That term implies nothing more than a demeaning and nasty approach to what should a non biased read.
This man "Hated" everything about wonderful period of German national renaissance, even John F Kennedy was so impressed at Hitlers achievements. The holocaust lie has stained every page of this poorly written piece of fiction.
Not worth a read, you will be misinformed, reads like a novel of hatred to the German people and their great achievements.
The National Socialists created the outline for all the real sciences for the next 80 years, by the weeding out of "theory before fact" approach which achieved nothing prior to the clear minded and practical Germanic genius. Industry and invention owes so much to this period in history from the National Socialist approach, we would not have the leaps and bounds in our current technology that we see without the practical groundwork laid by the German Scientists of that time.
Science by Cornwells writing seems to want to return to the wasted efforts of a hierarchy that can no longer be called science, but a religion. He weaves stories like a fiction writer assuming the outcomes and their history to be real, in his mind only.
Calling the well mannered, artistically profound and scientific accurate nature of the German people a constant slur of "Nazi" was a aggravating, disingenuous and misdirected term that I almost through the book away. That term implies nothing more than a demeaning and nasty approach to what should a non biased read.
This man "Hated" everything about wonderful period of German national renaissance, even John F Kennedy was so impressed at Hitlers achievements. The holocaust lie has stained every page of this poorly written piece of fiction.
Not worth a read, you will be misinformed, reads like a novel of hatred to the German people and their great achievements.
August 6, 2013
I picked up this book as a corrective to the stuff I've read and seen about Nazi 'wonder weapons' during WWII--things like 'foo fighters', flying saucers, antigravity devices and the like. While they are glancingly mentioned as unrealized projects, this book actually has a much broader and more serious agenda.
Cornwall writes in a variety of fields (religion, philosophy and literature as well as history) and this, while principally a history of German science and technology from WWI through WWII, is an application of ethics to history circling around the question of the social responsibilities of scientists. While Cornwall begins with the Germans, he ends with Anglo-Americans in the years from the Manhattan Project through 9/11, comparing the one to the other, not always to our credit.
While a serious book, it is not without some light touches. I particularly chuckled at the efforts of German mathematicians to create an Aryan mathematics in opposition to "Jewish mathematics".
Cornwall writes in a variety of fields (religion, philosophy and literature as well as history) and this, while principally a history of German science and technology from WWI through WWII, is an application of ethics to history circling around the question of the social responsibilities of scientists. While Cornwall begins with the Germans, he ends with Anglo-Americans in the years from the Manhattan Project through 9/11, comparing the one to the other, not always to our credit.
While a serious book, it is not without some light touches. I particularly chuckled at the efforts of German mathematicians to create an Aryan mathematics in opposition to "Jewish mathematics".
February 6, 2018
Audiobook listener here. I thought the story here was rather interesting. As someone who’s always been fascinated by the Indiana Jones vs Nazi Germany trope (for real though, I have always wanted to know if Hitler really was as obsessed with the occult as those movies make him out to be), I was excited by the prospect of a book that looks into science as it was before, during, and after the Third Reich. While the book is far, far more grounded than I secretly hoped it would be, I still found it quite enjoyable. I do have to admit that the narration of the book is rather dry, but even so, I gladly found myself listening right to the end. I’d say that has more to do with my interest in the subject than the narrator’s talents, but if niche history is your thing, I think you’ll get through it just fine too.
August 1, 2008
Good stuff.
The author probes the idea of healing in the Nazi regime. This is not the typical book relating the ghastly deeds of of Hitler's Scientists, although there is a bit of that to be sure. However, the focus is on figuring out how doctors and scientists went completely counter to their roles and duties as public servants - to do no harm.
He tackles how these forces actually changed attitudes, not that the doctors were simply following orders, but their intrinsic belief in what they were doing.
The author probes the idea of healing in the Nazi regime. This is not the typical book relating the ghastly deeds of of Hitler's Scientists, although there is a bit of that to be sure. However, the focus is on figuring out how doctors and scientists went completely counter to their roles and duties as public servants - to do no harm.
He tackles how these forces actually changed attitudes, not that the doctors were simply following orders, but their intrinsic belief in what they were doing.
August 21, 2016
An abridged audio cd by the author of Hitler's Pope. Filled with some interesting stories and some that are so horrible they take a huge step to understand how human beings can be so monstrous to each other. I think it also shows the dangers of scientific ignorance.
There were some fun stories mixed in. My favorite is about Niels Bohr. He was explaining a mathematical formula when he said "And" and then became silent for several moments. Then he said "So" and continued out loud further down the line with what he was saying. I think I will try that some day.
There were some fun stories mixed in. My favorite is about Niels Bohr. He was explaining a mathematical formula when he said "And" and then became silent for several moments. Then he said "So" and continued out loud further down the line with what he was saying. I think I will try that some day.
September 18, 2020
It is sad when authors try to give us "new" history. For instance Albert Speer was never a member of the NAZI-party. You only have to read Speer's "Inside the Third Reich". At Nürnberg he was found not guilty on the charge of belonging to the NAZI-party.
So why the author mentions briefly that Speer was a member is totally the opposite to what history teaches us.
Just had to get that off my chest.
So why the author mentions briefly that Speer was a member is totally the opposite to what history teaches us.
Just had to get that off my chest.
February 1, 2023
Ironically, when I read the forward I found myself getting incredible frustrated on equivocations about the scientists who remained to work within the Nazi system under Hitler, facilitated by hand waving about scientists at any other point or place in history faring no better if put to the test.
Then, I proceeded to read a very detailed and critical accounting of not just the scientists themselves but the impacts and processes which were involved in technological research and production. This is the highlight of the book, and it could have been a 4.5 to 5 star book if that had remained it's purview, with careful time and research put into the doings of (say) Heisenberg vs Einstein or other less notorious scientists who chose to leave (or, were just as likely to have been forced out). The dramatic and self-wounding way in which Hitler employed the immense talent of German scientists, at first by drafting them as soldiers into the military, is discussed as well as the complicity of those who remained and major companies who used slave labor or tested on concentration camp populations.
And then... we get to the last 20-30 pages of this 465 page book and we are back to equivocations, straw man arguments asserted without more than tertiary proof that modern science (and especially Western science) is no better for lack of "freedom of information", or overly "productive" patent and research papers. While some conclusions, such as giving "the lie to the notion that scientists have no voice, as they are invariably mere cogs in corporate machines", I heartily applaud and agree with. Nevertheless, most of it reads as "both sides" nonsense which takes the lack of direction and pollution of capitalism's intrusion into pure science (never a thing anyway) as if real actions have been taken which resemble: slave camps of labor, human testing (really, the Tuskegee experiments are horrifying but even they cannot be held side by side with the Nazi genocidal machine that killed millions all across Europe), WWI chemical warfare, or purges of Jewish and even Jewish friendly academics or government employees.
For this I downgraded my rating to just 3.5 stars, still very informative, but if I ever share or read this again it will be without a glance at these final hamfisted chapters.
Then, I proceeded to read a very detailed and critical accounting of not just the scientists themselves but the impacts and processes which were involved in technological research and production. This is the highlight of the book, and it could have been a 4.5 to 5 star book if that had remained it's purview, with careful time and research put into the doings of (say) Heisenberg vs Einstein or other less notorious scientists who chose to leave (or, were just as likely to have been forced out). The dramatic and self-wounding way in which Hitler employed the immense talent of German scientists, at first by drafting them as soldiers into the military, is discussed as well as the complicity of those who remained and major companies who used slave labor or tested on concentration camp populations.
And then... we get to the last 20-30 pages of this 465 page book and we are back to equivocations, straw man arguments asserted without more than tertiary proof that modern science (and especially Western science) is no better for lack of "freedom of information", or overly "productive" patent and research papers. While some conclusions, such as giving "the lie to the notion that scientists have no voice, as they are invariably mere cogs in corporate machines", I heartily applaud and agree with. Nevertheless, most of it reads as "both sides" nonsense which takes the lack of direction and pollution of capitalism's intrusion into pure science (never a thing anyway) as if real actions have been taken which resemble: slave camps of labor, human testing (really, the Tuskegee experiments are horrifying but even they cannot be held side by side with the Nazi genocidal machine that killed millions all across Europe), WWI chemical warfare, or purges of Jewish and even Jewish friendly academics or government employees.
For this I downgraded my rating to just 3.5 stars, still very informative, but if I ever share or read this again it will be without a glance at these final hamfisted chapters.
April 7, 2025
John Cornwell's "Hitler's Scientists" is a deeply researched and often unsettling examination of the role science and its practitioners played under the Third Reich. Be forewarned: this was not an easy book to read.
The subject matter inherently means delving into one of history's darkest chapters, and Cornwell doesn't shy away from the moral compromises and complicity of scientists within the Nazi regime. Confronting how brilliant minds became entangled with horrific acts makes for stark reading; history can be quite confronting when exploring such ethical failings and the "devil's pact" made by many.
Despite this, it is a worthwhile read. Understanding this complex relationship between science, ethics, and political power is crucial, and Cornwell provides a detailed, if sobering, account.
Given the density of the material and its often disturbing nature, it's best to give yourself time to read in small chunks, as it can be quite mentally exhausting. Trying to absorb too much at once lessens the impact and can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, the chapters are relatively short, making it much easier to pace yourself through some difficult chapters and allowing for necessary breaks to process the information.
In summary, while challenging, "Hitler's Scientists" offers essential insights into a critical and troubling aspect of 20th-century history. Approach it with patience, and the short chapter structure will aid in navigating its weighty content. As a final closing thought, perfectly encapsulating the ethical core explored throughout the book, Cornwell cites Joseph Rotblat’s words in Chapter 34: scientists are "‘human beings first and scientists second’".
The subject matter inherently means delving into one of history's darkest chapters, and Cornwell doesn't shy away from the moral compromises and complicity of scientists within the Nazi regime. Confronting how brilliant minds became entangled with horrific acts makes for stark reading; history can be quite confronting when exploring such ethical failings and the "devil's pact" made by many.
Despite this, it is a worthwhile read. Understanding this complex relationship between science, ethics, and political power is crucial, and Cornwell provides a detailed, if sobering, account.
Given the density of the material and its often disturbing nature, it's best to give yourself time to read in small chunks, as it can be quite mentally exhausting. Trying to absorb too much at once lessens the impact and can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, the chapters are relatively short, making it much easier to pace yourself through some difficult chapters and allowing for necessary breaks to process the information.
In summary, while challenging, "Hitler's Scientists" offers essential insights into a critical and troubling aspect of 20th-century history. Approach it with patience, and the short chapter structure will aid in navigating its weighty content. As a final closing thought, perfectly encapsulating the ethical core explored throughout the book, Cornwell cites Joseph Rotblat’s words in Chapter 34: scientists are "‘human beings first and scientists second’".
March 24, 2018
At 535 pages I feel I deserve a purple heart for the effort. English authors tend to be verbose and long winded and this one is no exception. So I found mysellf reading the same thoughts and ideas more than once.
But on the plus side, and there were many, my learning curve on the amazing scientifical and technological advances that can happen during a war lept off the page.
It's almost as if those with the more technically advanced weapons won the war. at least it was with this war. While their war machines and skills were ahead of us at the beginning we soon caught and surpassed them.
Or war plane tech surpassed theirs, or sonar caught their subs, or radar spotted their planes, or intelligence cracked their codes, or tanks finally equalled theirs and ultimately or a-bombs were built before they could build one.
And surprisingly it appears that one of the greatest scientist living at the time ( right behind Einstein) Heisenberg, the German scientist, purposely and subtlety made sure that his own German army wouldn't create an atomic bomb. He knew how evil his own government had become.
Rockets, jet engines, splitting of the atom and much more propelled this world of ours into new and uncharted territories. This book documents it's beginnings.
But on the plus side, and there were many, my learning curve on the amazing scientifical and technological advances that can happen during a war lept off the page.
It's almost as if those with the more technically advanced weapons won the war. at least it was with this war. While their war machines and skills were ahead of us at the beginning we soon caught and surpassed them.
Or war plane tech surpassed theirs, or sonar caught their subs, or radar spotted their planes, or intelligence cracked their codes, or tanks finally equalled theirs and ultimately or a-bombs were built before they could build one.
And surprisingly it appears that one of the greatest scientist living at the time ( right behind Einstein) Heisenberg, the German scientist, purposely and subtlety made sure that his own German army wouldn't create an atomic bomb. He knew how evil his own government had become.
Rockets, jet engines, splitting of the atom and much more propelled this world of ours into new and uncharted territories. This book documents it's beginnings.
September 28, 2022
Picked this up at a thrift store. It dragged a bit at times, bogged down in details. My interests lay especially in the medical side, the rocketry side (Werner Von Braun), and the atomic side. I did skim some parts that were unrelated to these.
I was also hoping for some broader reflections on science and modernity, but alas. The book nonetheless told the stories pretty well, and as expected many of them were harrowing and disturbing.
The nature of evil is so unlike what we fancy. It often wears no black mask, no red horns. It is a subtle slide of moral failure. It is devotion to Science, or Nation, or whatever other Thing it may be, to the exclusion of the humanity of others. The subject keeps his attention firmly fixed on the Object, and never allows his gaze to see the slaves being worked to death to build the rocket factory or the Jews who will breathe in the chemical breakthrough of Zyklon B.
And perhaps there is something about the intoxicating nature of scientific discovery that blunts moral clarity. That we would heed this in our day, but we do not.
Smart men are not good men. Some are - and some are not. In fact, some forms of evil are only open to smart men and women, and many of them take the opening.
I was also hoping for some broader reflections on science and modernity, but alas. The book nonetheless told the stories pretty well, and as expected many of them were harrowing and disturbing.
The nature of evil is so unlike what we fancy. It often wears no black mask, no red horns. It is a subtle slide of moral failure. It is devotion to Science, or Nation, or whatever other Thing it may be, to the exclusion of the humanity of others. The subject keeps his attention firmly fixed on the Object, and never allows his gaze to see the slaves being worked to death to build the rocket factory or the Jews who will breathe in the chemical breakthrough of Zyklon B.
And perhaps there is something about the intoxicating nature of scientific discovery that blunts moral clarity. That we would heed this in our day, but we do not.
Smart men are not good men. Some are - and some are not. In fact, some forms of evil are only open to smart men and women, and many of them take the opening.
September 5, 2018
This book gives a decent account of how Hitler and the Nazis used and misused their scientists leading up to and during WWII. From driving out Jews, including Einstein and similar, to initially drafting many of the German scientists into the Wermacht as common soldiers, there wasn't really a solid plan to use their talents. Even work on atomic weapons was nothing like the Manhattan Project in the US. Hitler seemed to prefer to focus on his V-1 and V-2 rocket programs to attack and destroy London. This drained some support for the Jet aircraft programs so that they were too little and too late. After the war there was a scramble by the allies to round up the Nazi scientists to use them for weapons programs and more as the world entered the Cold War. Overall this was an interesting read and worth the time if you are interested in WWII and related topics.
January 15, 2024
I have probably read rather too many books about the the Third Reich, but this was is essential and a brilliant book. Using the wide lens of science for this period is a stroke of genius. It ranges from the dreadful issue of eugenics and the impact of racism on medicine to the surprisingly advanced Nazi approach to health prevention especially cancer. It has a very interesting approach ot the vexed question of Heisenberg's willingness to make a Nazi Atom Bomb (he wasn't on the side of the angels, he just wasn't that interested or competent and didn't have the resources. It includes Nazi leaders as well as scientists, all well portrayed.
And Von Braun gets to stand next to JFK developing the Apollo programme, after blitzing Loudon with V weapons!
And Von Braun gets to stand next to JFK developing the Apollo programme, after blitzing Loudon with V weapons!
September 7, 2020
Informative, technical, kind of dry.
This book gives a comprehensive view of the history of science in Germany for the first half of the 20th century. Some parts are definitely informative and others are dry and hard to get through.
However, the book’s most important section might be the final one, which discusses the importance of science, politics, and ethics. An important read to understand the ethics of science and the role of scientists in the world, but can be dense at times.
Give it a read if you science or the history of scientific achievement and it’s impact on the world is of interest to you.
This book gives a comprehensive view of the history of science in Germany for the first half of the 20th century. Some parts are definitely informative and others are dry and hard to get through.
However, the book’s most important section might be the final one, which discusses the importance of science, politics, and ethics. An important read to understand the ethics of science and the role of scientists in the world, but can be dense at times.
Give it a read if you science or the history of scientific achievement and it’s impact on the world is of interest to you.
February 21, 2018
The majority of this book deals with German science and scientists with at least a quarter of the book covering the period before Hitler rose to power. The author also provides information on non-German science and scientists interspersed throughout the book. He mentions the support given to German science and scientists before WW II and the "rehabilitation" of many of them after WWII. In the end he raises questions of ethics which good scientists must address.
July 6, 2021
This was just super dense while also being a little light on what I was hoping for somehow. There were a ton of names in here, and explanations of science and experiments they were working on, but there was also a lot of information about what other scientists thought of Hitler’s scientists and a lot of speculation about what if the Nazis had managed a bomb first. Not exactly what I was expecting, but still not bad.
September 1, 2024
Quite interesting. The author explores the role of science and scientists in war, the history of science in pre-war Germany, the science of destruction and defense and of course the medical experimentation under Hitler. There is of course a great number of physicists in this. A little outdated now as it was written just shortly after 9/11 so some of the questions posed are moot but still a good read for me.
April 29, 2022
This is an excellent review of the scientific history in the years of the Second World War. It is interesting that many of the best scientific advances of the twentieth century were the result of a race to stay ahead of the Nazis. Although the title suggests that what is in this tome will refer only to advances made by the Nazis, it actually covers all technological advancements made during the years around the Second World War.
February 18, 2017
recommend to anyone who does any scientific research. Author asks serious questions as to morals an ethics of research. Several times in book the quote "People first, science second" leaves some real questions as to the guardrails needed for scientific research
September 4, 2020
Very good view into not only the scientists that worked with Hitler but the ones he let go because of his beliefs about their religious leanings and their ideology. This book gives you a good feel for where the Allies and the Axes would be today if he has done things a little differently.
July 27, 2021
A lot of interesting information, but it read too much like a history textbook - dry, verbose, and overburdened with names and dates easily forgotten. I lost count of the years this book has been sitting on my nightstand, waiting to be finished. Maybe someday, but probably not.
May 13, 2017
footnoted, scholarly overview of the subject
June 22, 2018
Interesting history of physics, biology, etc. and scientific morality and amorality.
March 10, 2020
An important and interesting history that has far reaching implications. Audiobook performed by Simon Prebble♥️.
May 3, 2023
Pedantic and poorly written trash. Don’t bother.
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