Hij was mijn Führer

by Christa Schroeder

Christa Schroeder (1908-1984) werkte als secretaresse voor Adolf Hitler. Gedurende de jaren 1933-1945 verkeerde ze vrijwel dagelijks in zijn directe nabijheid. Ze hoorde over politieke en militaire beslissingen, reisde mee met de speciale Führertrein door Europa en was aanwezig bij de moordaanslag van 20 juli 1944. Ook verbleef ze in 1945 in de beruchte Führerbunker in Berlijn.

De authentieke aantekeningen en brieven van Christa Schroeder vormen de basis voor dit boek. Schroeder schrijft over de voor- en afkeuren van Adolf Hitler, zijn dagelijkse bezigheden en gewoontes, de relatie met zijn familie, zijn plotselinge stemmingswisselingen, de spelletjes die hij met mensen speelde - en zelfs over zijn gevoel voor humor. Ook de verschillende personen in Hitlers entourage komen aan bod.

Het meeslepende en soms schokkende boek van Christa Schroeder is, zonder enige twijfel, een van de belangrijkste primaire bronnen voor het raadsel van de Führer.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Memoir, Biography, Germany, War

255 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Emilie Christine Schroeder, also known as Christa Schroeder (19 March 1908 – 28 June 1984) was one of Adolf Hitler’s personal secretaries before and during World War II.

Reviews

[Matthew Devereux ∞ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is very hard to decide how many stars to give this book, written by one of Hitler's secretaries about her twelve year period working for the Nazis. I could give it 5 because it is a fascinating account but then could give it one because it is written by a woman who worked for the most evil people in history. It is an intriguing account but, unlike Traudl Junge, Schroeder doesn't really seem to express remorse particularly at the scale of the industrial murder in the concentration camps (which none of the secretaries were apparently aware of). What comes across as strange is how Hitler, arguably the most evil man in history, was quite nice to work with - and in particular was a vegetarian who complained of cruelty to animals while at the same time orchestrating the murders of millions upon millions of people. It is an important historical account but slightly miserable reading, particularly of the decline in Hitler's mood and health over time as his dreams of empire collapsed into chaos.

[boxer_dogs_dance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christa Schroeder was one of a very few secretaries who worked directly for Hitler. They were required to be on call at nearly all times and to travel with Hitler with no notice.

She wrote that her purpose for the book was to correct the historical record with regard to things she personally witnessed. She was unhappy with a few early historians of the Nazi period and with the accounts told by a few of Hitlers associates.

She had little access to matters of policy or strategy. Her early work consisted of taking dictation for speeches which were then obsessively revised.

However, because Hitler wanted her to be on call, she ended up living in close proximity to Hitler and taking meals with him and his top staff.

When I started this book the first section seemed very dull . As her personal story started to overlap with historical events and as she interacted with members of Hitlers circle that I had heard of, it became much more interesting. It is however a personal memoir. There is a lot about personal relationships and personalities. She discusses art, architecture, food, music etc. She talks about her work load and how she ended up an unofficial high status prisoner because Hitler was so demanding and didn't allow space in her schedule for her personal life.

With regard to politics, the author wrote that when she first took the job she was indifferent. She wrote that if the communists had hired her she would have happily worked for them. She describes two moments when visitors at dinner tried to get Hitler to step in and interfere with abuse of Jewish people. Both times Hitler told the visitors that they didn't understand what they were talking about. According to this author many orders given by Hitler were never put in writing.

Certain readers will get a lot from this book and others won't. Ms. Schroeder was quite intelligent and writes very effectively. She was however kept within a 'woman's sphere ' of life by the Nazi leadership and Hitler. Hitler was very secretive about policy and plans and she was not privy to much of what he thought and intended.

I don't understand how she could remain working for the Nazis, but she provides an interesting perspective on who was part of things and about their personalities.

Her take on Hitler was that he was deeply curious and interested in architecture, various sciences especially zoology and biology, theater, music etc. She also describes him as precise and careful, checking and double checking himself on matters both large and small. Hitler shared plans with her for urban planning and grand construction projects in various cities. She discusses Hitler's relationships with women in some detail.

She was privileged and lived in comfort but she worked for a dictator and her personal freedom was constrained. She came close to falling out of favor and being purged a couple of times.

I'm glad I read this book. It was illuminating.

[Doreen Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this this book 4 stars for the historical information only. That being said I have serious issues with Fraulein Schroeder. All my own personal feelings. From her writing I get the distinct impression she supported Hitler and enabled him. To me that makes her just as guilty as the rest in crimes against humanity. Others may not agree as is their right but this is the way I feel. I do not feel sorry for what happened to her. She deserved it.

[Karim Mansouri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this 5 stars because the author provides insight into the humanity of Adolf Hitler, the man, the leader and his love for Germany. This account is important because the victors have completely lied to us about Hitler, his numerous offerings of peace, and Hitler’s humanity. Christa Schroeder was a simple typist, for me, not even a secretary. That Schroeder does not offer political insight is acceptable, why would she be attending high level military or political meetings, she made it clear that she was not a political person. Hitler was an ordinary person, intelligent, and committed to helping German people, that is what I took from this book.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christa Schroeder was a long-serving secretary to Adolph Hitler and other Nazi Party elite. Her matter-of-fact insider’s account is an intimate view of Hitler’s inner circle right up its final days. Her book is an excellent companion to the classic autobiographical account by Traudl Junge, Hitler’s Last Secretary. Both give an insider’s view of a much softer and gentler Adolph Hitler. Just as I noted in my 2013 review of Junge’s book, Schroeder also shows us something of the charmer that Hitler could be. This helps to present a fuller picture of Adolph Hitler, the man, rather than the mercurial megalomaniac we tend to see through general history. Schroeder, more than Junge, tends to show a softer Hitler, one that was more vulnerable than we would expect. I wonder if it is for this reason perhaps that Hitler inspired such intense loyalty of those closest to him. Schroeder is far less introspective than Junge. Junge’s autobiography agonizingly ponders her actions in serving Hitler yet in the end she claimed she really didn’t know what kind of person he really was. Schroeder doesn’t claim not to know. Yet she definitely knows that members of the inner circle were punished and executed. Did she know of the extent of the Final Solution and the Holocaust, she doesn’t directly ponder or even mention. According to her, politics wasn’t discussed in the relaxing moments she shared in this inner-circle, yet I find it impossible to believe that in her 12-13 years of service to Hitler and the Nazi elite that this topic never came up. Just as I observed in Junge’s review, the anti-semitism had to be there but just didn’t bother Schroeder, at least not enough for her to do something about it. Schroeder doesn’t present herself as an unknowing victim, which is somewhat of Junge’s defense. I conclude Schroeder knew who she worked for, and accepted it fully. Even long after the war, she did maintain relationships with other surviving members of the inner circle, even though by then she had to “know” fully the horrors the committed by Nazis. She seems to have accepted her choices with no apology or remorse.

[Dimitri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ze was er helaas niet bij voor die cruciale laatste Bunkerweek, maar als vaste vooroorlogse secretaresse levert Schroeder het egodocument af waar alle beschrijvingen in onze geschiedenisboeken van "de charmante privé Hitler" met al zijn eigenaardige gewoontes schatplichtig aan zijn. Compleet met het ongemak om wekenlang op zijn trein te werken in een oneindige stand-by; je baan was je hele bestaan onder de Chef.

[Steven]

I picked up this book thinking it was going to be just like all the other books about Hitler, Crazy, callous, inhuman or just the opposite Godlike, Kind, visionary. So it was nice to read a book that was more or less written by a self centered lonely deluded creature. She is Hitler’s secretary and as such is privy to most of his intimate details but yet she maintains she knows nothing about the war crimes. I was captured by the book and frankly disturbed by the things I have in common with one of the most vilified figures in history. If your looking for more reasons to hate Hitler this isn’t the book for you but if you want a peek into the daily life of a leader that doesn’t get questioned and controls the press and people with an iron hand (sheesh sounds like some politicians I know) then by all means keep an open mind and give it a try. You will find a woman that complains of the fruit being soft and the room needing to be warmed a half hour before entering so it would be comfortable also how difficult it is to get decent help to serve now that the Jews are so few, all this while she watches large groups of Jews being forced marched to the trains for disposal.

Oh and Hitler liked dogs, didn’t like to be seen unclothed, didn’t have sex and was a vegetarian.

[C. G. Telcontar · Rating 3 out of 5]

good for the day to day small stuff of being in the entourage. Extremely careful not to use the word Jew or to allude in almost any way to the Nazi policy towards the Jews, she picks her way through the minefield, giving away very little of herself, except to show us she was not very astute at judging character. At one point she suggests to Hitler that Himmler would be a good successor, because the people like him. Really? It would also seem she had some kind of dislike for Traudl Junge, as she does everything in her power to avoid mentioning her as the fourth secretary in the pool. Some bad blood there, I suppose.

Worthwhile for WW2 junkies who are fascinated by the workings of the inner circle about Hitler.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoirs by members of Hitler's inner circle are always fascinating, and this one is no exception.

[stephanie suh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book out of curiosity to find out what Hitler was like behind the public facade when he was backstage with his personal staff. I had done some research on the subject myself, but other books of the interest seemed to be written to provoke spotlight publicity and sensationalism by those who professed to work for him on a personal level, as a chauffeur or a secretary, or a bodyguard. I am not questioning the validity of their work experience, personal integrity, or character but the intention of publicizing such experience as if it were an excuse for asking for a public pardon for having worked for the future. One of such illustrative example is Traudl Junge's well known memoir on her time as a Hitler's secretary in which she keeps trying to tell readers that she wasn't part of the evil reich.

However, this book is relatively devoid of such grandiose content, pomposity of authenticity, and glorification of the byone days, which of course, the author could be unable to manifest anyway. Rather, Ms. Schroeder's coldly objective narrative carries a certain tone of authority in recounting her work experience as senior personal secretary to Hitler who was so reliable and trusty that she was always available and ready to work on call even in the middle of night. Unlike her junior secretary Traudl who was a bit of a celebrity by appearing as many interviews as possible while she was alive, Ms. Schroede rarely made public appearances and stayed out of limelight.

If you want eye-catching episodes or Hitler's personal secrets, this is not a book for you. As the title of the book says, Hitler was her chief, her boss by whom she was employed for her secretarial service. That Hitler was kind and understanding to his secretaries and some of his other attendants could be a revelation in this book. For the clarity of the contents and the author's objective approach to the subject matter, this book is distinguished from other books of similar subject matter.

[Line · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read for two reasons: The everyday descriptions that paint a picture of this (weird) human being called Adolf Hitler - and the just as mundane stories about daily life in Hitler's inner circle, including the dark belief in the rightousness of The Third Reich's horrendous ambitions.

The book could have benefited from a more strict and focused editing, though. That might for example have ensured that the chapter about The Russian Campaign was actually about The Russian Campaign, and not primarily about a bunch of other subjects like the war with Britain, the correctness of a Herr Picker's books on Hitler. And about biting midges.

[Dr. Thomas Wasser · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a must read for any period historian. Lots of good information and footnotes. It gives you a little information about the man (boss) and what he was like when he was not in front of the cameras. Its a good read, fast read. Frau Schroeder tells you what she knows, which was really not very much.
I would have liked to hear more from her about the contents of her dictation and what the speeches were and what the content of the letters and memos were. But over all its an okay book.

[Lanell]

This woman was one of the secretaries who was with Hitler the longest. She writes about her life with Hitler in a very forthright manner. Some of her information I had read in other books. She did not rate herself too high even though she was quite close to Hitler. She acknowledged the other secretaries' importance, for instance.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schroeder provides some interesting behind the scenes views of Hitler and his inner circle. It's an interesting memoir in the fact that she never really discusses politics or discusses any remorse. Has a bad habit of going off on tangents, though.

[Roberto Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diff PIC from the war.

More specifically the pov from the secretary where there are details of her boredom and frustrations of being locked up all day. Great stories of Hitler's youth, relations, love stories, etc.

[DJ K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear god. wow.

I came to this book after having read "I Was Hitler's Chauffeur : The Memoir of Erich Kempka". (which is said to be 1 of 3 memoirs by those close to Hitler and worth reading) This book is in contrast to the rigid surreal picture of Hitler that book painted. I guess the most significant thing I can say about this book is:
1. In this book, You get a sense of what Hitler is doing and how it's different from what other despots and scum (let's call them what they are) like Stalin, Mao, Mussolini etc were doing. There was a component of spiritual elevation to what Hitler was doing and this Humanizes him because unlike others, he had a genuine love of the german people and wanted, idk, german humanity (?) to thrive and do well unlike other despots who were essentially leaders of death cults, there was no reason for what they were doing other than to kill.
2. This paints such a vivid awkward people of being around someone who was lethal but not malicous which the though in iteself is hard to grapple with.
3. It's strange to think such plain, and in some cases stupid, arrogant, vain people were capable of such evil but I think we see that in American and Chinese and african politics even today.
4. it's weird to know what Christa was doing while Hitler's chaufer was back at the bunker burning hitler's body. it's just fucking nuts to think something so evil just....ends and no one seems to realize the extraordinary evil of what they were complict in.

Definitely worth a read if for no other reason than to be aware of history so it doesn't repeat itself.

Definitely worth reading, and I would recommend reading all 3

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

She confirms that Julius Schaub's book "Hitler's Table talk" is authentic. Ends with her escape from the bunker and interrogation.

[Christine Rebbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay; another Hitler/WW II-related book... I had intended to avoid those for a while, but saw this in the library "new books" section and had to pick it up.

It's pretty much what the title says it is -- the memoirs, drawn from her diaries of the time, of having been Hitler's secretary from the early 1930's until the end. Interesting to have that "inside look" of the every-day man. Her belief in him and his aims held right through to the end, and I don't think she goes deeply enough into what it must have been like to have lost the War. She writes how just a month or so before his suicide, Hitler was still assuring her they would win. Also, she never even mentions the Allies' D-Day invasion and what Hitler's (or her) reaction was to that. So there seemed to be a lot missing, but obviously, I say that with hindsight and fuller knowledge than they probably had then, before all the ubiquitous modes of instant communication we have now.

But if you're interested in Hitler, this is probably a must-read! Just not particularly well-written...

[Stuart Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Published after her death, this is not a chronological account of Schroeder's 12 years as one of Hitler's secretaries but rather a series of observations and comments about various aspects of Hitler's personality and life in what was essentially a royal court. There are frequent mentions of how boring and isolating the entire experience was. Schroeder claims to have known nothing about Nazi crimes as her work was limited to typing Hitler's speeches, letters, and other routine business. Although it provides interesting details about some of the major figures of the period, this book will likely be of interest only to serious students of the Nazi era. The memoir of another secretary, Traudl Junge's "Until the Final Hour", will be of more interest to the general reader (it was the basis for the movie "Downfall").

[Susann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

Some fascinating tidbits about daily life around Hitler by his long serving secretary. Her subjective and objective comments about meals with Der Fuhrer, taking dictation, conversations with him, waiting interminable amounts of time on call at all hours, people in the inner circle and key events during the Third Reich offer a different glimpse by one who was a very trusted employee. A valuable addition to Hitler lore.

[Sem · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Whenever I visit the opera I have to take care that my officers do not snore. One day during Tristan and Isolde, Heinrich Hoffmann nearly fell over the ledge out of the box. I had to wake Schaub up to tell him to give Hoffmann a shake. Brückner was behind me snoring. It was dreadful."

The trials and tribulations of being the Führer.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting biography from Christine Schroeder, one of Hitler's secretaries.

[Yu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her words is objective, it makes me to believe that Hitler is an insane bastard. But as a close typist for Hitler, she speaks for him with a more intimate tone, as if he is kind older man for her.

[Debick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting glimpse into the man Hitler.

[Stephen Leary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story by Hitler's secretary.

[George Serebrennikov · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book by Hitler's secretary. Nothing new, nothing especially exciting, but if you hold a simplistic view on Hitler, as just the blood-thirsty monster - it will be useful to read.

[Danne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing inside account, just like Traudl Junge she was a secretary to the Fuhrer (altho Traudl began her work in 1942) and they both left remarkable testaments to these events

[Oa Na · Rating 5 out of 5]

Describing the behavior of Hitler during the WW2, pretty captivating. Well- written overall.

[Jerome Eisele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable Insight/Utterly Devoid of Repentance

More insightful than the more popular but far more narrow (12 years vs. 3) book by Traudl Junge. Exceptional for the insight into the thinking of Hitler. Be prepared for the seeming utterly unrepentant admiration she has for him, though: it can/will be unsettling. It's almost inconceivable that she writes with such unabashed pride in her close relationship with such a monster of history. Nonetheless, it is helpful in reminding us that even the evil: love (not to suggest he was capable of LOVE as we might conceive it): but apparent genuine care and concern for those in his inner circle. The kindness he shows her, if accurate and not just a desire for self-importance/self-interest or admiration from the sick minds who may still admire Hitler and her desire to seek support from them: may accurately inform a greater understanding of a critical figure in history. There is definitely value in a "3D" Hitler. Just seeing a monster doesn't help us understand Hitler's full character and fully equip us to recognize the traits and thus prevent a recurrence of the horrors he inflicted on the world. It's fascinating to hear of his compassion for the cruelty of animal slaughter for meat production which WE continue today, and try to reconcile that with his complete lack of compassion for not just Jews, but so many other categories of human beings. Insight into an utterly sexually insecure/incapable man, his extreme insecurities (in multiple areas) and his inability to engage in normal ways with women are enlightening. She shows us an apparently brilliant, extraordinary man in some areas of academic and philosophical thinking. How such giftedness in some areas contrast with such blind ignorance in others is intellectual food for contemplation in trying to understand a figure who, like all evil characters in history, are more than just one dimensional monstrosities. 5 Stars for Insight. Zero for the Author as a Person

[Alberony Martínez · Rating 2 out of 5]

El fue mi jefe: las memorias de la secretaria de Adolf Hitler marcan la primera vez que las notas de Schroeder se publican en inglés. El libro se publicó por primera vez en alemán (Er war mein Chef) en 1985, poco después de su muerte. Schroeder le pidió a Anton Joachimsthaler en 1982 que publicara sus notas. Joachimsthaler, una escritora técnica e histórica, conocía a Schroeder con quien sentía que podía hablar de sus experiencias, dado que cuando se conocieron, estaba escribiendo un libro sobre un ferrocarril de vía ancha planeado por Hitler. Cumplió con los deseos de Schroeder de publicar el libro a título póstumo e incluyó aclaraciones de ciertos eventos, así como notas a pie de página para proporcionar información más detallada sobre las personas nombradas en sus notas.

Schroeder afirmó haber tenido poco interés en la política y no haber sabido nada sobre el Holocausto, y proporcionó pocos detalles sobre las estrategias de guerra o las políticas nazis. Me resultó difícil de creer, dado que ella estaba tan cerca de Hitler, que había trabajado en la Cancillería del Reich hasta 1939, viajó a varios cuarteles generales del Führer durante la guerra y residió en el búnker de Hitler en la Cancillería del Reich hasta que se le ordenó salir el 20 de abril. , 1945. (Ni siquiera había planeado irse, cambiando el whisky por una cápsula de cianuro).

Este libro no es mas que una aproximacion de lo que siempre ha sabido a traves de tiempo entono a la vida del Hitler, pero a la vez es na declaracion de exculparse de las atrocides cometido por el nazismo.

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