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Himmler. Listy ludobójcy
Pierwsza publikacja listów Heinricha Himmlera odnalezionych w Izraelu.
Ze wszystkich najważniejszych zbrodniarzy nazistowskich, życie prywatne Heinricha Himmlera zostało udokumentowane najlepiej.
Publikowane tu po raz pierwszy listy Heinricha Himmlera do żony Margi oraz jej listy do męża – których niedawne odnalezienie w Izraelu stało się prawdziwą sensacją – składają się na obszerną wymianę korespondencji, obejmującą okres od ich pierwszego spotkania w 1927 roku aż do zakończenia wojny w 1945 roku.
Z prywatnych listów Heinricha Himmlera wyłania się wizerunek „zbrodniarza z przekonania”. Nie oddzielał swojej działalności jako wykonawcy polityki zagłady od życia prywatnego. Ludobójstwo postrzegał jako nałożony na niego obowiązek, który należało sumiennie wykonać. W jego listach nie ma choćby śladu zwątpienia, z których zwierzałby się żonie. Himmler nie był w żadnym razie trybikiem w totalitarnym mechanizmie. Chciał robić to, co robił, i chciał robić to dokładnie i solidnie.
Centralnym punktem niniejszej publikacji są listy pomiędzy Heinrichem a Margą Himmlerami z lat 1927-1945. Pisane odręcznie listy Heinricha Himmlera pochodzą ze zbioru znalezionego w Izraelu, listy Margi Himmler zostały udostępnione przez Archiwum Federalne w Koblencji.
Uzupełnienie stanowią inne dokumenty przechowywane w Tel Awiwie, przede wszystkim fragmenty dziennika córki Heinricha i Margi Himmlrów - Gudrun. Ponadto ze spuścizny Himmlera z Archiwum Federalnego w Koblencji zostały tu zamieszczone fragmenty terminarzy Himmlera, listy Gudrun do ojca, jak również dokumenty i listy Hedwig Potthast.
Ze wszystkich najważniejszych zbrodniarzy nazistowskich, życie prywatne Heinricha Himmlera zostało udokumentowane najlepiej.
Publikowane tu po raz pierwszy listy Heinricha Himmlera do żony Margi oraz jej listy do męża – których niedawne odnalezienie w Izraelu stało się prawdziwą sensacją – składają się na obszerną wymianę korespondencji, obejmującą okres od ich pierwszego spotkania w 1927 roku aż do zakończenia wojny w 1945 roku.
Z prywatnych listów Heinricha Himmlera wyłania się wizerunek „zbrodniarza z przekonania”. Nie oddzielał swojej działalności jako wykonawcy polityki zagłady od życia prywatnego. Ludobójstwo postrzegał jako nałożony na niego obowiązek, który należało sumiennie wykonać. W jego listach nie ma choćby śladu zwątpienia, z których zwierzałby się żonie. Himmler nie był w żadnym razie trybikiem w totalitarnym mechanizmie. Chciał robić to, co robił, i chciał robić to dokładnie i solidnie.
Centralnym punktem niniejszej publikacji są listy pomiędzy Heinrichem a Margą Himmlerami z lat 1927-1945. Pisane odręcznie listy Heinricha Himmlera pochodzą ze zbioru znalezionego w Izraelu, listy Margi Himmler zostały udostępnione przez Archiwum Federalne w Koblencji.
Uzupełnienie stanowią inne dokumenty przechowywane w Tel Awiwie, przede wszystkim fragmenty dziennika córki Heinricha i Margi Himmlrów - Gudrun. Ponadto ze spuścizny Himmlera z Archiwum Federalnego w Koblencji zostały tu zamieszczone fragmenty terminarzy Himmlera, listy Gudrun do ojca, jak również dokumenty i listy Hedwig Potthast.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2014
36 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Katrin Himmler
7 books20 followersKatrin Himmler is a German author. She is the granddaughter of Ernst Himmler (1905–1945), who was the younger brother of Heinrich Himmler, one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of the Holocaust. Therefore, she is the great-niece of Heinrich Himmler.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katrin_H...
http://www.panmacmillan.com/author/ka...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katrin_H...
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 15, 2016
If you are a history buff with a great fascination with WWII, then you should add this to your library. That is where the copy I won through Goodreads is going.
As for the content, true, some of the letters can be boring if you are looking for action or even something interesting on every page. But that is not what this book is. If you actually read between the lines of the letters you do learn a lot about Germany in WWII at the time. The two were in love, at least at some point. You don't call or write every day unless you really care. (And I mean real letters, not texting! Real letters are a lot more work.) You learn about rationing, as well as how the rich and powerful still get stuff that is rationed. What I found kind of strange was how here you have the head of the secret police, who can make people disappear without a trial, and a man who can look upon thousands of murdered bodies without remorse, or even work slaves to death, yet he is giving his wife advice on how to deal with a lazy German employee without hurting their feelings! I also found it interesting that thousands of mourners showed up for the funeral of an SS General years after the war.
One more thing, if somebody wants to psychoanalyze somebody, they should figure out why people are so fascinated by anything swastika.
Any author who puts so much effort into such research deservers a couple of stars just for that.
It was boring at times even for me but I still thought it was worth reading.
As for the content, true, some of the letters can be boring if you are looking for action or even something interesting on every page. But that is not what this book is. If you actually read between the lines of the letters you do learn a lot about Germany in WWII at the time. The two were in love, at least at some point. You don't call or write every day unless you really care. (And I mean real letters, not texting! Real letters are a lot more work.) You learn about rationing, as well as how the rich and powerful still get stuff that is rationed. What I found kind of strange was how here you have the head of the secret police, who can make people disappear without a trial, and a man who can look upon thousands of murdered bodies without remorse, or even work slaves to death, yet he is giving his wife advice on how to deal with a lazy German employee without hurting their feelings! I also found it interesting that thousands of mourners showed up for the funeral of an SS General years after the war.
One more thing, if somebody wants to psychoanalyze somebody, they should figure out why people are so fascinated by anything swastika.
Any author who puts so much effort into such research deservers a couple of stars just for that.
It was boring at times even for me but I still thought it was worth reading.
April 13, 2015
El error principal que cualquier persona puede hacer en la historia, es suponer que sólo monstruos inhumanos son capaces de hacer cosas terribles. Este libro demuestra lo contrario. Muestra el amor y hasta devoción que siente por su esposa y, luego, sus hijos. Muestra la humanidad, como nunca antes, de Heinrich Himmler, ideólogo de algo tan terrible como "La Solución Final". Muestra que todos somos humanos y todos podemos ser "monstruos".
July 31, 2016
Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste pe blogul meu
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Majoritatea scrisorilor sunt banale și vorbesc mai mult despre chestiuni de organizare a gospodăriei, despre familie sau întâlniri cu prietenii. Faptul că monstrul Himmler a avut o familie și că pare să fie un om normal, banal chiar, așa cum apare din scrisorile sale, nu este deloc surprinzător. Majoritatea, dacă nu chiar toți naziștii au fost niște indivizi banali, dar fanatici care în momentul în care au văzut că dețin puterea absolută și-au dat frâu liber viselor demente care le guvernau fanteziile menite a rămâne fantezii dacă istoria nu juca o astfel de festă umanității și nu îi punea în fruntea Germaniei.
Himmler din scrisori e Himmler din cărțile de istorie. Organizat, muncitor, dedicat partidului, parșiv (și-a înșelat soția, pe Magda, cea cu care schimbă scrisorile din carte) și obsedat de putere. Partea interesantă vine atunci când Himmler care tocmai ce a participat sau ordonat un măcel, îi scrie soției sale cât se poate de calm și liniștit despre cât de banală îi este munca și cât de obosit este și o întreabă de fata lor și dacă a primit cadourile pe care le-a trimis. Acest sânge rece m-a făcut, din nou, să mă înfior când mă gândesc la Himmler…
De ce 4 stele: deoarece cred că este un document extrem de important pentru cei pasionați de personalitățile naziste, Himmler făcând parte din elita de lideri ai NSDAP. O lucrare interesantă care oferă, datorită notelor inserate la sfârșitul scrisorilor, o privire de ansamblu oricărui cititor, indiferent de cât de familiar este cu viața și activitatea lui Heinrich Himmler.
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Majoritatea scrisorilor sunt banale și vorbesc mai mult despre chestiuni de organizare a gospodăriei, despre familie sau întâlniri cu prietenii. Faptul că monstrul Himmler a avut o familie și că pare să fie un om normal, banal chiar, așa cum apare din scrisorile sale, nu este deloc surprinzător. Majoritatea, dacă nu chiar toți naziștii au fost niște indivizi banali, dar fanatici care în momentul în care au văzut că dețin puterea absolută și-au dat frâu liber viselor demente care le guvernau fanteziile menite a rămâne fantezii dacă istoria nu juca o astfel de festă umanității și nu îi punea în fruntea Germaniei.
Himmler din scrisori e Himmler din cărțile de istorie. Organizat, muncitor, dedicat partidului, parșiv (și-a înșelat soția, pe Magda, cea cu care schimbă scrisorile din carte) și obsedat de putere. Partea interesantă vine atunci când Himmler care tocmai ce a participat sau ordonat un măcel, îi scrie soției sale cât se poate de calm și liniștit despre cât de banală îi este munca și cât de obosit este și o întreabă de fata lor și dacă a primit cadourile pe care le-a trimis. Acest sânge rece m-a făcut, din nou, să mă înfior când mă gândesc la Himmler…
De ce 4 stele: deoarece cred că este un document extrem de important pentru cei pasionați de personalitățile naziste, Himmler făcând parte din elita de lideri ai NSDAP. O lucrare interesantă care oferă, datorită notelor inserate la sfârșitul scrisorilor, o privire de ansamblu oricărui cititor, indiferent de cât de familiar este cu viața și activitatea lui Heinrich Himmler.
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June 20, 2016
The Private Heinrich Himmler: Letters of a Mass Murderer b y Katrin Himmler gives some insight into Himmler's private live. As an historian and a World War Ii buff, Letters are a primary research documents and these give you a different Himmler and what everyday events were like for his wife. As many important people did and still do, Himmler seems able to compartmentalize things. It was interesting to see that rationing affected his family. These are not exciting but why should they be as letters to his wife ,they are about what was important for them and their family.The explanations given thought out the book help make it interesting and more understandable. They are translated into English from German. If you are interested in history, daily life during World War II or like to see what famous people deal with even if you area General and capable of horrible things. I would recommend this book. It is an important addition to any World War Ii, 20th Century or World History Collection.
I received a copy thru Goodreads Giveaways.
I received a copy thru Goodreads Giveaways.
April 5, 2016
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
Letters of a Mass Murderer tells the story of Heinrich Himmler beginning with his letters to his first wife, Marga Siegroth. The letters begin with a friendship, then courtship, and then marriage. All the while, the author tells what was going on in Himmler's life. His bid for political greatness and how he strived to fulfill this dream of becoming the right hand to Hitler.
I knew some about WWII, Hitler, Himmler, etc. but this book was an eye opener in the fact that the letters showed that Himmler could be "normal", could be human at times. And this leaves me wondering, what happened in his mental state to think that it was OK to do what he did? Of course, similar things are still happening today just not on the grand scale of what this was, is.
I am not sure what else I can possibly say. The book has left me somewhat "bumfuzzled" as to what to make of the sordid mess. For history buffs and the likes, this was a great non-fiction piece and I would purchase/recommend it for those that like to know more and read more about this time in history. I cannot however give it 4 or 5 stars for the fact that it is not my "cup of tea" and the subject matter disturbs and saddens me.
Letters of a Mass Murderer tells the story of Heinrich Himmler beginning with his letters to his first wife, Marga Siegroth. The letters begin with a friendship, then courtship, and then marriage. All the while, the author tells what was going on in Himmler's life. His bid for political greatness and how he strived to fulfill this dream of becoming the right hand to Hitler.
I knew some about WWII, Hitler, Himmler, etc. but this book was an eye opener in the fact that the letters showed that Himmler could be "normal", could be human at times. And this leaves me wondering, what happened in his mental state to think that it was OK to do what he did? Of course, similar things are still happening today just not on the grand scale of what this was, is.
I am not sure what else I can possibly say. The book has left me somewhat "bumfuzzled" as to what to make of the sordid mess. For history buffs and the likes, this was a great non-fiction piece and I would purchase/recommend it for those that like to know more and read more about this time in history. I cannot however give it 4 or 5 stars for the fact that it is not my "cup of tea" and the subject matter disturbs and saddens me.
April 26, 2016
Who would have thought letters from a Nazi could be so boring? The claim on the back cover that these letters prove Himmler was the architect of the Final Solution is pure BS. Himmler never discusses anything about the exterminations in the letters to his wife. They just babble on about the weather, buying gifts, and tedious day to day activities. I have no idea why these letters were even published. The background information provided by the authors is ok, but the letters are all boring and pointless. Skip this book. There are tons of better books about Heinrich Himmler.
November 26, 2014
Nada nuevo bajo el sol y después de la página 325 es puro desperdicio de hojas ... La verdad me aburrió bastante, un gran material histórico desperdiciado de manera sosa
July 24, 2021
Mă așteptam parca la altceva.. Scrisori banale, nimic foarte interesant.
July 4, 2024
„Povestea asta cu evreii, când o să scăpăm de adunătura asta, ca să ne putem bucura de viața noastră.” (Scrisoare a Margăi către soțul ei, din noiembrie - decembrie 1938) --- câtă ipocrizie în ceea ce spune.
Din notele autorilor: „Dacă la început ținta atacurilor a fost în special regiunea Ruhr și alte orașe din vestul Germaniei, în 1943 populația din întreaga Germanie a fost tot mai afectată de atacurile aviației americane și britanice. Oamenii petreceau tot mai multe nopți albe pline de teamă în adăposturile antiaeriene sau în pivnițe, iar ziua se vedeau confruntatți cu nenumărate cadavre, incendii și dărâmături. Scopul atacurilor nu era doar distrugerea industriei (de armament) germane și a infrastructurii, ci și înfrângerea voinței de rezistență a populației. (...) În ciuda faptului că populația începea să își piardă tot mai mult încrederea în „victoria finală”, bombardamentele nu au determinat populația, așa cum se sperase, să se ridice împotriva conducerii NS. Acest lucru nici nu era de așteptat, deoarece opoziția politică era anihilată de mult, iar în interior domnea o teroare sporită de când fusese declarat „războiul total”. Bombardamentele exasperante au dus mai mult la aversiunea populației față de Aliați și i-au întărit acesteia dorința încăpățânată de a rezista până la sfârșit.” -- aici mi se pare o paralelă cu ceea ce se întâmplă acum în Ucraina (nu referitor la bombardamente, cât la diferite sancțiuni și restricții și la falsa speranță că populația va fi în stare să se revolte împotriva conducerii).
Cartea, per ansamblu, mi s-a părut anostă, scrisorile superficiale și același lucru transmis doar cu alte cuvinte (vă salut, transmit cărți/ cadouri/ scrisori, sper să ne vedem cu bine). Chiar primele scrisori (de dinainte căsătoriei și din primii ani de mariaj) grețos de siropoase. Totul în scrisorile lor pare atât de fad, ca doi roboței și fără să atingă lucruri de profunzime.
Din notele autorilor: „Dacă la început ținta atacurilor a fost în special regiunea Ruhr și alte orașe din vestul Germaniei, în 1943 populația din întreaga Germanie a fost tot mai afectată de atacurile aviației americane și britanice. Oamenii petreceau tot mai multe nopți albe pline de teamă în adăposturile antiaeriene sau în pivnițe, iar ziua se vedeau confruntatți cu nenumărate cadavre, incendii și dărâmături. Scopul atacurilor nu era doar distrugerea industriei (de armament) germane și a infrastructurii, ci și înfrângerea voinței de rezistență a populației. (...) În ciuda faptului că populația începea să își piardă tot mai mult încrederea în „victoria finală”, bombardamentele nu au determinat populația, așa cum se sperase, să se ridice împotriva conducerii NS. Acest lucru nici nu era de așteptat, deoarece opoziția politică era anihilată de mult, iar în interior domnea o teroare sporită de când fusese declarat „războiul total”. Bombardamentele exasperante au dus mai mult la aversiunea populației față de Aliați și i-au întărit acesteia dorința încăpățânată de a rezista până la sfârșit.” -- aici mi se pare o paralelă cu ceea ce se întâmplă acum în Ucraina (nu referitor la bombardamente, cât la diferite sancțiuni și restricții și la falsa speranță că populația va fi în stare să se revolte împotriva conducerii).
Cartea, per ansamblu, mi s-a părut anostă, scrisorile superficiale și același lucru transmis doar cu alte cuvinte (vă salut, transmit cărți/ cadouri/ scrisori, sper să ne vedem cu bine). Chiar primele scrisori (de dinainte căsătoriei și din primii ani de mariaj) grețos de siropoase. Totul în scrisorile lor pare atât de fad, ca doi roboței și fără să atingă lucruri de profunzime.
January 23, 2020
A lot of boring letters...
December 8, 2024
Found this fascinating and also a very bizarre reading experience. I find it funny that some reviewers are complaining that this is boring! This is the reality of Nazi leaders, they were not all a special breed of evil people who would show this in letters to their wives and children they were mostly ordinary people and could have been and were anyone, just like us. That’s what makes them so fascinating and this is the message of many biographies by Peter Longerich, Volker Ulrich, and Richard J Evans. Nazi leader were all different people, but were wedded to the Nazi ideology which these letters show, they also show that his wife was as much of an antisemite and Nazi as him (not surprising).
The commentary was really good here also as it contextualises the times that Himmler visited concentration camps while sending these banal letters to his wife and children and cheating on her with his mistress. This is definitely one for history buffs and those who wants more information on Himmler and his relationship with his wife and daughter.
The commentary was really good here also as it contextualises the times that Himmler visited concentration camps while sending these banal letters to his wife and children and cheating on her with his mistress. This is definitely one for history buffs and those who wants more information on Himmler and his relationship with his wife and daughter.
August 7, 2017
Di pessimo gusto
La pubblicità sulla copertina di questo libro afferma che sia un documento inedito di grande valore storico. Sì e no. Per me rimane un'operazione commerciale di pessimo gusto il pubblicare le lettere personali e i diari della famiglia Himmler, in una "disumanizzazione" giustificata dalla frase "il più efferato dei criminali nazisti". Non è nemmeno un documento storico, sono lettere tra coniugi, e parti di diario, pubblicati più o meno per ordine, con i dovuti tagli per rimanere nel range accettabile di pubblicazione. Che non sia un documento storico è anche evidenziato dal fatto che il redattore ha dovuto includere parti di storia nota, per spiegare lettere che al contrario non avrebbero significato. Quindi sì, mi si perdonerà se questa morbosa curiosità per la vita personale di "criminali efferati" mi sembra di cattivo gusto.
La pubblicità sulla copertina di questo libro afferma che sia un documento inedito di grande valore storico. Sì e no. Per me rimane un'operazione commerciale di pessimo gusto il pubblicare le lettere personali e i diari della famiglia Himmler, in una "disumanizzazione" giustificata dalla frase "il più efferato dei criminali nazisti". Non è nemmeno un documento storico, sono lettere tra coniugi, e parti di diario, pubblicati più o meno per ordine, con i dovuti tagli per rimanere nel range accettabile di pubblicazione. Che non sia un documento storico è anche evidenziato dal fatto che il redattore ha dovuto includere parti di storia nota, per spiegare lettere che al contrario non avrebbero significato. Quindi sì, mi si perdonerà se questa morbosa curiosità per la vita personale di "criminali efferati" mi sembra di cattivo gusto.
August 23, 2020
Purchase Private Heinrich Himmler here for just $10!
At the end of World War II, it was assumed that the letters of Heinrich Himmler were lost. Yet sixty years after Himmler's capture by British troops and subsequent suicide, the letters mysteriously turned up in Tel Aviv. What is interesting are the historical parts which give a glimpse as to what is going on while the letters are being written. Himmler writes so nonchalantly about what he is doing while we all know what an evil being he truly is.
Shane - The Book Grocer
At the end of World War II, it was assumed that the letters of Heinrich Himmler were lost. Yet sixty years after Himmler's capture by British troops and subsequent suicide, the letters mysteriously turned up in Tel Aviv. What is interesting are the historical parts which give a glimpse as to what is going on while the letters are being written. Himmler writes so nonchalantly about what he is doing while we all know what an evil being he truly is.
Shane - The Book Grocer
October 29, 2021
Tylsähkö kirja, jossa on Himmlerin ja hänen vaimonaa välistä kirjeenvaihtoa. Keskeisin uusi tieto oli nuorten rakastavaisten lempinimet: Marga Himmler kutsui miestään paksupääksi ja Heinrich puolisoaan lurjukseksi. Juuri muuta uutta informaatiota täsaä ei ole.
December 15, 2024
Niet uitgelezen
March 29, 2016
I would have appreciated an integration of photos of family life with the letters. The letters were so banal, I truly would liked a more through written historical aspect of what was occurring in Germany at the time these letters were written; again perhaps integrating photos of the destruction, the death of people in the cities and villages with a timeline . To me, it would have had a greater emotional impact with a Point-Counterpoint or a contrast style. I say this because I have read widely on WWII and the very banality, the lack of emotional expression in their letters to one another provide a framework for the horrors that were Himmler's Nazi Executions....perhaps this very lack of emotional involvement in their personal style, the objectification of humans, was what allowed them to murder so many without conscience.
March 28, 2016
I am a WW2 history buff, and I typically enjoy everything to do with the period. I thought this would be a fascinating look inside the mind of one of the most disturbingly demented authors of the Jewish extermination during the 3rd Reich. What is someone like that thinking? Unfortunately, it was a total Snooze-Fest. Most of the letters were about the most mundane of things..."woke up at 10am, shaved, went to the office..." His wife writes quite a bit about their farm, but that's hardly riveting. It's a little creepy that someone who is mass killing hundreds of thousands is writing letters to his family about his hard days at work and sending them chocolates and cookies. I got through it, but it was difficult and tedious. Would not recommend.
July 19, 2018
DNF. I think I just need to accept that WWII is not my area of interest. I keep picking up different books about the subject (biographies, histories, etc.) and keep putting them down without finishing. This one will be my final effort. Don't judge this book by my review. It was well organized, well researched, and the inserted bits were well written. If you are interested in WWII or the Nazi rise to power you will probably love this.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2016
If you are looking for a stimulating read, this is not it. The letters are actually quite boring. What is interesting are the historical parts which give a glimpse as to what is going on while the letters are being written. Himmler writes so nonchalantly about what he is doing while we all know what an evil being he truly is. I could not wrap my mind around the silly letters and the man we know as Himmler.
Want to read
April 17, 2016Very compelling read. It got my interest right away and there were times I couldn't put the book down. It's one of the very few books that I have read and finished in such a short time. In my opinion Katrin Himmler did a outstanding job with the book, and I look forward on reading more books from this author.
April 26, 2016
So boring and monotonous that it hurts, but necessary to understand the depth of the monster psyche and how it thrives, unhindered by personal matters, in certain environments. An informative read, Himmler's neice uses her own research and knowledge to explain the time line and authenticity of these letters, and makes them understandable.
July 29, 2020
Este livro é fantástico. Ele mostra a intimidade boba dos Himmler entre o período de ascensão e queda do Nazismo e revela como essas pessoas eram normais no dia a dia. Desenhar os Nazistas como monstros é muito confortável psicologicamente pois os distancia de nós, mas a realidade mostra que a diferença é bem pequena.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews