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Women of the Third Reich: From Camp Guards to Combatants
The women of the Third Reich were a vital part in a complex and vilified system. What was their role within its administration, the concentration camps, and the Luftwaffe and militia units and how did it evolve in the way it did?
We hear from women who issued typewritten dictates from above through to those who operated telephones, radar systems, fought fires as the cities burned around them, drove concentration camp inmates to their deaths like cattle, fired Anti-Aircraft guns at Allied aircraft and entered the militias when faced with the impending destruction of what should have been a one thousand-year Reich.
Every testimony is unique, each person a victim of circumstance entwined within the thorns of an ideological obligation. In an interview with Traudl Junge, Hitler’s private secretary, she ‘There was so much hatred within it’s hard to understand how the state functioned…I am convinced all this infighting and competition from the males in Hitler’s circle was highly detrimental to its downfall’.
Women of the Third Reich provides an intriguing, humorous, brutal, shocking and unrelenting narrative journey into the half lights of the hell of human consciousness – sometimes at its worst.
We hear from women who issued typewritten dictates from above through to those who operated telephones, radar systems, fought fires as the cities burned around them, drove concentration camp inmates to their deaths like cattle, fired Anti-Aircraft guns at Allied aircraft and entered the militias when faced with the impending destruction of what should have been a one thousand-year Reich.
Every testimony is unique, each person a victim of circumstance entwined within the thorns of an ideological obligation. In an interview with Traudl Junge, Hitler’s private secretary, she ‘There was so much hatred within it’s hard to understand how the state functioned…I am convinced all this infighting and competition from the males in Hitler’s circle was highly detrimental to its downfall’.
Women of the Third Reich provides an intriguing, humorous, brutal, shocking and unrelenting narrative journey into the half lights of the hell of human consciousness – sometimes at its worst.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 25, 2019
25 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Tim Heath
73 books16 followersBorn in to a military family, Tim Heath’s interest in history led him to research the air war of the Second World War, focussing on the German Luftwaffe and writing extensively for The Armourer Magazine. During the course of his research he has worked closely with the German War Graves Commission at Kassel, Germany, and met with German families and veterans alike. Born out of this work, Hitler's Girls is his first book. He lives in Evesham, Worcestershire, with his partner Paula.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 29, 2019
Balanced; thought provoking; well researched; personal; chilling; disturbing; humorous; eye-opening.
There is so much more I want to say but my mind is still processing quite a lot of it. Suffice to say, if you are at all interested in not only this period, but in the lives of the women who lived through it, read this book.
Further thoughts here @ Melisende's Library
There is so much more I want to say but my mind is still processing quite a lot of it. Suffice to say, if you are at all interested in not only this period, but in the lives of the women who lived through it, read this book.
Further thoughts here @ Melisende's Library
September 5, 2020
A inside look at different women and their experiences living during the Third Reich. From Concentration camp guards, lesbians, munitions workers, coming of age hormone filled teenagers, defenders of Berlin, and many others. Sad, and thought provoking, this book is a true page turner on a subject often overlooked in the study of the second world war.
December 26, 2022
The Other Side Of The Story
As the title of my review may indicate, this book gives us a look at what it was like for many German women during Hitler's rise to power. I have read a fair amount about the Holocaust from the perspective of Jewish survivors of the horrific concentration camps but never until now have I read some of the stories and experiences of young German girls and their families growing up, witnessing and being forced to take part in Hitler's rise to power and the indoctrination that resulted.
This book definitely held my attention and though horrifying at times, it was informative, and very interesting. I say this in part because so many of these young people were similar in many ways to our own young people. They had their parents and siblings, friends, school, homes and a daily routine they were accustomed to. Then when Hitler was coming into power and speaking about his wishes for Germany and it's people, his promises of what he wanted to do for them, people began to listen. It seemed relatively harmless at first. A dynamic engaging speaker, friendly to everyone and of course he didn't start out showing his evil nature and speaking of his desire to eradicate Jews and those HE felt were "undesirables" from Germany and the world. But the adults -- or at least many of them, began to listen. Some strongly believed Hitler was right, others not so much. Yet his control increased and as is typical, parents that believe strongly in something -- or someone are going to do their best to pass those beliefs to their children.
These young people tell us what it was like to attend Hitler Youth Camps, be indoctrinated to hate certain groups, have to go to work as a young person and have your first job end up being for the Nazi government! I can't even imagine how disgusting that would be! Yet some there were taught that it was an honor. It just goes to show how powerful brainwashing can be. I and everyone else I know would say with no hesitation, "I would NEVER believe in someone like Hitler or follow those teachings!" Rightfully so but also very easy to say because we haven't (thankfully) experienced that life!
Well written and informative read.
As the title of my review may indicate, this book gives us a look at what it was like for many German women during Hitler's rise to power. I have read a fair amount about the Holocaust from the perspective of Jewish survivors of the horrific concentration camps but never until now have I read some of the stories and experiences of young German girls and their families growing up, witnessing and being forced to take part in Hitler's rise to power and the indoctrination that resulted.
This book definitely held my attention and though horrifying at times, it was informative, and very interesting. I say this in part because so many of these young people were similar in many ways to our own young people. They had their parents and siblings, friends, school, homes and a daily routine they were accustomed to. Then when Hitler was coming into power and speaking about his wishes for Germany and it's people, his promises of what he wanted to do for them, people began to listen. It seemed relatively harmless at first. A dynamic engaging speaker, friendly to everyone and of course he didn't start out showing his evil nature and speaking of his desire to eradicate Jews and those HE felt were "undesirables" from Germany and the world. But the adults -- or at least many of them, began to listen. Some strongly believed Hitler was right, others not so much. Yet his control increased and as is typical, parents that believe strongly in something -- or someone are going to do their best to pass those beliefs to their children.
These young people tell us what it was like to attend Hitler Youth Camps, be indoctrinated to hate certain groups, have to go to work as a young person and have your first job end up being for the Nazi government! I can't even imagine how disgusting that would be! Yet some there were taught that it was an honor. It just goes to show how powerful brainwashing can be. I and everyone else I know would say with no hesitation, "I would NEVER believe in someone like Hitler or follow those teachings!" Rightfully so but also very easy to say because we haven't (thankfully) experienced that life!
Well written and informative read.
August 18, 2024
One of the better books on WWII I've read.
April 11, 2025
Not what I was expecting, I was expecting to hear more from more women than what there was, yet it was very insightful.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews