Hitler

by David Welch

Profile of a Dictator is a fascinating exploration of Hitler and his role in the Third Reich. The book unravels the complex historiographical debate surrounding this notorious figure by examining his personality, his ideas and the nature of his power.
Profile of a Dictator surveys Hitler's career chronologically and includes coverage
* the young idealogue
* the Führer State
* Hitler's role in the outbreak of the Second World War
* Hitler's involvement in the Holocaust.
This second edition brings the continuing debate up to date in light of the most recent reseach, and speculates on the implications of the Irving trial.

Genres: History

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book highly disappointing due to one set of events. Welch fails to correctly report the problem of Czechoslovakia or correctly explain the situation. Firstly, he does not refer to the President of the nation by the correct name. It is not Benes but Beneš, and in Czech that accent completely changes the pronunciation of the word. It is also, fundamentally, a spelling error that should not make it to a history text. Accents should be taken as seriously as letters. Welch fails to explain correctly the 'Sudeten Germans'. There is no explanation for how nationality was viewed at the time compared to now. These were not people who were previously part of Germany but moved through Versailles. These were people who migrated to what became Czechoslovakia generations before but still spoke German. Many cities across Czechoslovakia had German names and spoke German in official contexts. For those who have not studied that country in itself Welch totally misleads the reader. It is lazy and irresponsible work, especially given how Welch is known for being up to par.

It just makes me mistrust the rest of his text and now makes me very wary of his other works.