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Hitler's Last Plot: The 139 VIP Hostages Selected for Death in the Final Days of World War II
Revealed for the first how the SS rounded up the Nazis' most prominent prisoners to serve as human shields for Hitler in the last days of World War IIIn April 1945, as Germany faced defeat, Hitler planned to round up the Third Reich's most valuable prisoners and send them to his "Alpine Fortress," where he and the SS would keep the hostages as they made a last stand against the Allies. The prisoners included European presidents, prime ministers, generals, British secret agents, and German anti-Nazi clerics, celebrities, and officers who had aided the July 1944 bomb plot against Hitler--and the prisoners' families. Orders were given to the if the German military situation deteriorated, the prisoners were to be executed--all 139 of them.So began a tense, deadly drama. As some prisoners plotted escape, others prepared for the inevitable, and their SS guards grew increasingly volatile, drunk, and trigger-happy as defeat loomed. As a dramatic confrontation between the SS and the Wehrmacht threatened the hostages caught in the middle, the US Army launched a frantic rescue bid to save the hostages before the axe fell.Drawing on previously unpublished and overlooked sources, Hitler's Last Plot is the first full account of this astounding and shocking story, from the original round-up order to the prisoners' terrifying ordeal and ultimate rescue. Told in a thrilling, page-turning narrative, this is one of World War II's most fascinating episodes.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 16, 2019
I received a free digital review copy from the publisher, via Netgalley.
In other World War II histories, I have seen references to various high-level prisoners of the Nazis during World War II, but this is the first book I’ve read that focuses exclusively on these so-called Prominenten, and the first time I’ve heard of the lunatic plot of Hitler and his top henchmen to use them as pawns in the war’s endgame.
The first half of the book focuses on introducing us to the motley crew of Prominenten and their locations before the plot went into motion. They included people from 22 different countries and a wide range of roles. The most prominent was Léon Blum, the prime minister of France before the Nazis defeated the country, and a particular target of the Nazis because he was Jewish and a socialist. Another top political leader was Kurt von Schuschnigg, the former chancellor of Austria, who was a fascist but offended the Nazis by daring to oppose the takeover of Austria by Germany.
Among the German Prominenten were important churchmen who had publicly opposed Nazism, and prominent citizens like Fritz Thyssen and Hjalmar Schacht, who had been enthusiastic supporters but became disenchanted with Hitler and the Nazi Party. There were more than a dozen “kin prisoners” who were relatives of the perpetrators of various plots against Hitler, such as von Stauffenberg, one of the principals of the so-called Valkyrie plot. More Prominenten included Russians and Greeks, usually high-level military officers.
English prisoners were mostly intelligence agents and RAF officers, including several who had made spectacular escapes from various Stalags. There were two men named Churchill, whom the Nazis incorrectly thought were related to Prime Minister Winston Churchill—but one of them was a top agent for British intelligence, so close enough.
Some of the Prominenten weren’t technically even prisoners. Astonishingly, the Nazis allowed some prisoners to have their wives and children join them—and even more astonishingly, a couple did just that. Most notably, Kurt von Schuschnigg’s wife, Vera, and baby daughter Elizabeth joined him.
Before 1945, the Prominenten were kept in different places, usually in fairly decent conditions in some corner of camps like Buchenwald, Flössenburg and Dachau. While the Nazis made efforts to keep the Prominenten away from view of their horrific treatment of other prisoners, it was impossible to keep them entirely in the dark.
As it became increasingly clear that Germany’s military situation was dire, Hitler and his inner circle came up with the idea of moving the Prominenten to a mountain lair in the Tyrol. They would be difficult for the Allies to rescue in that location, and the Nazis could use them as bargaining chips. If that was unsuccessful, they would execute them all. Hey, because that’s what the Nazis did. Even when it was absolutely clear that the war was lost, they kept killing prisoners as fast as they could, by outright execution, working them to death, and forcing them on pointless death marches.
Speaking of cruelty and futility, the authors describe in detail the efforts made by the Nazis to gather up the Prominenten from their various prisons and transport them to the Tyrol. For all the famed German efficiency and planning, the efforts to get all the Prominenten to the Tyrol were so screwed up it would be funny, except that every day the prisoners worried that their SS/SD escorts would simply decide it was all more trouble than it was worth and execute them.
I had an idea in my head that this would be the story of 139 Prominenten taken to a secluded mountain lair and living in tense isolation. Not at all! What with the Allies advancing all the time, partisans emboldened, refugees cramming the roadways, various cease fires called and broken, Niederdorf, where the Prominenten ended up, was awash with all sorts. The Wehrmacht and the SS were at odds over the prisoners and in all the tumult, prisoners were often allowed to stroll about the village and socialize. Some very odd friendships were struck up, many of which survived the war. Kurt von Schuschnigg even came to admire Léon Blum. And outside the village, in the chaos there are competing forces coming for the prisoners. Some to rescue them, some to move them, some to execute them.
There is just so much going on in the book that it can make your head spin, but the authors do a good job describing quite a few of the Prominenten, so that the reader feels invested in their fates. The authors also convey the absolute chaos of the last days of the war, when desperation, the desire for revenge, carelessness and the breakdown of clear military authority made the fate of the Prominenten balance on a knife’s edge.
A well-researched and readable history of a little-known episode in World War II.
In other World War II histories, I have seen references to various high-level prisoners of the Nazis during World War II, but this is the first book I’ve read that focuses exclusively on these so-called Prominenten, and the first time I’ve heard of the lunatic plot of Hitler and his top henchmen to use them as pawns in the war’s endgame.
The first half of the book focuses on introducing us to the motley crew of Prominenten and their locations before the plot went into motion. They included people from 22 different countries and a wide range of roles. The most prominent was Léon Blum, the prime minister of France before the Nazis defeated the country, and a particular target of the Nazis because he was Jewish and a socialist. Another top political leader was Kurt von Schuschnigg, the former chancellor of Austria, who was a fascist but offended the Nazis by daring to oppose the takeover of Austria by Germany.
Among the German Prominenten were important churchmen who had publicly opposed Nazism, and prominent citizens like Fritz Thyssen and Hjalmar Schacht, who had been enthusiastic supporters but became disenchanted with Hitler and the Nazi Party. There were more than a dozen “kin prisoners” who were relatives of the perpetrators of various plots against Hitler, such as von Stauffenberg, one of the principals of the so-called Valkyrie plot. More Prominenten included Russians and Greeks, usually high-level military officers.
English prisoners were mostly intelligence agents and RAF officers, including several who had made spectacular escapes from various Stalags. There were two men named Churchill, whom the Nazis incorrectly thought were related to Prime Minister Winston Churchill—but one of them was a top agent for British intelligence, so close enough.
Some of the Prominenten weren’t technically even prisoners. Astonishingly, the Nazis allowed some prisoners to have their wives and children join them—and even more astonishingly, a couple did just that. Most notably, Kurt von Schuschnigg’s wife, Vera, and baby daughter Elizabeth joined him.
Before 1945, the Prominenten were kept in different places, usually in fairly decent conditions in some corner of camps like Buchenwald, Flössenburg and Dachau. While the Nazis made efforts to keep the Prominenten away from view of their horrific treatment of other prisoners, it was impossible to keep them entirely in the dark.
As it became increasingly clear that Germany’s military situation was dire, Hitler and his inner circle came up with the idea of moving the Prominenten to a mountain lair in the Tyrol. They would be difficult for the Allies to rescue in that location, and the Nazis could use them as bargaining chips. If that was unsuccessful, they would execute them all. Hey, because that’s what the Nazis did. Even when it was absolutely clear that the war was lost, they kept killing prisoners as fast as they could, by outright execution, working them to death, and forcing them on pointless death marches.
Speaking of cruelty and futility, the authors describe in detail the efforts made by the Nazis to gather up the Prominenten from their various prisons and transport them to the Tyrol. For all the famed German efficiency and planning, the efforts to get all the Prominenten to the Tyrol were so screwed up it would be funny, except that every day the prisoners worried that their SS/SD escorts would simply decide it was all more trouble than it was worth and execute them.
I had an idea in my head that this would be the story of 139 Prominenten taken to a secluded mountain lair and living in tense isolation. Not at all! What with the Allies advancing all the time, partisans emboldened, refugees cramming the roadways, various cease fires called and broken, Niederdorf, where the Prominenten ended up, was awash with all sorts. The Wehrmacht and the SS were at odds over the prisoners and in all the tumult, prisoners were often allowed to stroll about the village and socialize. Some very odd friendships were struck up, many of which survived the war. Kurt von Schuschnigg even came to admire Léon Blum. And outside the village, in the chaos there are competing forces coming for the prisoners. Some to rescue them, some to move them, some to execute them.
There is just so much going on in the book that it can make your head spin, but the authors do a good job describing quite a few of the Prominenten, so that the reader feels invested in their fates. The authors also convey the absolute chaos of the last days of the war, when desperation, the desire for revenge, carelessness and the breakdown of clear military authority made the fate of the Prominenten balance on a knife’s edge.
A well-researched and readable history of a little-known episode in World War II.
May 12, 2019
This book narrowly focuses on the stories of a large percentage of the hostages from various countries held by the German government as potential pawns in their various haphazard 'surrender' negotiations with the Allies at the end of WWII. As such, the book works as a thriller of sorts, coauthor Dronfield having some background as a novelist. What it doesn't give is much background. Of those Axis figures held, whose decisions led to their arrests, whose towards their intended functions? How did these plans change over time? How did authority over such plans become delegated? What, if any, contestation between authorities occurred? Instead, the reader gets a detailed description only of the final month of the war punctuated by occasional flashbacks as regards some of the hostages. Briefly put: engaging but shallow.
April 17, 2019
In the spring of 1945, Germany was on its last legs and the Allies were tightening the noose. However, the architect of the six-year madness had one final trick up his sleeve. He planned to gather some of the Third Reich’s most valuable prisoners and take them to his Alpine Fortress, where he could them hold them hostage. Among the prisoners were European presidents, prime ministers, generals, British secret agents, and various celebrities—not to mention the prisoners' families.
As the hour of defeat drew closer, the fate of the prisoners grew ever more uncertain as their guards, members of the feared SS, became more and more volatile. The prisoners themselves began to make plans, either to escape or accept their inevitable fate.
Hitler’s Last Plot is a fast-paced look at one of World War Two’s least known episodes, but one with no lack of excitement and drama. And, best of all, it’s true!
Hitler’s Last Plot gets five stars from me and I recommend it to any fan of history in general and World War II in particular.
https://youtu.be/KMXZ0sshddk
As the hour of defeat drew closer, the fate of the prisoners grew ever more uncertain as their guards, members of the feared SS, became more and more volatile. The prisoners themselves began to make plans, either to escape or accept their inevitable fate.
Hitler’s Last Plot is a fast-paced look at one of World War Two’s least known episodes, but one with no lack of excitement and drama. And, best of all, it’s true!
Hitler’s Last Plot gets five stars from me and I recommend it to any fan of history in general and World War II in particular.
https://youtu.be/KMXZ0sshddk
July 13, 2019
Description
Revealed for the first time: how the SS rounded up the Nazis' most prominent prisoners to serve as human shields for Hitler in the last days of World War II
In April 1945, as Germany faced defeat, Hitler planned to round up the Third Reich's most valuable prisoners and send them to his "Alpine Fortress," where he and the SS would keep the hostages as they made a last stand against the Allies. The prisoners included European presidents, prime ministers, generals, British secret agents, and German anti-Nazi clerics, celebrities, and officers who had aided the July 1944 bomb plot against Hitler--and the prisoners' families. Orders were given to the SS: if the German military situation deteriorated, the prisoners were to be executed--all 139 of them.
So began a tense, deadly drama. As some prisoners plotted escape, others prepared for the inevitable, and their SS guards grew increasingly volatile, drunk, and trigger-happy as defeat loomed. As a dramatic confrontation between the SS and the Wehrmacht threatened the hostages caught in the middle, the US Army launched a frantic rescue bid to save the hostages before the axe fell.
Drawing on previously unpublished and overlooked sources, Hitler's Last Plot is the first full account of this astounding and shocking story, from the original round-up order to the prisoners' terrifying ordeal and ultimate rescue. Told in a thrilling, page-turning narrative, this is one of World War II's most fascinating episodes.
My Review
The book Hitler’s Last Plot is very well written. The author took the time to really research the points expressed here to make this a wonderful book. If you are a was buff, then this is the book for you. Although this is not typically the type of book I read, I must say I was intrigued to about Hitler.
This book was provided free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.
I give this book a 4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Revealed for the first time: how the SS rounded up the Nazis' most prominent prisoners to serve as human shields for Hitler in the last days of World War II
In April 1945, as Germany faced defeat, Hitler planned to round up the Third Reich's most valuable prisoners and send them to his "Alpine Fortress," where he and the SS would keep the hostages as they made a last stand against the Allies. The prisoners included European presidents, prime ministers, generals, British secret agents, and German anti-Nazi clerics, celebrities, and officers who had aided the July 1944 bomb plot against Hitler--and the prisoners' families. Orders were given to the SS: if the German military situation deteriorated, the prisoners were to be executed--all 139 of them.
So began a tense, deadly drama. As some prisoners plotted escape, others prepared for the inevitable, and their SS guards grew increasingly volatile, drunk, and trigger-happy as defeat loomed. As a dramatic confrontation between the SS and the Wehrmacht threatened the hostages caught in the middle, the US Army launched a frantic rescue bid to save the hostages before the axe fell.
Drawing on previously unpublished and overlooked sources, Hitler's Last Plot is the first full account of this astounding and shocking story, from the original round-up order to the prisoners' terrifying ordeal and ultimate rescue. Told in a thrilling, page-turning narrative, this is one of World War II's most fascinating episodes.
My Review
The book Hitler’s Last Plot is very well written. The author took the time to really research the points expressed here to make this a wonderful book. If you are a was buff, then this is the book for you. Although this is not typically the type of book I read, I must say I was intrigued to about Hitler.
This book was provided free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.
I give this book a 4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 20, 2019
"Hitler's Last Plot" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Ian Sayer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Sayer) & Jeremy Dronfield (http://jeremydronfield.com/). Mr. Sayer has published six books. Mr. Dronfield has published 10 books.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in Europe beginning in April of 1945. This is a dramatized account of what actually transpired.
Europe had been invaded in June of 1944. The Allied forces were closing in on Germany. The US and British from the west and South, Russians from the east. Hitler initiated a last-ditch plan. There were several high profile people in German concentration camps. He ordered the SS to take those 139 prisoners from the camps. The plan is to use them as hostages and execute them if the Reich falls.
This book tells the story of those prisoners and their journey through Germany, Austria, and Italy. They were constantly under threat of Allied air attack and were at risk from the SS troops that had them in custody. Their fate was in the hands of the fanatic SS on one hand and more rational Germans on the other. The prisoners were also helped along by partisans and finally rescued by US forces in the days after the official surrender.
I enjoyed the 8 hours I spent reading this 327-page account from WWII. I had not heard about this incident before, so it was an interesting read. I was amazed by how much a few Germans assisted the prisoners, and at how lenient their SS captors were towards them. I like the cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in Europe beginning in April of 1945. This is a dramatized account of what actually transpired.
Europe had been invaded in June of 1944. The Allied forces were closing in on Germany. The US and British from the west and South, Russians from the east. Hitler initiated a last-ditch plan. There were several high profile people in German concentration camps. He ordered the SS to take those 139 prisoners from the camps. The plan is to use them as hostages and execute them if the Reich falls.
This book tells the story of those prisoners and their journey through Germany, Austria, and Italy. They were constantly under threat of Allied air attack and were at risk from the SS troops that had them in custody. Their fate was in the hands of the fanatic SS on one hand and more rational Germans on the other. The prisoners were also helped along by partisans and finally rescued by US forces in the days after the official surrender.
I enjoyed the 8 hours I spent reading this 327-page account from WWII. I had not heard about this incident before, so it was an interesting read. I was amazed by how much a few Germans assisted the prisoners, and at how lenient their SS captors were towards them. I like the cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
May 23, 2019
I have been studying this book and the depth of detail is somewhat overwhelming.
The book begins with a detailing of the history of the Prominenten ( 139 high profile prisoners Hitler ordered the SS to take from the camps) and their locations before they were used as bargaining chips.
Sayer and Dronfield team together to bring us a novel of connections and to make us witness to many things, among them are the interactions between the Prominenten and the SS / SD.
The characters and locations are skillfully described and cleverly interlinked against the backdrop of World War II.
Yes, there was some leniency by the SS, but if the thought of a very possible execution didn't make the Prominenten think twice, I'm sure the idea of an arthropod giving them an infection that caused internal bleeding would.
Neither thought was inescapable due to fact guards with machine pistols lined the roads and it was well known there were areas surrounded with bleak barbed-wired enclosures, riddled with poor sanitation, and close human contact.
In closing, I felt this was a well-researched book which depicted the inconceivable life of the Prominenten, who were heralded by peasants, helped by partisans and in the days after the official surrender, rescued by US forces.
I received a copy of this book through the generosity of Quinn Fariel/ Marketing Manager/ Hachette Books
The book begins with a detailing of the history of the Prominenten ( 139 high profile prisoners Hitler ordered the SS to take from the camps) and their locations before they were used as bargaining chips.
Sayer and Dronfield team together to bring us a novel of connections and to make us witness to many things, among them are the interactions between the Prominenten and the SS / SD.
The characters and locations are skillfully described and cleverly interlinked against the backdrop of World War II.
Yes, there was some leniency by the SS, but if the thought of a very possible execution didn't make the Prominenten think twice, I'm sure the idea of an arthropod giving them an infection that caused internal bleeding would.
Neither thought was inescapable due to fact guards with machine pistols lined the roads and it was well known there were areas surrounded with bleak barbed-wired enclosures, riddled with poor sanitation, and close human contact.
In closing, I felt this was a well-researched book which depicted the inconceivable life of the Prominenten, who were heralded by peasants, helped by partisans and in the days after the official surrender, rescued by US forces.
I received a copy of this book through the generosity of Quinn Fariel/ Marketing Manager/ Hachette Books
August 3, 2019
van het bestaan van een grote groep prominente gijzelaars had ik een vage notie maar wie het waren wist ik niet en hoe er aan het einde van WOII met ze gesold is, wist ik ook niet. het waren er véél. en ze zaten in verschillende kampen, hadden andere statussen en de groep was verre van homogeen. dus het boek bestaat voornamelijk uit het noemen van heel veel namen van personen waar verder op z'n best wat oppervlakkige informatie over wordt gegeven. daardoor dacht ik wel 200 x 'wie was dit ook alweer en hoezo zat hij of zij vast en welke route heeft hij of zij ook alweer afgelegd?' het gesleep met de prominenten gaat maar door en het wordt niet makkelijker ze van elkaar te onderscheiden. op driekwart van het (nogal dikke) boek heb ik het voorlopig even opgegeven.
October 23, 2023
In general I like these specifically focused books about wars, cultures, time periods which usually do a good job of giving you a feel for the whole era through the details. The Nazi's kept a large group of VIPs prisoners around as hostages in case they prove valuable. Their story at the end of the war is harrowing as you see the devastation and murder all around Germany. You learn of so many different people of backgrounds, how they were captured and their personalities. The book is very tense as the authors do a good job keeping you guessing as to the fate of the prisoners.
August 3, 2020
Idea and data behind the book is great. However sometimes long descriptions had opposite effect than to understand the scene. As the book describes the story of VIP prisoners held by Nazis, there should be more about the prisoners - the book focuses only some of them. On the other hand, interesting to understand what was the situation in the final days of war in Alps and how people coped with that.
December 21, 2021
This bool surprised me. I thought I knew a lot about world war 2 but I had no idea there were a group of VIP prisoners living the relative highlife in concentration camps. It is also kind of odd to have a true story about concentration camps with unlikeable characters on the prisoner side, including those who sympathise with Nazis and those who are Nazis. It's not the best read but I'd definitely recommend it to get a new perspective on the war.
September 16, 2019
Fascinating true story set in the last days of the Third Reich. Several books have been written and movies made about this. Learned some very interesting details about the goings on at the end of the war and the chilling plans the Nazis has for these last “high value” concentration camp prisoners like the Austrians Chancellor and French Prime minister...
Read
November 21, 2019DNF.
The topic is very interesting to me. But I think this book requires a fair amount of background knowledge regarding WWII military history, foreign relations, and historic people in WWII. There were too many names, places, events, etc that I didn’t know that was really hard to get into this book.
The topic is very interesting to me. But I think this book requires a fair amount of background knowledge regarding WWII military history, foreign relations, and historic people in WWII. There were too many names, places, events, etc that I didn’t know that was really hard to get into this book.
March 21, 2021
Fascinating book. Well written. Informative and an easy read.
Read
July 2, 2021Fascinating reading.
July 18, 2021
If I didn’t already know Hitler was out of his goddamn mind, I would have thought this was a fiction book because it’s so insane.
July 11, 2024
2.5 stars [History]
(W 2.97, U 2.57, T 2.67)
Exact rating: 2.74
(W 2.97, U 2.57, T 2.67)
Exact rating: 2.74
April 21, 2019
The author's painstaking research and attention to detail is obvious in the writing of this book. There were many facts that I only discovered after reading this!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews