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My Battle Against Hitler: Faith, Truth, and Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich
One of the great overlooked dramas of the Nazi period! A gripping story of one man’s readiness to risk everything to follow his conscience and stand in defiance of tyranny.
Dietrich von Hildebrand was a German Catholic thinker and teacher who in response to the rise of Nazism devoted the full force of his intellect to doing public battle with Hitler for the hearts and minds of the German people.
His story might well have been lost to us, were it not for a memoir, penned near the end of his life at the request of his younger wife. Here he tells of the scorn and ridicule he endured for sounding the alarm when many still viewed Hitler as a positive and inevitable force. He recounts the sorrow of having to leave his home, friends, and family in Germany to conduct his fight against the Nazis from Austria. He tells how he defiantly challenged Nazism in the public square, prompting the German ambassador in Vienna to describe him to Hitler as “the architect of the intellectual resistance." And throughout it all, he conveys his unwavering trust in God, even during his harrowing escape from Vienna and his desperate flight across Europe, with the Nazis always just one step behind.
Dietrich von Hildebrand was a German Catholic thinker and teacher who in response to the rise of Nazism devoted the full force of his intellect to doing public battle with Hitler for the hearts and minds of the German people.
His story might well have been lost to us, were it not for a memoir, penned near the end of his life at the request of his younger wife. Here he tells of the scorn and ridicule he endured for sounding the alarm when many still viewed Hitler as a positive and inevitable force. He recounts the sorrow of having to leave his home, friends, and family in Germany to conduct his fight against the Nazis from Austria. He tells how he defiantly challenged Nazism in the public square, prompting the German ambassador in Vienna to describe him to Hitler as “the architect of the intellectual resistance." And throughout it all, he conveys his unwavering trust in God, even during his harrowing escape from Vienna and his desperate flight across Europe, with the Nazis always just one step behind.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2014
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About the author
Dietrich von Hildebrand
76 books210 followersDietrich von Hildebrand was a German Catholic philosopher and theologian who was called (informally) by Pope Pius XII "the 20th Century Doctor of the Church."
Pope John Paul II greatly admired the work of von Hildebrand, remarking once to von Hildebrand's widow, Alice von Hildebrand, "Your husband is one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a particular admiration and regard for Dietrich von Hildebrand, whom he already knew as a young priest in Munich. In fact, as young Fr. Ratzinger, he even served as an assistant pastor in the church of St. Georg in Munich, which von Hildebrand frequented in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also in St. Georg that Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand were married.
The degree of Pope Benedict's esteem is expressed in one of his statements about von Hildebrand, "When the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time." Von Hildebrand was a vocal critic of the changes in the church brought by the Second Vatican Council. He especially resented the new liturgy. Of it he said "Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better."
Von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1977.
Pope John Paul II greatly admired the work of von Hildebrand, remarking once to von Hildebrand's widow, Alice von Hildebrand, "Your husband is one of the great ethicists of the twentieth century." Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a particular admiration and regard for Dietrich von Hildebrand, whom he already knew as a young priest in Munich. In fact, as young Fr. Ratzinger, he even served as an assistant pastor in the church of St. Georg in Munich, which von Hildebrand frequented in the 1950s and 1960s. It was also in St. Georg that Dietrich and Alice von Hildebrand were married.
The degree of Pope Benedict's esteem is expressed in one of his statements about von Hildebrand, "When the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time." Von Hildebrand was a vocal critic of the changes in the church brought by the Second Vatican Council. He especially resented the new liturgy. Of it he said "Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better."
Von Hildebrand died in New Rochelle, New York, in 1977.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 17, 2014
Whilst Dietrich von Hildebrand was undoubtedly a brave and principled man this is not a very engaging read.
The book is split into two sections. The first part is von Hildebrand's personal memoir and the second are direct writings against Hitler and the Nazi party which are probably the most interesting part.
A lot of the writings reflect on his Christian beliefs and theology which although worthy, do not make a book with general appeal. The memoirs span from 1921 to 1938 but sadly miss detail on the 1938 Anschluss and his journey to the US.
Even von Hildebrand's escape to Vienna seems boring. Whilst I'm not expecting Hollywood style car chases the writing style is undeniably dull.
It's difficult to criticise this book, because the subject matter itself is inspiring and worthy as Von Hildebrand shows us that you can stand up against evil without violence.
If you want to see a different view on the resistance to the rise of the Nazis during the 1920s and 1930s especially a non-violent view then read this book.
The book is split into two sections. The first part is von Hildebrand's personal memoir and the second are direct writings against Hitler and the Nazi party which are probably the most interesting part.
A lot of the writings reflect on his Christian beliefs and theology which although worthy, do not make a book with general appeal. The memoirs span from 1921 to 1938 but sadly miss detail on the 1938 Anschluss and his journey to the US.
Even von Hildebrand's escape to Vienna seems boring. Whilst I'm not expecting Hollywood style car chases the writing style is undeniably dull.
It's difficult to criticise this book, because the subject matter itself is inspiring and worthy as Von Hildebrand shows us that you can stand up against evil without violence.
If you want to see a different view on the resistance to the rise of the Nazis during the 1920s and 1930s especially a non-violent view then read this book.
November 26, 2014
“War is what happens when language fails.”— Margaret AtwoodThat is today's GoodReads quote of the day. It sounds nice. And I think that sometimes it is actually true. Occasionally
When reading Dietrich von Hildebrand's memoirs one realizes that war is also what happens when evil men are determined to take what they want. And the cost to others isn't something that bothers them overmuch.
If anyone could've talked evil men around it would have been von Hildebrand who was a trained philosopher who eschewed nationalism because as he said, "I am a Catholic, a Catholic, and a Catholic."
I'm in the early pages of this book but already have realized that he is a wonderful example of how to stay clear about what is true and what is being just slightly twisted into a lie. That's a hard thing to do in our secular world and it was equally hard to do in Germany in the days when the Third Reich was being formed and becoming reality. I really admire von Hildebrand's ability for clear vision and hope to emulate it myself.
FINAL
This is a case where the book is too much "pure history" for me. Much of the memoir section becomes accounts of meeting many people whose significance I don't understand as it pertains to the big stream of history. On the other hand, it does reflect what it means to "never give up, never surrender" if I may apply Galaxy Quest to such a serious and noble cause.
The essays at the end of the book are much more focused. It is interesting to see where they intersect with our own lives and holding the line on what is true versus what is the miasma of popular culture and thought.
More (possibly) after I've digested this somewhat.
February 18, 2015
SYNOPSIS: How does a person become Hitler’s enemy number one? Not through espionage or violence, it turns out, but by striking fearlessly at the intellectual and spiritual roots of National Socialism.
Dietrich Von Hildebrand was a German Catholic thinker and teacher who devoted the full force of his intellect to breaking the deadly spell of Nazism that ensnared so many of his beloved countrymen.
In the light of current political tragedies involving the killing of Christians and the worlds silent and apathetic response to it this book is truly stirring for concerned Christians who wonder "where will it end and what should I be doing?".
This book is very well written and fairly organized and I truly appreciate the profound philosophical ideas that were explicated in this book. I also found the second part of the book to be particularly interesting as will anyone who enjoys historical readings of actual history changing speeches given during this time era.
The only reason I only gave this book four stars instead of five is, although I understand he was a catholic philosopher I did find Hildebrands exclusionary catholic views tend to be restrictive concerning the issues he was addressing at times. I agree, no Catholic can justify with a clean conscience the atrocities of the NAZI party but then again neither should anyone who names the name of Christ, whether protestant or catholic.
* I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.*
Dietrich Von Hildebrand was a German Catholic thinker and teacher who devoted the full force of his intellect to breaking the deadly spell of Nazism that ensnared so many of his beloved countrymen.
In the light of current political tragedies involving the killing of Christians and the worlds silent and apathetic response to it this book is truly stirring for concerned Christians who wonder "where will it end and what should I be doing?".
This book is very well written and fairly organized and I truly appreciate the profound philosophical ideas that were explicated in this book. I also found the second part of the book to be particularly interesting as will anyone who enjoys historical readings of actual history changing speeches given during this time era.
The only reason I only gave this book four stars instead of five is, although I understand he was a catholic philosopher I did find Hildebrands exclusionary catholic views tend to be restrictive concerning the issues he was addressing at times. I agree, no Catholic can justify with a clean conscience the atrocities of the NAZI party but then again neither should anyone who names the name of Christ, whether protestant or catholic.
* I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.*
August 28, 2024
Dietrich von Hildebrand (1889-1977) was an important Catholic philosopher who is most notable for the stand that he took early on, and at great cost to himself, against National Socialism. He was described as 'the architect of the intellectual resistance in Austria.' He grew up in an affluent German family (his father was the famous sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand) in Florence, Italy. He studied at the Universities of Munich and Gottingen and wrote numerous books of philosophy from a specifically Christian personalist perspective (that he inherited from his mentors Husserl and Scheler).
This book was written initially for his second wife Alice, whom he married after his exile to the United States from Germany and Austria (his first place of exile). In it he detailed his experiences in those two related by also very different countries (so I learned from this book) in the 1920s and 1930s. It thus functions as a kind of memoir and is very helpful not only for detailing the events and people that von Hildebrand encountered in those decades, but it also gives his own perspective on the threat that National Socialism posed to humanity. The final portion of the book contains a series of essays, or excerpts from essays, drawn largely from a journal he founded to intellectually combat Nazism. These essays deal with matters pertaining to the value of the human person, critiques of nationalism, and the scourge of antisemitism.
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this book. It was very helpful for me as I frame my own ideas on issues like nationalism and antisemitism, which are sadly rearing their ugly heads in our day. I think that von Hildebrand is a helpful guide, helping us navigate these issues, especially as they appear in the church. I prefer him to someone like Dietrich Bonhoeffer because, though von Hildebrand was a Catholic, as a Protestant I have much more in common with his classical approach to theology and philosophy.
This book was written initially for his second wife Alice, whom he married after his exile to the United States from Germany and Austria (his first place of exile). In it he detailed his experiences in those two related by also very different countries (so I learned from this book) in the 1920s and 1930s. It thus functions as a kind of memoir and is very helpful not only for detailing the events and people that von Hildebrand encountered in those decades, but it also gives his own perspective on the threat that National Socialism posed to humanity. The final portion of the book contains a series of essays, or excerpts from essays, drawn largely from a journal he founded to intellectually combat Nazism. These essays deal with matters pertaining to the value of the human person, critiques of nationalism, and the scourge of antisemitism.
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this book. It was very helpful for me as I frame my own ideas on issues like nationalism and antisemitism, which are sadly rearing their ugly heads in our day. I think that von Hildebrand is a helpful guide, helping us navigate these issues, especially as they appear in the church. I prefer him to someone like Dietrich Bonhoeffer because, though von Hildebrand was a Catholic, as a Protestant I have much more in common with his classical approach to theology and philosophy.
October 9, 2018
“Better to be a beggar in freedom than to be forced into compromises against my conscience.”
This book was phenomenal. Hildebrand’s memoirs are very insightful into the pre-WW2 era right on through to post-war Germany. His consistent attitude on opposition toward National Socialism is encouraging; there is something to be learned from his conviction. Though not a straight forward story of retold action, the details of human interaction throughout his life can’t be taken for granted. Details of figures like Engelbert Dollfuss, Jacques Maritain, and others are such treats that I did not expect to find within this book. Dietrich’s essays on the evil’s of Anti-Semitism, Collectivism, and the loss of Personalism strike hard to the human conscious. I recommend all my friends to read this.
This book was phenomenal. Hildebrand’s memoirs are very insightful into the pre-WW2 era right on through to post-war Germany. His consistent attitude on opposition toward National Socialism is encouraging; there is something to be learned from his conviction. Though not a straight forward story of retold action, the details of human interaction throughout his life can’t be taken for granted. Details of figures like Engelbert Dollfuss, Jacques Maritain, and others are such treats that I did not expect to find within this book. Dietrich’s essays on the evil’s of Anti-Semitism, Collectivism, and the loss of Personalism strike hard to the human conscious. I recommend all my friends to read this.
May 26, 2022
Read for the Literary Life Challenge 2020. 20 for 2020
8. A Biography or Memoir
I was way more interested in the essays but at least the memoirs helped me to get into his life. His arguments are very persuassive and worth pondering over.
8. A Biography or Memoir
I was way more interested in the essays but at least the memoirs helped me to get into his life. His arguments are very persuassive and worth pondering over.
January 10, 2017
This was a challenging read because the book itself is so dense. We are talking, after all, about a philosopher's memoirs of a philosophical and political battle against an all-encompassing ideology. At times it was a struggle for me to get through. I do not have a strong background in 20th century thinkers, and von Hildebrand seemed to have been friends or at least colleagues with all of them. I didn't know anything about the Austrian experience of the Anschluss outside of some scenes in The Sound of Music, but now I know enough to even use the word appropriately (pronunciation is an altogether different question).
Suffice it to say, this was not a quick read, but now that I am (getting around to) writing about it, I am realizing how much I got from the book—and how unnervingly timely it is. Von Hildebrand, who was born at his family's villa in Italy but educated in Germany, perceived very early on just what kind of a menace Nazism was, thanks to his youthful philosophy studies under Edmund Husserl (the same Husserl alongside whom St Edith Stein would soon enough be working) and his friendship with Max Scheler (whom St John Paul would credit as providing one of the two “great philosophical revelations” in his life).
From Scheler, it would seem, both von Hildebrand and the future pope learned to approach questions and issues from the standpoint of human dignity. It was “the depersonalising tendency of National Socialism” that provoked von Hildebrand's laser-like attention. In writing his memoirs some thirty years after so many experiences, it is this very point that the author keeps returning to. Scheler is also credited, at least in the book's introduction, with the conversion to Catholicism of von Hildebrand and his wife Gretchen. (The “other” Dr. von Hildebrand, Alice, was Dietrich's second wife; it was for her that he wrote the encyclopedic memoirs that are present only in part in the published book.) The motivation? “The Catholic Church is the true Church,” according to Scheler, “because she produces saints.”
Right from the beginning of his teaching career, von Hildebrand faced the challenge of putting his students on guard against the philosophical underpinnings of National Socialism (something his contemporary, Martin Heidegger, would soon be busily propagandizing). Sadly, von Hildebrand was in a minority. Many Catholic thinkers and leaders thought that Nazism was simply “a sign of the times” and had to be taken into consideration, or that it was best to placate the movement as much as possible, in order to protect the Church and its institutions from retaliatory damage or marginalization. This accommodating tendency continued even as Hitler's forces invaded country after country. I was saddened to read that the nationalist fervor was not absent even among the most distinguished religious communities. Von Hildebrand continued to insist that every dimension of Nazism, “its nationalism, militarism, collectivism, materialism, and anti-Semitism were unbridgeably antithetical to Christianity.”
When Hitler came to power, von Hildebrand was effectively exiled. He first moved to Italy, to his family's holdings, and then to Austria where he hoped to be part of an intellectual and political stronghold against Nazism. The Nazi annexations first of Austria and then of France kept von Hildebrand on the run. He knew he was on their hit list for starting an anti-Nazi journal, and narrowly escaped assassination (unlike the Austrian President with whom he had been working so hard). He fled from nation to nation, finally finding refuge in the US in 1940. The world hadn't even seen what Nazism would still do.
His experience of Austria had been that it was always, in its own way, what we today call “multiethnic”: “it had a supranatural character, not only because it always embraced non-German nations such as the Bohemians, Hungarians, and southern Slavs, but also because it was interiorly united and formed by an ideal that was religious, multi-national, cultural and dynastic in character.” What the Nazis brought was “the great heresy of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: nationalism.” “This terrible error... [starts] with the identification of nation and state and reaching all the way to committing idolatry towards a nation, that is, making the nation the highest criterion for the whole of life and making it the ultimate goal and highest good.”
It is hard not to read those words of von Hildebrand's in our current political setting and not feel unsettled. We need von Hildebrand's critique now as much as the complacent people of Germany and Austria needed it almost a century ago. What I want to take from this book is his centering (as St John Paul did, and as Pope Francis is modeling for us now) on the person. Any time we find ourselves expected to sacrifice a person to an ideal, every red flag ever flown should go up.
“Genuine patriotism and nationalism are as different from each other as the true, divinely ordained love of self is from egoistic self-love. ...The first characteristic of nationalism is thus a collective egoism that disavows respect and concern for foreign nations and evaluates the rights of one's own nation according to criteria different from those applied to other nations.” “Nationalism is also present wherever the nation is ranked above communities of even higher value, such as larger communities of peoples or mankind as a whole.” It doesn't take laser vision to see this sort of thing spreading like a virus through contemporary social media.
So. A tough read, but a worthwhile (maybe even necessary) one.
Suffice it to say, this was not a quick read, but now that I am (getting around to) writing about it, I am realizing how much I got from the book—and how unnervingly timely it is. Von Hildebrand, who was born at his family's villa in Italy but educated in Germany, perceived very early on just what kind of a menace Nazism was, thanks to his youthful philosophy studies under Edmund Husserl (the same Husserl alongside whom St Edith Stein would soon enough be working) and his friendship with Max Scheler (whom St John Paul would credit as providing one of the two “great philosophical revelations” in his life).
From Scheler, it would seem, both von Hildebrand and the future pope learned to approach questions and issues from the standpoint of human dignity. It was “the depersonalising tendency of National Socialism” that provoked von Hildebrand's laser-like attention. In writing his memoirs some thirty years after so many experiences, it is this very point that the author keeps returning to. Scheler is also credited, at least in the book's introduction, with the conversion to Catholicism of von Hildebrand and his wife Gretchen. (The “other” Dr. von Hildebrand, Alice, was Dietrich's second wife; it was for her that he wrote the encyclopedic memoirs that are present only in part in the published book.) The motivation? “The Catholic Church is the true Church,” according to Scheler, “because she produces saints.”
Right from the beginning of his teaching career, von Hildebrand faced the challenge of putting his students on guard against the philosophical underpinnings of National Socialism (something his contemporary, Martin Heidegger, would soon be busily propagandizing). Sadly, von Hildebrand was in a minority. Many Catholic thinkers and leaders thought that Nazism was simply “a sign of the times” and had to be taken into consideration, or that it was best to placate the movement as much as possible, in order to protect the Church and its institutions from retaliatory damage or marginalization. This accommodating tendency continued even as Hitler's forces invaded country after country. I was saddened to read that the nationalist fervor was not absent even among the most distinguished religious communities. Von Hildebrand continued to insist that every dimension of Nazism, “its nationalism, militarism, collectivism, materialism, and anti-Semitism were unbridgeably antithetical to Christianity.”
When Hitler came to power, von Hildebrand was effectively exiled. He first moved to Italy, to his family's holdings, and then to Austria where he hoped to be part of an intellectual and political stronghold against Nazism. The Nazi annexations first of Austria and then of France kept von Hildebrand on the run. He knew he was on their hit list for starting an anti-Nazi journal, and narrowly escaped assassination (unlike the Austrian President with whom he had been working so hard). He fled from nation to nation, finally finding refuge in the US in 1940. The world hadn't even seen what Nazism would still do.
His experience of Austria had been that it was always, in its own way, what we today call “multiethnic”: “it had a supranatural character, not only because it always embraced non-German nations such as the Bohemians, Hungarians, and southern Slavs, but also because it was interiorly united and formed by an ideal that was religious, multi-national, cultural and dynastic in character.” What the Nazis brought was “the great heresy of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: nationalism.” “This terrible error... [starts] with the identification of nation and state and reaching all the way to committing idolatry towards a nation, that is, making the nation the highest criterion for the whole of life and making it the ultimate goal and highest good.”
It is hard not to read those words of von Hildebrand's in our current political setting and not feel unsettled. We need von Hildebrand's critique now as much as the complacent people of Germany and Austria needed it almost a century ago. What I want to take from this book is his centering (as St John Paul did, and as Pope Francis is modeling for us now) on the person. Any time we find ourselves expected to sacrifice a person to an ideal, every red flag ever flown should go up.
“Genuine patriotism and nationalism are as different from each other as the true, divinely ordained love of self is from egoistic self-love. ...The first characteristic of nationalism is thus a collective egoism that disavows respect and concern for foreign nations and evaluates the rights of one's own nation according to criteria different from those applied to other nations.” “Nationalism is also present wherever the nation is ranked above communities of even higher value, such as larger communities of peoples or mankind as a whole.” It doesn't take laser vision to see this sort of thing spreading like a virus through contemporary social media.
So. A tough read, but a worthwhile (maybe even necessary) one.
September 15, 2018
I have often wondered, even knowing of the likes of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, how it came to pass that an intelligent culture such as that exhibited by Germans ended up allowing for the rise of Adolph Hitler. Here, another Dietrich, this one's surname von Hildenbrand, gives rational background behind why Nazism came to be viewed as an opposing force to, rather than a complement to, Bolshevism while marginalizing the Christian culture that would have given the lie to both but was buried instead.
November 18, 2014
Dietrich von Hildebrand, a German professor of philosophy in Munich, watched with dismay as Germany fell under the spell of Hitler and the Third Reich. In 1933, at age 43, he and his wife Gretchen left Germany to live in Vienna.
In exile he founded a weekly magazine (Der Christliche Standestaat—The Christian Corporative State) that, for five years (until the spring of 1938 when Hitler took over Austria and the von Hildebrands had to flee), was dedicated to unmasking the nationalism, militarism, collectivism, and anti-Semitism that combined to make up Nazism.
My Battle Against Hitler is made up of two sections. The first part—von Hildebrand’s memoirs—contains selections from the 5000-page memoir he wrote in 1958 for the benefit of his second wife to help this much younger woman understand his life. This section is organized by year.
The second part is fragments of the essays he published in the Vienna magazine from 1933 to 1938.
The whole thing is stitched together by pieces written by John Henry Crosby and John F. Crosby, translators of the memoirs and essays. The book begins with John Henry Crosby’s chapter “The Life of Dietrich von Hildebrand.” Throughout the book pieces written by the Crosby’s connect the dots between journal entries and put the essay fragments into context.
Von Hildebrand’s journals are interesting and colorful. They depict him as an inveterate people-watcher who tended to categorize those he met as black or white depending on how they viewed Bolshevism and National Socialism. Any whiff of sympathy to those movements colored his entire opinion of a person.
He was someone who also seemed readily star-struck with those in power that he admired. His account of meeting the Empress and Emperor Otto of Belgium in 1933 is typical of his reaction:
As a whole, his memoirs introduce us to the philosophers, thinkers, and politicians of the day with whom he rubbed shoulders in Vienna and other parts of Europe. They are infused with his philosophical idealism which is rooted in his Catholic / Christian worldview. And so he saw Bolshevism and National Socialism as players in the age-old drama that was far bigger than what was being played out on the stage of Europe at that time:
Though I found many of his essays hard to follow (he was a deep, philosophical thinker, quoting names of contemporaries as handles of philosophical movements with which I’m unfamiliar), his strong convictions and clear thinking is, as a whole, hard to resist. I couldn’t help but contrast his well-thought-out opposition to Nazism to our popular movements which, herd-like, rise and fall fueled by little more than trending tweets and social medial ‘LIKE's. Von Hildebrand would have been aghast.
In our time when dueling worldviews continue, von Hildbrand stands as a shining example of someone who knew his convictions, was a master at communicating them, and stuck by them no matter how popular opinion shifted.
For our time, this book is a worthwhile read for his defense of the Jews alone. The journal entries and essays where he decries anti-Semitism could help bolster our own resistance to this movement that is again finding a voice on the streets and university campuses around us.
This book is a treasure for those interested in a close view of pre-World War II Vienna, the political atmosphere and movements of the time, and how one Christian thinker analyzed and evaluated the philosophies that underpinned those movements.
I received My Battle Against Hitler as an e-book download from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.
In exile he founded a weekly magazine (Der Christliche Standestaat—The Christian Corporative State) that, for five years (until the spring of 1938 when Hitler took over Austria and the von Hildebrands had to flee), was dedicated to unmasking the nationalism, militarism, collectivism, and anti-Semitism that combined to make up Nazism.
My Battle Against Hitler is made up of two sections. The first part—von Hildebrand’s memoirs—contains selections from the 5000-page memoir he wrote in 1958 for the benefit of his second wife to help this much younger woman understand his life. This section is organized by year.
The second part is fragments of the essays he published in the Vienna magazine from 1933 to 1938.
The whole thing is stitched together by pieces written by John Henry Crosby and John F. Crosby, translators of the memoirs and essays. The book begins with John Henry Crosby’s chapter “The Life of Dietrich von Hildebrand.” Throughout the book pieces written by the Crosby’s connect the dots between journal entries and put the essay fragments into context.
Von Hildebrand’s journals are interesting and colorful. They depict him as an inveterate people-watcher who tended to categorize those he met as black or white depending on how they viewed Bolshevism and National Socialism. Any whiff of sympathy to those movements colored his entire opinion of a person.
He was someone who also seemed readily star-struck with those in power that he admired. His account of meeting the Empress and Emperor Otto of Belgium in 1933 is typical of his reaction:
“The Empress made a very strong impression on me. There was something unbelievably elegant and aristocratic about her face, while her presence as a whole seemed to combine both strength and tenderness. She was immensely attractive. ... Afterward I was able to meet Emperor Otto, who also made a very great impression on me. He was then still very young, about nineteen or twenty. ...I was amazed how well informed he was about all the problems in Austria and how intelligently he spoke about them” – Kindle Location 1927 & 1934.
As a whole, his memoirs introduce us to the philosophers, thinkers, and politicians of the day with whom he rubbed shoulders in Vienna and other parts of Europe. They are infused with his philosophical idealism which is rooted in his Catholic / Christian worldview. And so he saw Bolshevism and National Socialism as players in the age-old drama that was far bigger than what was being played out on the stage of Europe at that time:
“In reality, there have been only two fronts in the world for the past two thousand years; the front for Christ and the front against Christ. He is the cornerstone which separates all spirits” – Kindle Location 5012.
Though I found many of his essays hard to follow (he was a deep, philosophical thinker, quoting names of contemporaries as handles of philosophical movements with which I’m unfamiliar), his strong convictions and clear thinking is, as a whole, hard to resist. I couldn’t help but contrast his well-thought-out opposition to Nazism to our popular movements which, herd-like, rise and fall fueled by little more than trending tweets and social medial ‘LIKE's. Von Hildebrand would have been aghast.
In our time when dueling worldviews continue, von Hildbrand stands as a shining example of someone who knew his convictions, was a master at communicating them, and stuck by them no matter how popular opinion shifted.
For our time, this book is a worthwhile read for his defense of the Jews alone. The journal entries and essays where he decries anti-Semitism could help bolster our own resistance to this movement that is again finding a voice on the streets and university campuses around us.
This book is a treasure for those interested in a close view of pre-World War II Vienna, the political atmosphere and movements of the time, and how one Christian thinker analyzed and evaluated the philosophies that underpinned those movements.
I received My Battle Against Hitler as an e-book download from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.
January 8, 2022
Technically I didn't finish this all the way quite yet but I finished the part which is a memoir of Dietrich von Hildebrand from 1920 to 1937, breaking off just months before he fled the Nazis on the day they invaded Austria.
Astounding. I thought the title was a little melodramatic but he was on the hit list of the Nazis right after the political officials. He writes about the speaking and writing he did during that 18 year period from the rise of the Nazi party (fleeing Munich on the day of the the Beer Hall Putsch is one of the first events in the memoir) to the invasion of Austria.
Really a wonderful account, and a challenge to those who sort of think that no one can see what is coming politically. There are always people who can see the implications of a political ideology, most people just choose to ignore those implications. Von Hildebrand has some pretty strong words against that kind of self-deception.
Astounding. I thought the title was a little melodramatic but he was on the hit list of the Nazis right after the political officials. He writes about the speaking and writing he did during that 18 year period from the rise of the Nazi party (fleeing Munich on the day of the the Beer Hall Putsch is one of the first events in the memoir) to the invasion of Austria.
Really a wonderful account, and a challenge to those who sort of think that no one can see what is coming politically. There are always people who can see the implications of a political ideology, most people just choose to ignore those implications. Von Hildebrand has some pretty strong words against that kind of self-deception.
December 23, 2017
A powerful reminder that seemingly good people can buy into evil. Dietrich von Hildebrand, A German Catholic philosopher, watched with horror the rise of Hitler and the Nazis in the 1930s. Equally disturbing was the acceptance by several Catholic German priests and bishops of the inevitability of Nazism or the ability of Nazism and Catholicism to co-exist. Von Hildebrand was forced to flee Germany and settled in Austria until it was invaded.
The book is part diary and part highlights of his writing. In the latter, he patiently explains why anti-Semitism, the concept of a master race, and the supremacy of the state over the individual are inconsistent with Catholic teachings. As we look back, with some smugness perhaps, we are sure that we would never have fallen for Nazism and Bolshevism. This book challenges this self confidence.
The book is part diary and part highlights of his writing. In the latter, he patiently explains why anti-Semitism, the concept of a master race, and the supremacy of the state over the individual are inconsistent with Catholic teachings. As we look back, with some smugness perhaps, we are sure that we would never have fallen for Nazism and Bolshevism. This book challenges this self confidence.
July 8, 2017
Nailed it! So perfect for the larger understanding of what is happening in the world today.
August 26, 2022
Of course, the book has flaws but overall, I couldn't give it anything other than five stars.
October 1, 2018
Reading Challenge 2018
Germany
This is the memoir of a famous German philosopher and devout Catholic, who made one of the strongest arguments against the rising Nazi National Socialism in the 1920s & 1930s. Endearingly he wrote the book for his wife, who wanted to know about that period of his life. It was only published by historians decades after his death.
Translated and edited by John Henry Crosby with John F. Crosby. (Shout out to my alma mater, Franciscan University!)
It is a compelling book, but one that must be savored slowly. It was given to me a year ago and the holy spirit led me to pick this book up at just the right moment - in the midst of the lavender mafia church scandal. (Thanks for the book, Shandy!)
Reading about how von Hildebrand debated and reasoned with various official & unofficial Catholic voices of his day has been a blessing to me these past few weeks. Some in the Catholic church bought into antisemitism or wanted to appease Hitler or wanted to christianize the Nazi party from within. Von Hildebrand was unwavering in his conviction that Hitler was the anti-Christ. He used his intellectual writing and lectures to attempt to awaken fellow Catholics and effect church policies.
It is crazy to comprehend now, but he was overwhelmingly considered to be on the "wrong side of history" for his day. His memoir details the uphill battles he faced. Through the many attacks on his reputation and life by Catholic and non-Catholics, he maintains his humble faith and love of his fellow Catholics and the Church.
Nothing is new under the sun. Heroes of history can guide us through our current storms.
I don't really have a brain for philosophy, but this book is written as a memoir referencing current events and political debates, so I was able to follow it. I think I was also able to understand many of the important philosophical distinctions von Hildebrand was trying to make for his day. Very helpful.
Germany
This is the memoir of a famous German philosopher and devout Catholic, who made one of the strongest arguments against the rising Nazi National Socialism in the 1920s & 1930s. Endearingly he wrote the book for his wife, who wanted to know about that period of his life. It was only published by historians decades after his death.
Translated and edited by John Henry Crosby with John F. Crosby. (Shout out to my alma mater, Franciscan University!)
It is a compelling book, but one that must be savored slowly. It was given to me a year ago and the holy spirit led me to pick this book up at just the right moment - in the midst of the lavender mafia church scandal. (Thanks for the book, Shandy!)
Reading about how von Hildebrand debated and reasoned with various official & unofficial Catholic voices of his day has been a blessing to me these past few weeks. Some in the Catholic church bought into antisemitism or wanted to appease Hitler or wanted to christianize the Nazi party from within. Von Hildebrand was unwavering in his conviction that Hitler was the anti-Christ. He used his intellectual writing and lectures to attempt to awaken fellow Catholics and effect church policies.
It is crazy to comprehend now, but he was overwhelmingly considered to be on the "wrong side of history" for his day. His memoir details the uphill battles he faced. Through the many attacks on his reputation and life by Catholic and non-Catholics, he maintains his humble faith and love of his fellow Catholics and the Church.
Nothing is new under the sun. Heroes of history can guide us through our current storms.
I don't really have a brain for philosophy, but this book is written as a memoir referencing current events and political debates, so I was able to follow it. I think I was also able to understand many of the important philosophical distinctions von Hildebrand was trying to make for his day. Very helpful.
Read
December 25, 2024A bit repetitive, but shows how people can get deaf/used to evil.
He went to Schonbrunn!! “To experience such a distinctive and refined world, filled with the special air of Mozart, and embodied in such a concrete and individual manner, is something very rare. How unusual it is to find the beauty and nobility of this world realized in such perfection, concrete beds, and fullness. And what a great and unusual gift it is to find oneself unexpectedly in this world, not for the sake of enjoyment but transported there by life circumstances, not as a spectator but as someone inhabiting it in an entirely natural way.” (Austria trip!!) 153
“Perhaps the Germans are often less loved than people of other nations because, in order to grasp their unique value, one must penetrate all the way into the hidden sphere of the spirit -a requirement not especially apt to make a people outstandingly likeable.” 255
“The specific structure of community as such necessarily presupposes the spiritual person. … Wheb the person was mutilated by being detached from God, and the meaningful, free, immortal person destined for eternity was reduced to a meaningless bundle of sensations, it inevitable became impossible to recognize the essential orientation of the human person to community.” 313
He went to Schonbrunn!! “To experience such a distinctive and refined world, filled with the special air of Mozart, and embodied in such a concrete and individual manner, is something very rare. How unusual it is to find the beauty and nobility of this world realized in such perfection, concrete beds, and fullness. And what a great and unusual gift it is to find oneself unexpectedly in this world, not for the sake of enjoyment but transported there by life circumstances, not as a spectator but as someone inhabiting it in an entirely natural way.” (Austria trip!!) 153
“Perhaps the Germans are often less loved than people of other nations because, in order to grasp their unique value, one must penetrate all the way into the hidden sphere of the spirit -a requirement not especially apt to make a people outstandingly likeable.” 255
“The specific structure of community as such necessarily presupposes the spiritual person. … Wheb the person was mutilated by being detached from God, and the meaningful, free, immortal person destined for eternity was reduced to a meaningless bundle of sensations, it inevitable became impossible to recognize the essential orientation of the human person to community.” 313
February 27, 2019
A worthy read as we increasingly find ourselves within a society that bifurcates the spiritual and public lives. Dietrich von Hildebrand did exactly the opposite as he declared the evil that existed within National Socialism loudly. This even as so many wished to simply be quiet and let life continue. Not a fast paced read but worth the time to capture the engagement and struggle that he confronted at every turn as he was increasingly finding himself a solitary voice in opposition.
The essays which form the second part are worthwhile to come to an understanding of how he saw the world and the Christian’s role within it. They are relevant today as we consider the society in which we live. So much of the world has been shaped by the pernicious influence of discrimination. We today automatically think of racism or other discrimination but we must see the two edged sword that if we see all people through the lens of a humanity created in the image of God we will be humbled by the diversity of appearance and culture. This is not to say that we must tolerate or be quiet reference those who would violate the commands of God.
The essays which form the second part are worthwhile to come to an understanding of how he saw the world and the Christian’s role within it. They are relevant today as we consider the society in which we live. So much of the world has been shaped by the pernicious influence of discrimination. We today automatically think of racism or other discrimination but we must see the two edged sword that if we see all people through the lens of a humanity created in the image of God we will be humbled by the diversity of appearance and culture. This is not to say that we must tolerate or be quiet reference those who would violate the commands of God.
October 31, 2022
Written by a prominent German Catholic philosopher-theologian, this book looks at his rejection of Nazism (and all other nationalism/racism) very early on (starting in the early 1920s), and how this eventually came to a head when Hitler came to power. The first section of the book consists of his diary, explaining how he sought to speak out against the evils of nationalism (often working with pacifists to do so), and the second section consists of exerpts from his writing. The author showed great prescience, in opposing nationalism before the full extent of its evil was shown. He also talks about the large number of deposed European royals (both Habsburg and Bavarian) who supported his work. I found this interesting, as I had always thought that European throne and altar conservatism was linked to nationalism, but have been recently reading in other sources how Hitler sent the descendants of some European royals to concentration camps. This book is a very timely read, and quite fascinating.
November 15, 2020
This treatise on the life of German philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand and his valiant fight against the encroachment of Nazism into the Catholic church in Europe, just prior to WWII is engaging and enlightening. Bravely lecturing and writing against the National Socialist movement and the "anti-Christ" Hitler, he became a most wanted man in Austria. This story alone is enthralling. However, the essays he wrote that are included in this book are some of the best I've ever read, and highly applicable to life in America in this day and age--especially his distinction between "mass" gatherings and gathering in community. Well worth the read just for those.
May 23, 2024
Such a fascinating book on the life of such an outspoken and passionate man. I can see why his biography by his wife is called “Heart of a Lion.” He unashamedly proclaims the truth and encourages others to do the same. The truth is meant to be shared, and there are certain movements and ideologies which are directly against the truth and they must be rejected. We need more people like Dietrich von Hildebrand in our modern age!
November 15, 2018
Dietrich von Hildebrand’s essays and essay excerpts included in the latter portion of the book need to be read and considered in our own day and age. His insights and critiques of the philosophical errors of the time are still relevant today.
He is a unique and courageous man who needs to be Morley widely known and studied!
He is a unique and courageous man who needs to be Morley widely known and studied!
April 17, 2020
These memoirs and collection of writings give a good glimpse into Dietrich Von Hildebrand, the man. The collection of writings at the end provide a good survey of his intellectual thought and how he battled Nazism intellectually. I do wish there were more writings in Part 2. This is a good introductory work to Von Hildebrand and leads me to want to read more.
April 15, 2021
Woah, this book has been life changing. It is so incredible to read the works of a magnificent writer with such an incredible mind. Dietrich Von Hilderbrand has truly impacted the world with his writing and I definitely intend to explore more of his works as soon as I can get my hands on them. I could not recommend this book enough.
October 17, 2021
This book is mostly the memoirs of Von Heldebrand of his life during the rise of the Nazi regime. There are several interesting essays at the end of the book, originally published in his philosophical journal. Mildly interesting but I won't likely read it again. I would eagerly read many of Von Hildebrand's other books but alas, they are not available as audiobooks through Libby.
January 22, 2022
3.5/5. Lots of names, lots of dates. Considering all he went through, it wasn’t displayed in a very exciting manner. But the underlying theme is overwhelming: too many Catholics and clergy bought into Hitler’s Nationalism and compromised their values. He was considered Hitler’s #1 intellectual enemy.
December 5, 2018
I couldn’t finish it...
Gave up after 40 pages. Reads like a very boring textbook. I kept trying to stay engaged but couldn’t, despite being a part of history that I have quite a bit of interest in.
Gave up after 40 pages. Reads like a very boring textbook. I kept trying to stay engaged but couldn’t, despite being a part of history that I have quite a bit of interest in.
February 4, 2022
Our Times
A book for our Times, the second decade of the 21st Century. Unfortunately, the fear that shaped Europe's resistance to Hitter, shapes America's resistance to the new forces of fascism. An emerging politics that date not speak the name of it's leader
A book for our Times, the second decade of the 21st Century. Unfortunately, the fear that shaped Europe's resistance to Hitter, shapes America's resistance to the new forces of fascism. An emerging politics that date not speak the name of it's leader
November 20, 2023
Very beautiful insight on Dietrich’s life and that time
June 24, 2017
"I don’t think you can beat the sheer intellectual heft and moral courage of Dietrich Von Hildebrand’s My Battle Against Hitler."--Greg Thornbury, President of The King’s College in New York City.
December 31, 2014
The memoirs form the first part of the book, covering 1923-1937. The editing focuses on the memoirs’ segments that focus on von Hildebrand’s work against National Socialism. Therefore other aspects of his life, such as his family, only appear when they intersect with his work in that regard. That said, the start of each chapter in this part opens with a summary by the editor that introduces the section and provides any needed background. Additional summaries appear throughout the chapters when needed to connect segments of the original memoirs. We follow von Hildebrand from the first time he spoke out against National Socialism, an act that lead the Nazi’s to mark him for death shortly after the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. We then see how he fled Germany upon Hitler gaining power and, with government backing, set up Der Christliche Ständestaat in Vienna, Austria. At the time, Austria was being led by Engelbert Dollfuss, whom was opposed to Hitler and his views and like von Hildebrand saw the need for a strong Catholic nation to stand up to National Socialism. Readers will gain an understanding of the journal’s foundation, the political situation in both Germany and Austria, and von Hildebrand’s work in those regards. Von Hildebrand also traveled extensively on invitation to present his views at conferences, including those in Italy, France, and Hungary. The final section of the memoirs was cobbled together from von Hildebrand outline for the uncompleted section and the memoirs of his first wife. It describes von Hildebrand’s flight from Austria upon the Anschluss.
The second part of the book presents excerpts or the entirety of fourteen of von Hildebrand’s essays. There were several themes within these well thought out and deep essays. One was that anti-Semitism was unchristian. As part of this, he reminded his readers that Christianity grew out of Judaism. Another was the harm of nationalism, as it was in opposition to both Catholic Church teachings and excluded non-dominate ethnic groups. He likened it to a cult meant to harm society. A final theme was that the individual should be the focus over the collective mass. The rationale behind this was that “…the individual abandons himself to much more irresponsible and uncontrollable passions and instincts when he is part of a mass. This situation robs him of his perceptive, suspends the rules of reason, and hands him over to irresponsibility(312).” And to add to this, the masses he spoke out against in these essays was both National Socialism and Bolshevism; he saw them as having the same ideas at the core, namely a totalitarian regime that did not allow for individuals to have a say. As a whole, looking back at von Hildebrand’s essays from today, he made a lot of sense. However, not many may have seen that back then, thus why many disliked von Hildebrand. Like with the memoirs, each essay is prefaced by the editor providing needed background information and connecting it to its mention in the memoirs, if applicable.
Overall, the book was interesting. I enjoyed the memoirs and wished that more than a short summary told the story from 1938 until von Hildebrand’s arrival in America. It would have been fascinating to read about his and his family’s life in France, most spent hiding under aliases, and how they fled again when the Nazi’s invaded. However, I know he could not have spoken out in those years, so the omission is understandable. Still, it would have been a nice conclusion. On the essays, I found them eye-opening. He managed to create his arguments against Nazism through both a religious and philosophical viewpoint. Just because von Hildebrand was Catholic and viewed many things through that lens did not mean he was forced his viewpoints on others; he acknowledged that all Christians, and even the Jews, should band together to fight National Socialism. It was just that as a Catholic himself and the fact at the time Catholicism was Europe’s predominate faith, he thought that the Catholic Church should lead the fight.
Full review located on my blog, Amy's Scrap Bag .
The second part of the book presents excerpts or the entirety of fourteen of von Hildebrand’s essays. There were several themes within these well thought out and deep essays. One was that anti-Semitism was unchristian. As part of this, he reminded his readers that Christianity grew out of Judaism. Another was the harm of nationalism, as it was in opposition to both Catholic Church teachings and excluded non-dominate ethnic groups. He likened it to a cult meant to harm society. A final theme was that the individual should be the focus over the collective mass. The rationale behind this was that “…the individual abandons himself to much more irresponsible and uncontrollable passions and instincts when he is part of a mass. This situation robs him of his perceptive, suspends the rules of reason, and hands him over to irresponsibility(312).” And to add to this, the masses he spoke out against in these essays was both National Socialism and Bolshevism; he saw them as having the same ideas at the core, namely a totalitarian regime that did not allow for individuals to have a say. As a whole, looking back at von Hildebrand’s essays from today, he made a lot of sense. However, not many may have seen that back then, thus why many disliked von Hildebrand. Like with the memoirs, each essay is prefaced by the editor providing needed background information and connecting it to its mention in the memoirs, if applicable.
Overall, the book was interesting. I enjoyed the memoirs and wished that more than a short summary told the story from 1938 until von Hildebrand’s arrival in America. It would have been fascinating to read about his and his family’s life in France, most spent hiding under aliases, and how they fled again when the Nazi’s invaded. However, I know he could not have spoken out in those years, so the omission is understandable. Still, it would have been a nice conclusion. On the essays, I found them eye-opening. He managed to create his arguments against Nazism through both a religious and philosophical viewpoint. Just because von Hildebrand was Catholic and viewed many things through that lens did not mean he was forced his viewpoints on others; he acknowledged that all Christians, and even the Jews, should band together to fight National Socialism. It was just that as a Catholic himself and the fact at the time Catholicism was Europe’s predominate faith, he thought that the Catholic Church should lead the fight.
Full review located on my blog, Amy's Scrap Bag .
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