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Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer
Based on intelligence documents, personal testimonies, memoirs and official histories, including material only declassified in 2010, Guarding Hitler provides the reader with a fascinating inside look at the secret world of Hitler's security and domestic arrangements. The book focuses in particular on both the official and private life of Hitler during the latter part of the war, at the Wolfs Lair at Rastenburg, and Hitler's private residence at Berchtesgaden, the Berghof.
Guarding Hitler manages to offer fresh insights into the life and routine of the Fuhrer, and most importantly the often indiscreet opinions, observations and activities of the little people who surrounded Hitler but whose stories have been overshadowed by the great affairs of state.
It covers not only the plots against Hitler's life but the way security developed as a result. His use of doubles is examined as is security whilst traveling by land or air.
As little has been written about the security and domestic life of Adolf Hitler, Guarding Hitler allows the reader to delve deeper into this previously overlooked but nonetheless fascinating aspect of the world's most infamous man.
Guarding Hitler manages to offer fresh insights into the life and routine of the Fuhrer, and most importantly the often indiscreet opinions, observations and activities of the little people who surrounded Hitler but whose stories have been overshadowed by the great affairs of state.
It covers not only the plots against Hitler's life but the way security developed as a result. His use of doubles is examined as is security whilst traveling by land or air.
As little has been written about the security and domestic life of Adolf Hitler, Guarding Hitler allows the reader to delve deeper into this previously overlooked but nonetheless fascinating aspect of the world's most infamous man.
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2014
161 people are currently reading
231 people want to read
About the author
Mark Felton
32 books161 followersBritish military historian and author. For more information visit www.markfelton.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 19, 2020
A well researched book about the security surrounding Hitler from his early days as leader of the NSDAP until his demise in the Berlin. He was the first head of state to be so well guarded and many of modern day techniques of high-profile protection has their origins with his protection. Also covered are the many attempts on his life and how they failed, which is also extensively covered in another book, "Killing Hitler". Overall a very informative read and recommended for anyone interested in Hitler's day-to-day activities.
August 6, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for na advance copy of this book via netgalley!
This book is very detail oriented. At times, it makes the reading heavy. However, overall, the author does a good job of covering a very complex subject matter. Loved how the begin of the book starts with his bodyguards being loyal to him until the end. And the cliffhanger at the end of the book makes me want to read more about the subject.
This book is very detail oriented. At times, it makes the reading heavy. However, overall, the author does a good job of covering a very complex subject matter. Loved how the begin of the book starts with his bodyguards being loyal to him until the end. And the cliffhanger at the end of the book makes me want to read more about the subject.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2020
"I am immortal!" exulted Hitler in the wake of the failed assassination plot of July 20, 1944. And yes, after reading this book, one might come to that conclusion, for the fact that regardless of the tight security, Hitler survived (most of them unwittingly) many assassination attempts.
The figures vary, but it is believed that during his lifetime over forty separate attempts were made to kill Hitler. Hitler himself was obsessed by assassination and took an almost perverse interest in the finest details of his security apparatus, yet conversely stated that if someone wanted to kill him, there was nothing that could change his ultimate ‘fate’.
And it is indeed remarkable that Hitler managed to survive for so long as he was the target of plot after plot both before and after he assumed the mantle of Führer. Few leaders in modern history have attracted so many people bent on killing them – and survived. Hitler survived several attempts due to remarkable luck: a speech that was finished before the scheduled time, an SS man locked in a toilet, unable to activate a bomb and a uniform exposition that was cancelled due to the fact that the uniforms were destroyed in an Allied bombardment.
The main topic of this book is not the many assassination attempts, but the security measures that were taken. The book starts with detailed descriptions of the special train (Führersonderzug) that Hitler used, his many aircraft (the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor and later the Ju 290, which Hitler never flew) with its special escape hatches for Hitler and his Mercedes Benz make up for good reading.
Also, the many Führer Headquarters are described in detail.
And as usual, the many organisations and abteilungen are dazzling, but this was exactly wat Hitler intended to do, with his divide and conquer attitude.
In providing this information, this book is an invaluable contribution to the history of the Third Reich.
Notes
Further reading:
1. Hitler's Personal Security: Protecting the Führer, 1921-1945
2. Killing Hitler: The Plots, The Assassins, and the Dictator Who Cheated Death
The figures vary, but it is believed that during his lifetime over forty separate attempts were made to kill Hitler. Hitler himself was obsessed by assassination and took an almost perverse interest in the finest details of his security apparatus, yet conversely stated that if someone wanted to kill him, there was nothing that could change his ultimate ‘fate’.
And it is indeed remarkable that Hitler managed to survive for so long as he was the target of plot after plot both before and after he assumed the mantle of Führer. Few leaders in modern history have attracted so many people bent on killing them – and survived. Hitler survived several attempts due to remarkable luck: a speech that was finished before the scheduled time, an SS man locked in a toilet, unable to activate a bomb and a uniform exposition that was cancelled due to the fact that the uniforms were destroyed in an Allied bombardment.
The main topic of this book is not the many assassination attempts, but the security measures that were taken. The book starts with detailed descriptions of the special train (Führersonderzug) that Hitler used, his many aircraft (the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor and later the Ju 290, which Hitler never flew) with its special escape hatches for Hitler and his Mercedes Benz make up for good reading.
Also, the many Führer Headquarters are described in detail.
And as usual, the many organisations and abteilungen are dazzling, but this was exactly wat Hitler intended to do, with his divide and conquer attitude.
In providing this information, this book is an invaluable contribution to the history of the Third Reich.
Notes
Further reading:
1. Hitler's Personal Security: Protecting the Führer, 1921-1945
2. Killing Hitler: The Plots, The Assassins, and the Dictator Who Cheated Death
August 6, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for na advance copy of this book via netgalley!
This book is very detail oriented. At times, it makes the reading heavy. However, overall, the author does a good job of covering a very complex subject matter. Loved how the begin of the book starts with his bodyguards being loyal to him until the end. And the cliffhanger at the end of the book makes me want to read more about the subject.
This book is very detail oriented. At times, it makes the reading heavy. However, overall, the author does a good job of covering a very complex subject matter. Loved how the begin of the book starts with his bodyguards being loyal to him until the end. And the cliffhanger at the end of the book makes me want to read more about the subject.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2022
Adolfas Hitleris - vienas žymiausių II Pasaulinio karo veikėjų, nacių partijos lyderis ir Trečiojo reicho fiureris, į kurio gyvybę kėsintasi ne vieną, o keliasdešimt kartų. Kartais jį išgelbėdavo nuojauta, kartais stipri apsauga, o neretai paprasčiausi atsitiktinumai ar neapdairumas tų, kurie planavo pasikėsinimą. Nuo pat pirmųjų dienų Hitleris rinko ištikimų asmens sargybinių būrį, kuris galiausiai peraugo į daugiakopę saugumo sistemą.
Birželį skaičiau „Nuo raudonojo teroro iki mafijinės valstybės“ - informatyvią ir tikslingą knygą, atskleidžiančią Rusijos politikos istoriją, pasakojančią apie jos XX a. vadovus, vaidmenį pasauliniuose karuose ir kruopščiai planuotą valdžios užgrobimą. „Sergint Hitlerį“ - kūrinys, kuris nepažeria išsamios informacijos apie XX a. Vokietiją, bet leidžia iš arti pažvelgti į to amžiaus svarbų šios šalies veikėją - A. Hitlerį, į jį kasdien supusią artimą ginkluotųjų pajėgų aplinką ir į šaltakraujiško vado gyvenimą: apsuptą asmens sargybinių, kupiną nuolat tykančios grėsmės ir pavojų. Nors kūrinys priklauso leidyklos „Briedis“ knygų serijai „II Pasaulinis karas“, tačiau šis istorinis įvykis daugiau minimas tik dėl konteksto, kadangi skaitytojo dėmesys telkiamas į patį fiurerį ir būrį žmonių, kurie visokeriopai stengėsi užtikrinti jo saugumą.
Kaip jau turbūt supratote iš kūrinio pavadinimo ir aukščiau esančios pastraipos, tai nėra išsami A. Hitlerio biografija, nors, reikia pastebėti, keletą pastarosios detalių čia taip pat galima aptikti. Pavyzdžiui, trumpai aptariami fiurerio meilės reikalai, kurių būta pačių įvairiausių (iš pažiūros gali atrodyti, kad tokia asmenybė apskritai negebėjo puoselėti šiltų jausmų), paminėta ir kokia buvo A. Hitlerio rolė I Pasaulinio karo metais, papasakota, kokiomis aplinkybėmis baigėsi diktatoriaus gyvenimas. Vis dėlto, labiau orientuojamasi į tai, kaip, bėgant metams ir keičiantis karo scenarijui fronte, didėjo jo asmens sargybinių kiekis, kokios pastarųjų komandos formavosi, dėl kokių priežasčių plėtėsi slėptuvių poreikis, kiek rezidencijų su jose įrengtais bunkeriais jis turėjo (pavyzdžiui, aptarta ir detaliai aprašyta išorė ir vidus šių: „Erelio gūžta“, „Erelio lizdas“, „Vilko irštva“, „Valkirija“) ir kiti aspektai, susiję su saugumo užtikrinimu.
Perskaičiusi sužinojau tai, ko iki šiol apie A. Hitlerį nebuvau girdėjusi. Pradedant tuo, kokiai situacijai susiklosčius ir kokių palankių aplinkybių dėka jis tapo Vokietijos kancleriu ir ką jis padarė vėliau, kad taptų vieninteliu valstybės vadovu. Knygoje išsamiai aprašomi pasikėsinimai, kuriais siekta nužudyti fiurerį (pateikti ir galimi scenarijai, kurie nebuvo iki galo įgyvendinti, ir tie, kurie buvo įvykdyti, bet nepasiekė savo tikslo). Tiesa, planuoti pasikėsinimai - dvejopi: tarptautiniai ir vidiniai. Mano smalsumą kėlė ir karių, ir paprastų žmonių požiūris į savo vadą, į jo užmojus. Knygoje narpliojama daug saugumo klausimų, su jais susijusių uždavinių, pavojaus alsavimo ir peilio durių į nugarą tų, kurių nė negalėjai įtarti, rankomis.
Kūrinio pabaigos tikėjausi kiek kitokios. Maniau, kad apie A. Hitlerio mirtį bus pasakyta naujų, dar negirdėtų dalykų, galbūt iki galo paaiškės tai, kas vis dar skirtingai vertinama. Omenyje turiu tai, kas fiureriui nutiko iš tiesų, kur po savižudybės dingo jo kūnas. Greičiausiai ir pats rašytojas nežino kažko tokio, kas iki šiol nebūtų paviešinta, bet, skaitant knygą, vis turėjau vilties, kad ir šiuo aspektu M. Felton mane nustebins. Nedideliais trūkumais laikyčiau tai, kad knygoje vartojama nemažai sąvokų, kurių reikšmių paprastas skaitytojas tikrai nežino (įvairios karininkų, A. Hitlerio patikėtinių, pareigos Vokietijoje II Pasaulinio karo metais). Žinoma, pačioje kūrinio pabaigoje yra pateikti jų paaiškinimai, tik gal tai sukelia nepatogumą tam, kuris nori viską aiškiai žinoti iškart - čia ir dabar, o ne ieškoti kitur.
Labai šaunu, kad knygoje pateikiamas ne tik sausas tekstas, o taip pat ir nuotraukos, kurios pagyvina tiek knygą, tiek vizualizuoja visą joje esančią informaciją. Ir tai ne tik A. Hitlerio asmeninės fotografijos, kurių daugumą turbūt galėtume rasti internete, bet ir kitų asmenų, užėmusių svarbias saugumo užtikrinimo pareigas arba organizavusių/dalyvavusių pasikėsinimuose, vykdytuose prieš fiurerį. Yra ir nuotraukų, darytų erdvėse, kuriose A. Hitleris turėjo savo asmenines slėptuves, pastatuose, kurie buvo susprogdinti ar kitaip sugriauti, o taip pat ir Vokietijos miestų, gatvių vaizdai po galutinės jos kapituliacijos.
Rekomenduoju, visiems, kurie taip pat kaip ir aš dievina istorinių faktų kupinas knygas, tiems, kurie domisi skirtingų istorinių asmenybių gyvenimo detalėmis, padedančiomis suprasti tai, kas vyko jų gyventame laikotarpyje. Siūlau, jeigu ieškote informatyvios, turiningos, kokybiškos, aktualios informacijos nestokojančios, bet taip pat ir nenuobodžios knygos apie asmenybę, kurios vaidmuo buvo itin svarbus II Pasaulinio karo metais, saugumą. Jei domitės XX a. įvykiais, „Sergint Hitlerį“ Jums tikrai patiks ir padės geriau suvokti, kokia yra viso pasaulio nemėgstamų diktatorių kasdienybė (saugumo prasme). Tai nėra vieno ir nuoseklaus siužeto istorija, o iki šiol žinomų faktų rinkinys apie tai, kaip keitėsi A. Hitlerio saugumo situacija, tad tiems, kurie nemėgsta negrožinės literatūros, ši knyga veikiausiai nebus tokia įdomi kaip tiems, kurie yra užkietėję naujos informacijos gerbėjai.
4/5⭐
Birželį skaičiau „Nuo raudonojo teroro iki mafijinės valstybės“ - informatyvią ir tikslingą knygą, atskleidžiančią Rusijos politikos istoriją, pasakojančią apie jos XX a. vadovus, vaidmenį pasauliniuose karuose ir kruopščiai planuotą valdžios užgrobimą. „Sergint Hitlerį“ - kūrinys, kuris nepažeria išsamios informacijos apie XX a. Vokietiją, bet leidžia iš arti pažvelgti į to amžiaus svarbų šios šalies veikėją - A. Hitlerį, į jį kasdien supusią artimą ginkluotųjų pajėgų aplinką ir į šaltakraujiško vado gyvenimą: apsuptą asmens sargybinių, kupiną nuolat tykančios grėsmės ir pavojų. Nors kūrinys priklauso leidyklos „Briedis“ knygų serijai „II Pasaulinis karas“, tačiau šis istorinis įvykis daugiau minimas tik dėl konteksto, kadangi skaitytojo dėmesys telkiamas į patį fiurerį ir būrį žmonių, kurie visokeriopai stengėsi užtikrinti jo saugumą.
Kaip jau turbūt supratote iš kūrinio pavadinimo ir aukščiau esančios pastraipos, tai nėra išsami A. Hitlerio biografija, nors, reikia pastebėti, keletą pastarosios detalių čia taip pat galima aptikti. Pavyzdžiui, trumpai aptariami fiurerio meilės reikalai, kurių būta pačių įvairiausių (iš pažiūros gali atrodyti, kad tokia asmenybė apskritai negebėjo puoselėti šiltų jausmų), paminėta ir kokia buvo A. Hitlerio rolė I Pasaulinio karo metais, papasakota, kokiomis aplinkybėmis baigėsi diktatoriaus gyvenimas. Vis dėlto, labiau orientuojamasi į tai, kaip, bėgant metams ir keičiantis karo scenarijui fronte, didėjo jo asmens sargybinių kiekis, kokios pastarųjų komandos formavosi, dėl kokių priežasčių plėtėsi slėptuvių poreikis, kiek rezidencijų su jose įrengtais bunkeriais jis turėjo (pavyzdžiui, aptarta ir detaliai aprašyta išorė ir vidus šių: „Erelio gūžta“, „Erelio lizdas“, „Vilko irštva“, „Valkirija“) ir kiti aspektai, susiję su saugumo užtikrinimu.
Perskaičiusi sužinojau tai, ko iki šiol apie A. Hitlerį nebuvau girdėjusi. Pradedant tuo, kokiai situacijai susiklosčius ir kokių palankių aplinkybių dėka jis tapo Vokietijos kancleriu ir ką jis padarė vėliau, kad taptų vieninteliu valstybės vadovu. Knygoje išsamiai aprašomi pasikėsinimai, kuriais siekta nužudyti fiurerį (pateikti ir galimi scenarijai, kurie nebuvo iki galo įgyvendinti, ir tie, kurie buvo įvykdyti, bet nepasiekė savo tikslo). Tiesa, planuoti pasikėsinimai - dvejopi: tarptautiniai ir vidiniai. Mano smalsumą kėlė ir karių, ir paprastų žmonių požiūris į savo vadą, į jo užmojus. Knygoje narpliojama daug saugumo klausimų, su jais susijusių uždavinių, pavojaus alsavimo ir peilio durių į nugarą tų, kurių nė negalėjai įtarti, rankomis.
Kūrinio pabaigos tikėjausi kiek kitokios. Maniau, kad apie A. Hitlerio mirtį bus pasakyta naujų, dar negirdėtų dalykų, galbūt iki galo paaiškės tai, kas vis dar skirtingai vertinama. Omenyje turiu tai, kas fiureriui nutiko iš tiesų, kur po savižudybės dingo jo kūnas. Greičiausiai ir pats rašytojas nežino kažko tokio, kas iki šiol nebūtų paviešinta, bet, skaitant knygą, vis turėjau vilties, kad ir šiuo aspektu M. Felton mane nustebins. Nedideliais trūkumais laikyčiau tai, kad knygoje vartojama nemažai sąvokų, kurių reikšmių paprastas skaitytojas tikrai nežino (įvairios karininkų, A. Hitlerio patikėtinių, pareigos Vokietijoje II Pasaulinio karo metais). Žinoma, pačioje kūrinio pabaigoje yra pateikti jų paaiškinimai, tik gal tai sukelia nepatogumą tam, kuris nori viską aiškiai žinoti iškart - čia ir dabar, o ne ieškoti kitur.
Labai šaunu, kad knygoje pateikiamas ne tik sausas tekstas, o taip pat ir nuotraukos, kurios pagyvina tiek knygą, tiek vizualizuoja visą joje esančią informaciją. Ir tai ne tik A. Hitlerio asmeninės fotografijos, kurių daugumą turbūt galėtume rasti internete, bet ir kitų asmenų, užėmusių svarbias saugumo užtikrinimo pareigas arba organizavusių/dalyvavusių pasikėsinimuose, vykdytuose prieš fiurerį. Yra ir nuotraukų, darytų erdvėse, kuriose A. Hitleris turėjo savo asmenines slėptuves, pastatuose, kurie buvo susprogdinti ar kitaip sugriauti, o taip pat ir Vokietijos miestų, gatvių vaizdai po galutinės jos kapituliacijos.
Rekomenduoju, visiems, kurie taip pat kaip ir aš dievina istorinių faktų kupinas knygas, tiems, kurie domisi skirtingų istorinių asmenybių gyvenimo detalėmis, padedančiomis suprasti tai, kas vyko jų gyventame laikotarpyje. Siūlau, jeigu ieškote informatyvios, turiningos, kokybiškos, aktualios informacijos nestokojančios, bet taip pat ir nenuobodžios knygos apie asmenybę, kurios vaidmuo buvo itin svarbus II Pasaulinio karo metais, saugumą. Jei domitės XX a. įvykiais, „Sergint Hitlerį“ Jums tikrai patiks ir padės geriau suvokti, kokia yra viso pasaulio nemėgstamų diktatorių kasdienybė (saugumo prasme). Tai nėra vieno ir nuoseklaus siužeto istorija, o iki šiol žinomų faktų rinkinys apie tai, kaip keitėsi A. Hitlerio saugumo situacija, tad tiems, kurie nemėgsta negrožinės literatūros, ši knyga veikiausiai nebus tokia įdomi kaip tiems, kurie yra užkietėję naujos informacijos gerbėjai.
4/5⭐
February 1, 2021
According to author Mark Felton, the people put in charge of keeping Adolf Hitler safe and well actually created the modern practice of body-guarding, sometimes known as ‘close protection’. The U.S. Secret Service, among others, is in their debt.
And yet, despite the extraordinary lengths to which they went to ensure the safety of the German dictator, Felton’s book documents numerous cases where potential assassins got very close. It was Hitler’s notorious luck, and not his bodyguards, who kept him alive.
The most famous case was the 20 July 1944 attempt at Hitler’s headquarters near the Eastern Front, known as the “Wolf’s Lair”. Though the German army and SS spared no expense to protect their boss, in the end no one bothered to check the briefcase brought into a conference room — and left there — by Oberst Claus Schenk Count von Stauffenberg. In his briefcase was a British-made bomb, primed to explode.
The excuse made by Hitler’s guards after the event was that no one could imagine that an officer of the German army’s general staff would do such a thing. After the attack, protocols were changed and it was no longer possible to carry one’s bags into meetings with Hitler unless they were thoroughly searched.
In a sense, we have learned little from the experience of these guards, for we continue to ‘fight the last war’, ensuring that our shoes are x-rayed before we board an aircraft and our water bottles emptied. Often, leaders are spared assassination and we do not become victims of terrorist attacks not because we have mastered the security issues involved, but out of sheer luck.
And yet, despite the extraordinary lengths to which they went to ensure the safety of the German dictator, Felton’s book documents numerous cases where potential assassins got very close. It was Hitler’s notorious luck, and not his bodyguards, who kept him alive.
The most famous case was the 20 July 1944 attempt at Hitler’s headquarters near the Eastern Front, known as the “Wolf’s Lair”. Though the German army and SS spared no expense to protect their boss, in the end no one bothered to check the briefcase brought into a conference room — and left there — by Oberst Claus Schenk Count von Stauffenberg. In his briefcase was a British-made bomb, primed to explode.
The excuse made by Hitler’s guards after the event was that no one could imagine that an officer of the German army’s general staff would do such a thing. After the attack, protocols were changed and it was no longer possible to carry one’s bags into meetings with Hitler unless they were thoroughly searched.
In a sense, we have learned little from the experience of these guards, for we continue to ‘fight the last war’, ensuring that our shoes are x-rayed before we board an aircraft and our water bottles emptied. Often, leaders are spared assassination and we do not become victims of terrorist attacks not because we have mastered the security issues involved, but out of sheer luck.
March 4, 2022
Title: Guarding Hitler
Author: Mark Felton
Pages: 224
A book based on documentation and testimonies, it tells the story of how Hitler organized his life and security. It takes a look at his life at the Wolf's Lair at Rastenburg as well as his private residence, the Berghof.
New stories coming to light in the person who has captured the imagination and interest of thousands around the world.
I am extremely interested in WW2, and Nazi Germany. I find it an endlessly fascinating topic and will read anything I can get my hands on. So much my surprise when this entire book was full of NEW information, information I haven't come across in my extensive reading on this topic. That was already a good sign.
Although I cannot comment on the accuracy of the information, I did enjoy the author's writing style, which was quite captivating for a non-fiction book.
I have to mention that this book falls outside of my usual genre of Fantasy/Romance, yet I found it extremely interesting and it held my attention throughout.
As such I would recommend this to others who enjoy history, WW2 or just have an interest in Hitler and his reign of Nazi Germany.
Author: Mark Felton
Pages: 224
A book based on documentation and testimonies, it tells the story of how Hitler organized his life and security. It takes a look at his life at the Wolf's Lair at Rastenburg as well as his private residence, the Berghof.
New stories coming to light in the person who has captured the imagination and interest of thousands around the world.
I am extremely interested in WW2, and Nazi Germany. I find it an endlessly fascinating topic and will read anything I can get my hands on. So much my surprise when this entire book was full of NEW information, information I haven't come across in my extensive reading on this topic. That was already a good sign.
Although I cannot comment on the accuracy of the information, I did enjoy the author's writing style, which was quite captivating for a non-fiction book.
I have to mention that this book falls outside of my usual genre of Fantasy/Romance, yet I found it extremely interesting and it held my attention throughout.
As such I would recommend this to others who enjoy history, WW2 or just have an interest in Hitler and his reign of Nazi Germany.
October 8, 2020
Author Mark Felton (http://markfelton.co.uk) published the book “Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer” in 2014. Mr. Felton has published more than 20 books on WWII.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. The book talks about the many aspects of protection Hitler was subject to during WWII.
Different units provided security for Hitler and he traveled in many different vehicles. Details are provided of both these units and the vehicles. Complex headquarters facilities were built for Hitler. The book includes descriptions and locations of these facilities. The book includes details of the many assassination attempts made on Hitler.
I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 250-page WWII history. It was a little dry, but there were many details about Hitler that I had not heard before. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( 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 book as ‘G’. The book talks about the many aspects of protection Hitler was subject to during WWII.
Different units provided security for Hitler and he traveled in many different vehicles. Details are provided of both these units and the vehicles. Complex headquarters facilities were built for Hitler. The book includes descriptions and locations of these facilities. The book includes details of the many assassination attempts made on Hitler.
I enjoyed the 6.5+ hours I spent reading this 250-page WWII history. It was a little dry, but there were many details about Hitler that I had not heard before. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
July 22, 2020
A very detailed account of the professional people closest to Hitler and the many assassination attempts that nearly ended his life. I recommend this book to people with a special interest in WWII, Nazi-Germany, Hitler, and German history. If you are looking for more general information or an overlook of Hitler's life this is not the book for you. Many, many hours of research has made this book possible.
It is an interesting read, but I believe you need to know quite a bit about this subject, because there are so many names, places, and events in a fairly short book, and if the reader is not too familiar with the subject it might be too much. I have read quite a lot about this subject in the past, and I was overwhelmed at times.
I recommend it to history buffs, and people with a special interest in this subject. The detailed accounts of the ones close to Hitler, and how he managed to escape death so many times is fascinating!
It is an interesting read, but I believe you need to know quite a bit about this subject, because there are so many names, places, and events in a fairly short book, and if the reader is not too familiar with the subject it might be too much. I have read quite a lot about this subject in the past, and I was overwhelmed at times.
I recommend it to history buffs, and people with a special interest in this subject. The detailed accounts of the ones close to Hitler, and how he managed to escape death so many times is fascinating!
November 8, 2022
I was putting this book off for so long but I am now glad that I've read it.
Its very informative about the life of Adokf Hitler and his bodyguards throughout the war years.
The places he occupied and had built have beautiful descriptions.
Recommend if you like world war 2 non fiction books.
Its very informative about the life of Adokf Hitler and his bodyguards throughout the war years.
The places he occupied and had built have beautiful descriptions.
Recommend if you like world war 2 non fiction books.
July 12, 2025
Finished Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer by Mark Felton late last night, Kindle light low, ceiling fan humming like a distant engine, and my thoughts pacing like an RSD officer in a bunker corridor. It’s not every night you fall asleep with Adolf Hitler’s personal bodyguard unit in your brain. But last night was exactly that — claustrophobic, clinical, eerily quiet. I bought the eBook on a whim a few days ago, expecting a straightforward historical overview, some anecdotes about security protocol, maybe a peek into the myth of Hitler’s bunker. What I didn’t expect was a slow-burning psychological excavation of a regime protected by fear, fueled by control, and spiraling into its own madness — one reinforced steel door at a time. Felton writes with a kind of quiet precision that unnerves you. He doesn’t moralize, doesn’t shout over the facts, doesn’t embellish the horror. He just lays it bare — layer after chilling layer of a man and the obsessive machine that cocooned him. I kept thinking of Kafka’s The Trial while reading it. There’s a similar suffocating loop to it — endless inspections, power without clarity, corridors that lead nowhere but deeper inside. The world of Hitler’s protectors is not one of bravery or brotherhood — it’s a world of paranoia, rank, whispered betrayal, and the suffocating belief that the Führer must be kept alive at all costs… even when his death might have saved millions.
The memoir part, I suppose, is how vividly this book reminded me of my first conscious encounter with Hitler — not in a history textbook, but through Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indy bumps into him at a book-burning rally and gets his notebook signed. That scene — absurd, surreal — was my child-self’s first introduction to the monstrous banality of Hitler. Guarding Hitler strips away all the Indiana Jones mystique and shows us the real architecture of evil: not just tanks and speeches, but menus inspected by tasters, decoy convoys leaving before dawn, train routes memorized and burned, underground bunkers airlocked like tombs. Felton introduces us to the SS-Begleitkommando — Hitler’s personal protection detail, men like Rochus Misch and Bruno Gesche — young, loyal, often ideologically indoctrinated men who ate, drank, and paced in a perpetual state of alertness. These weren’t James Bond types. They were pawns in tailored SS uniforms, loyal more to the idea of order than to any moral compass. Felton doesn’t turn them into heroes. Nor does he treat them as demons. They are, disturbingly, human — and that’s what haunts you.
Reading this, I couldn’t stop thinking about the quiet details: the daily security sweep of the Berghof, the exact seating arrangement at dinner, Hitler’s aversion to meat and fear of being poisoned, the constant presence of death in the periphery, and the extraordinary lengths to which these men — and the entire Third Reich’s bureaucratic ecosystem — went to ensure the safety of a man orchestrating mass genocide. The bitter irony, of course, is that despite this machinery of protection, Hitler dies by his own hand, his security detail powerless in the end, their purpose extinguished with a single gunshot behind a locked door. And yet, even then, the protocols continue — bodies burned, reports filed, last orders obeyed. It’s like watching a marionette play continue long after the puppeteer has vanished, strings twitching in dead air.
As someone who’s always leaned more toward literature and culture than hard military history, I found Guarding Hitler deeply literary in its coldness — a study in psychological entropy. The kind of book that doesn’t shock you with blood, but with bureaucracy. Hitler isn’t a fiery orator here; he’s an aging, jittery man, pacing in felt slippers, haunted by assassination plots, micromanaging everything from bunker ventilation to dinner menus. There’s something deeply grotesque about that image — and deeply relevant. Because it reminds us that evil isn’t always theatrical. Sometimes it’s hygienic. Sober. Logistical. A floor plan drawn by an architect who never met his victims.
After I finished the book, I sat for a while — Kindle on my chest, fan still humming — and stared at the ceiling. I kept thinking: so much life, so much energy, so much grotesque efficiency, spent just to keep one man untouched. So many hands, guns, documents, uniforms, passwords, and poison detectors — all spinning around a single nucleus of delusion. And yet, that nucleus was mortal. He still died. History still happened. And we are still reckoning.
The memoir part, I suppose, is how vividly this book reminded me of my first conscious encounter with Hitler — not in a history textbook, but through Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where Indy bumps into him at a book-burning rally and gets his notebook signed. That scene — absurd, surreal — was my child-self’s first introduction to the monstrous banality of Hitler. Guarding Hitler strips away all the Indiana Jones mystique and shows us the real architecture of evil: not just tanks and speeches, but menus inspected by tasters, decoy convoys leaving before dawn, train routes memorized and burned, underground bunkers airlocked like tombs. Felton introduces us to the SS-Begleitkommando — Hitler’s personal protection detail, men like Rochus Misch and Bruno Gesche — young, loyal, often ideologically indoctrinated men who ate, drank, and paced in a perpetual state of alertness. These weren’t James Bond types. They were pawns in tailored SS uniforms, loyal more to the idea of order than to any moral compass. Felton doesn’t turn them into heroes. Nor does he treat them as demons. They are, disturbingly, human — and that’s what haunts you.
Reading this, I couldn’t stop thinking about the quiet details: the daily security sweep of the Berghof, the exact seating arrangement at dinner, Hitler’s aversion to meat and fear of being poisoned, the constant presence of death in the periphery, and the extraordinary lengths to which these men — and the entire Third Reich’s bureaucratic ecosystem — went to ensure the safety of a man orchestrating mass genocide. The bitter irony, of course, is that despite this machinery of protection, Hitler dies by his own hand, his security detail powerless in the end, their purpose extinguished with a single gunshot behind a locked door. And yet, even then, the protocols continue — bodies burned, reports filed, last orders obeyed. It’s like watching a marionette play continue long after the puppeteer has vanished, strings twitching in dead air.
As someone who’s always leaned more toward literature and culture than hard military history, I found Guarding Hitler deeply literary in its coldness — a study in psychological entropy. The kind of book that doesn’t shock you with blood, but with bureaucracy. Hitler isn’t a fiery orator here; he’s an aging, jittery man, pacing in felt slippers, haunted by assassination plots, micromanaging everything from bunker ventilation to dinner menus. There’s something deeply grotesque about that image — and deeply relevant. Because it reminds us that evil isn’t always theatrical. Sometimes it’s hygienic. Sober. Logistical. A floor plan drawn by an architect who never met his victims.
After I finished the book, I sat for a while — Kindle on my chest, fan still humming — and stared at the ceiling. I kept thinking: so much life, so much energy, so much grotesque efficiency, spent just to keep one man untouched. So many hands, guns, documents, uniforms, passwords, and poison detectors — all spinning around a single nucleus of delusion. And yet, that nucleus was mortal. He still died. History still happened. And we are still reckoning.
August 11, 2020
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Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer by Mark Felton is a non-fiction book focusing on the security arrangements of Hitler during his rise to power. Mr. Felton is a British historian and author.
This is a book with fascinating insights of both the official and private life of Hitler, especially during the latter part of World war II. The author walks the reader through the oppressor’s rise to power, the numerous unsuccessful attempts on his life and how his security detail has dealt with them, and changed to accommodate their new reality.
Mr. Felton did a tremendous amount of research into this book, as is evident from his list of source, relying on official reports, memoirs and personal testimonies of those close to the events.
Hitler was the first head of state to be closely guarded, new routines, regulations and operating procedures had to be invented. Some of those procedures are either used today, or we have new procedures based on them. Hitler was also the first head of state to travel by car, train, and plane all of which are vulnerable and had to be reinforced to prevent assassination attempts.
And there were many attempts.
Even with all my reading about World War II, I never realized how close Hitler came to being assassinated since the Beer Hall Putsch. It seemed that he created many enemies with his hateful rhetoric, and even those who agreed with him in some manner (for example his foreign policies) viewed him as a dangerous leader who will end up causing Germany to be occupied by its enemies and adversaries.
Hitler himself knew that many are out to kill him, he was obsessed with poising to the point where his food had to be specifically grown and was kept under constant watch by men he trusted from the moment it was picked (Hitler was a vegetarian), prepared, and plated. He even had food tasters, just in case.
If there is one constant in the book, is the notion of how lucky Hitler was. Several times he was saved by sheer luck, a bomb didn’t go off due to temperature, an assassin didn’t have the nerve, a bomb was moved, being late or early to an event due to weather, and more.
Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer by Mark Felton is not a book about assassinations though, it is about the security measures taken, and invented, to protect this horrible man. The author goes into some detail about the specialty vehicles Hitler used. His plans (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor,Ju 290), trains (Führersonderzug), and automobiles all needed protection, used with great affect and were used as models for generations to come.
This book is concise, well researched, and very interesting. It details the conception, growth, and changes in Hitler’s personal team of bodyguards from his early rise as a small-time politician to the dictator who has thrown the world in turmoil, killing, conquering and committing atrocities.
Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer by Mark Felton is a non-fiction book focusing on the security arrangements of Hitler during his rise to power. Mr. Felton is a British historian and author.
This is a book with fascinating insights of both the official and private life of Hitler, especially during the latter part of World war II. The author walks the reader through the oppressor’s rise to power, the numerous unsuccessful attempts on his life and how his security detail has dealt with them, and changed to accommodate their new reality.
Mr. Felton did a tremendous amount of research into this book, as is evident from his list of source, relying on official reports, memoirs and personal testimonies of those close to the events.
Hitler was the first head of state to be closely guarded, new routines, regulations and operating procedures had to be invented. Some of those procedures are either used today, or we have new procedures based on them. Hitler was also the first head of state to travel by car, train, and plane all of which are vulnerable and had to be reinforced to prevent assassination attempts.
And there were many attempts.
Even with all my reading about World War II, I never realized how close Hitler came to being assassinated since the Beer Hall Putsch. It seemed that he created many enemies with his hateful rhetoric, and even those who agreed with him in some manner (for example his foreign policies) viewed him as a dangerous leader who will end up causing Germany to be occupied by its enemies and adversaries.
Hitler himself knew that many are out to kill him, he was obsessed with poising to the point where his food had to be specifically grown and was kept under constant watch by men he trusted from the moment it was picked (Hitler was a vegetarian), prepared, and plated. He even had food tasters, just in case.
If there is one constant in the book, is the notion of how lucky Hitler was. Several times he was saved by sheer luck, a bomb didn’t go off due to temperature, an assassin didn’t have the nerve, a bomb was moved, being late or early to an event due to weather, and more.
Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer by Mark Felton is not a book about assassinations though, it is about the security measures taken, and invented, to protect this horrible man. The author goes into some detail about the specialty vehicles Hitler used. His plans (Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor,Ju 290), trains (Führersonderzug), and automobiles all needed protection, used with great affect and were used as models for generations to come.
This book is concise, well researched, and very interesting. It details the conception, growth, and changes in Hitler’s personal team of bodyguards from his early rise as a small-time politician to the dictator who has thrown the world in turmoil, killing, conquering and committing atrocities.
August 1, 2025
Anything by Mark Felton is worth reading. It is well researched and easily accessible. Some of the content has been repeated on his YouTube channel and it's just another format. He presents the inner world of Hitler's closest aides and all the plots that tried to kill him. We know about Operation Valkyrie which has been shown elsewhere, like books and Tom Cruise's movie. We know about the bombs planted on Hitler's plane and how that failed.
What I didn't know was about his special air squadron and the planes. I have seen a Prime series called "Hitler's Bodyguard" which does have similar material. That series has an entire episode on the Fuehrersonderzug (Fuehrer's Special Train); Dr. Felton noted that it was the alternate accommodations when the underground bunkers got too hot and humid. That is true; consider how many people would be in the room: Hitler, the generals, their assistants, and his secretaries. That could be up to 12 to 16 people.
One thing Dr. Felton omits, perhaps due to space, is the LSSAH - the 1st SS Division that was the bodyguard division. They had the right to wear a special ribbon and when they were forced to retreat on the Eastern Front after a disastrous battle, Hitler stripped them off the ribbon. That division could have counted towards the entire protective cordon around Hitler.
As for pioneering protective services, IDK if Dr. Felton makes the case fully. Certainly Hitler flew which was faster than the train or cars. Hitler never visited other nations outside of Europe so no need to sail. Churchill and FDR traveled by ship if they did. But as for all other security measures, I thought he should have described how the other nations did or did not protect their heads of state.
What I didn't know was about his special air squadron and the planes. I have seen a Prime series called "Hitler's Bodyguard" which does have similar material. That series has an entire episode on the Fuehrersonderzug (Fuehrer's Special Train); Dr. Felton noted that it was the alternate accommodations when the underground bunkers got too hot and humid. That is true; consider how many people would be in the room: Hitler, the generals, their assistants, and his secretaries. That could be up to 12 to 16 people.
One thing Dr. Felton omits, perhaps due to space, is the LSSAH - the 1st SS Division that was the bodyguard division. They had the right to wear a special ribbon and when they were forced to retreat on the Eastern Front after a disastrous battle, Hitler stripped them off the ribbon. That division could have counted towards the entire protective cordon around Hitler.
As for pioneering protective services, IDK if Dr. Felton makes the case fully. Certainly Hitler flew which was faster than the train or cars. Hitler never visited other nations outside of Europe so no need to sail. Churchill and FDR traveled by ship if they did. But as for all other security measures, I thought he should have described how the other nations did or did not protect their heads of state.
July 19, 2020
249 pages
4 stars
This book is an exhaustive treatise of the foundation, growth and changes in Hitler's personal contingent of bodyguards. Some of the names I had already known, but there were others that I did not.
Also listed are the numerous attempts on Hitler's life. He possessed surprising luck in dodging and avoiding – sometimes by minutes – attempts to kill him. A little ironic that he took his own life in the end.
I was interested in the description of how awful the communication between various units of the military was. The right hand didn't know what the left was doing...
I like the way the book tells at the end how the survivors of the bunker fared. Or, at least what is known of their fates. The book also contains a useful translation of German military terms, notes and a bibliography for those who want to further explore the subject.
I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword/Pen & Sword Military for forwarding to me a copy of this exciting book for me to read, enjoy and review.
4 stars
This book is an exhaustive treatise of the foundation, growth and changes in Hitler's personal contingent of bodyguards. Some of the names I had already known, but there were others that I did not.
Also listed are the numerous attempts on Hitler's life. He possessed surprising luck in dodging and avoiding – sometimes by minutes – attempts to kill him. A little ironic that he took his own life in the end.
I was interested in the description of how awful the communication between various units of the military was. The right hand didn't know what the left was doing...
I like the way the book tells at the end how the survivors of the bunker fared. Or, at least what is known of their fates. The book also contains a useful translation of German military terms, notes and a bibliography for those who want to further explore the subject.
I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword/Pen & Sword Military for forwarding to me a copy of this exciting book for me to read, enjoy and review.
September 18, 2024
There is no disputing Hitler was a narcissistic schizophrenic madman responsible for the deaths of millions. The sheer number of assassination attempts alone should have clued someone in the inner circle. The intricate protection web constructed is mirrored, in many respects to this day and, has proven equally as effective in keeping would-be assassins away from primary targets. Interesting read and expose’ on the lesser known cast of characters in the Third Reich.
October 10, 2019
Great read! Very interesting and informative. It’s not an exciting read like the other Mark Felton books I’ve read. This is definitely just an informative book, but if you’re interested in WWII then this is a great book to expand your knowledge.
January 18, 2021
What really happened to Hitlers body
Extremely interesting book. Filled with some facts not known before. There were attempts made on Hitlers life unknown to many persons. Book clarified facts surrounding several of the attempts on Hitlers life.
Extremely interesting book. Filled with some facts not known before. There were attempts made on Hitlers life unknown to many persons. Book clarified facts surrounding several of the attempts on Hitlers life.
August 10, 2020
Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer is well researched and an interesting read, that covers areas people haven't considered or thought about when it comes to Hitler.
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