Noči dolgih nožev

by Hans Hellmut Kirst, Klara Hočevar (Translator), Jože Hočevar (Translator)

Roman Noči dolgih nožev uteleša vse pisateljske odlike Hansa Hellmuta Kirsta!
Bilo je leta 1933. V tabor za vojaško vzgojo mladih esesovcev pride Hitlerjev najožji zaupnik Wesel. Njegova naloga: iz vrst najbolj zvestih esesovcev izbrati šest najsposobnejših mladeničev, ki bodo dorasli vsaki nalogi; nobena akcija jim ne sme biti pretežka, pri izpolnjevanju političnih ukazov jih ne sme ovirati noben etični zakon ali osebni nazor. Tako v največji tajnosti nastaja in deluje zaprisežena »skupina Wesel«. Poleg Wesela vedo zanjo samo Hitler, Himmler in Heydrich.
Po skrbno premišljenem »šolanju« v krutosti elitna šesterica v slepi pokorščini »neomajni volji« führerja brezobzirno opravlja najbolj umazane zločine: likvidacije nasprotnikov, politične umore, priprave za »dokončno rešitev židovskega vprašanja«, organiziranje koncentracijskih taborišč, uboje nedolžnih itd. Za vsako »akcijo« dobijo izbranci plačilo v slogu tevtonskih nadljudi: denar v tujih bankah, povišanja, ženske, razuzdano življenje, razkošje po želji.
V »skupini Wesel« je prikazana elitistična večvrednostna zavest nacističnih nadljudi, pa tudi miselnost tistih, ki so po Hitlerjevem ukazu sejali strah, grozo in smrt, a so se po vojni izmikali odgovornosti s frazo, da so samo izpolnjevali ukaze.
Po napetosti in prizadetosti je to eden tistih romanov, ki jih bralec ne more odložiti. In niti ob eni prebrani vrstici ni razočaran!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, German Literature, Novels, World War II, War, Thriller

365 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

A veteran from WW II, he wrote various novels focused on military life and the corruption in the army.


Hans Hellmut Kirst, der international erfolgreichste deutsche Autor der Nachkriegszeit, wurde am 5. Dezember 1914 in Osterode in Ostpreußen als Sohn eines Gendarmeriebeamten geboren. Von 1933 bis 1945 diente Kirst als Berufssoldat. Mit seiner später verfilmten Romantrilogie „08/15“, seinen Welterfolgen „Fabrik der Offiziere“ und „Die Nacht der Generäle“ fand Hans Hellmut Kirst auch literarisch große Anerkennung.

Reviews

[Christopher Saunders · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nights of the Long Knives is a pulpy late novel from Hans Hellmut Kirst, author of The Night of the Generals and the Gunner Asch novels. Kirst's book chronicles an SS death squad, organized by the Nietzschean lunatic Wesel, who carries out sensitive assassinations at the Fuhrer's behest. The story loosely follows these killers, each a broad archetype (the morally troubled protagonist and his amoral friend/rival, a pair of depraved homosexuals) as they undergo dehumanizing training, bond over violence and sex (a reliable brew in Kirst's novels) and learn to put obedience to their superiors above all other considerations. Their adventures read like a mixtape compiled from lurid war novels and '70s Nazisploitation flicks: characters prove their evil bona fides by murdering dogs, executing little girls with large-bore pistols and, in one especially ridiculous scene, somehow willing an anti-Nazi cleric into having a heart attack. All of this, between redundant scenes of whoring, drinking and debates over the meaning of National Socialism (many of them with a token Jewish character), along with an undercooked love triangle. Unable to generate much interest in his paint-by-numbers plot, Kirst resorts to familiar devices from his earlier works: historical figures from Hitler to Himmler to Julius Streicher make cameos, the squad takes part in real events (notably the titular purge of Ernst Rohm's SA) and a half-baked framing device about murders in postwar Switzerland puts things in "perspective." Unfortunately, Kirst's usual wry humor and sharp observations about the Third Reich's moral compromises fail him here: all that's left is a facile parade of horrors, acceptable for skimming on the bus or at the lunch counter, but unsatisfying for anyone desiring a more substantial read.

[Luka Novak · Rating 3 out of 5]

In very early days of third Reich a special group within SS was formed. they were given practically unlimited funds and rich rewards and were expected to do what they are told, no matter what. they were tasked with numerous special task, involved in numerous infamous deeds of Third Reich.

However Kirst was so determined to pass his anti-Nazi message that he took great liberties. If one can accept existance of such group (this is fiction afterr all) there are numerous glaring plot holes. For example Aktion T4 (forced euthanasia of mental patients) is described as taking place well before it actually did and Hitler is described as taking vioelnt action against opponents within party. None of which happened. Then there is attack on US trade attache. Then there is Hitler's decision for "Final Solution", in reality decision to kill Jews was taken in late 1941, here it's described as being taken in 1935.

In addition Kirst expects reader to suspend disbeleif on so many occasions we would be better off to leave it hanging by the door. Story is interrupted by notes by certain captain Scott who after the war investigated this and similar groups. all fine and well but he covers witnesses who would be hard pressed to remember them, for example hotel employee in Rome who vividly remembers this group, even though they caused no troubles in hotel and were, as far as story goes, unremarkable.

It's a good insight into mentality of people in Nazi Germany but overall anti-Nazi point tends to drown everything else.

[Oliwia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2+

[Mbuye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirst describes the selection and training of an early Einsatzgruppe, a Nazi death squad, in this case a killing machine with six arms - trained to be more than simply lethal. It is not so much the methods or the means used to brutalise the six trainees (who are inhuman to start with), all of which are pretty gruesome, that make this book a dangerously fascinating one. Rather, it is the style.

Written in a composite of so-called private diary entries, interviews, statements, excerpts from contemporary "records" and letters, together with dramatic in-the-moment action and conversations, 'the Nights of the Long Knives' refers to an infamous moment of treachery in Nazi history. The book also deals with the dreadful mechanics of setting up an "extermination camp" - five years before the Final Solution decision was officially proclaimed.

Although all characters are fictitious, except historical figures such as Hitler and Röhm, Heydrich, Himmler and Goebbels, many incidents are actual, although the players go by different names. This particular method of "recreating" a particular incident is a favourite of Kirst's, and is used to devastating effect in almost all his novels.

This is not a book for anyone with the least vestige of a conscience or a mind – or a weak stomach.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a pretty decent book. The story was interesting - seeing a different side of the Third Reich and the Germans than you normally see, this book takes place in the time well before WW2 (1933-5). I liked Norden’s character and it was easy to sympathize with him, though he didn’t really feel like a main character. The story felt more like the story of the Wesel group rather than Norden himself, though he is the sole focus of the murder investigation decades later in Lugano.

Some criticisms: the Wesel group is constantly described as super elite intellectually and physically, but none of their missions feel that difficult. I wish that we could’ve seen other people try and fail to do the things they do for comparison because each mission they are given goes smoothly and without a hitch.

The pacing could’ve been just a little better, but overall it was good.

I feel like there’s a ton of symbolism in this book that I don’t completely understand. For example, when Norden decides to kill Breslauer after Breslauer says he’d rather die to oppose what Hitler and the SS are doing rather than live but see the world crumbling around him. I’m going to take it as symbolism that Norden has chosen his path - Hitler and the SS over humanity and his conscience. Though, we do see he doesn’t lose it when Countess Elisabeth seemingly dies and he visits her grave.

[Neža · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Entertaining

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This read was absolutely the best decision ive ever made, it really showed how people thought back then and how much power hitler had over people.

[Thorsten Giermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eines meiner absoluten Lieblingsbücher

[Tlingit · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was brief. It read almost like a fairy tale. It was good for it's time and I think I remember an introduction that noted it was written in Germany after the author lived through Hitler's regime. I may be making this up. The book is straight forward. The only thing I'm interested in is looking up some of the names (even though it's fiction,) and programs. Otherwise meh.