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Albert Speer – Escaping the Gallows: Secret Conversations with Hitler's Top Nazi
At the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal, Albert Speer, Hitler’s one-time number two, persuaded the judges that he ‘knew nothing’ of the Holocaust and related atrocities. Narrowly escaping execution, he was sentenced to twenty years in Spandau Prison, Berlin.
In 1961, the newly commissioned author, as the British Army Spandau Guard Commander, was befriended by Speer, who taught him German. Adrian Greaves’ record of his conversations with Speer over a three year period make for fascinating reading. While the top Nazi admitted to Greaves his secret part in war crimes, after his 1966 release he determinedly denied any wrongdoing and became an intriguing and popular figure at home and abroad. Following Speer’s death in 1981 evidence emerged of his complicity in Hitler’s and the Nazi’s atrocities.
In this uniquely revealing book the author skilfully blends his own personal experiences and relationship with Speer with a succinct history of the Nazi movement and the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s. In so doing new light is thrown on the character of one of the 20th century’s most notorious characters.
In 1961, the newly commissioned author, as the British Army Spandau Guard Commander, was befriended by Speer, who taught him German. Adrian Greaves’ record of his conversations with Speer over a three year period make for fascinating reading. While the top Nazi admitted to Greaves his secret part in war crimes, after his 1966 release he determinedly denied any wrongdoing and became an intriguing and popular figure at home and abroad. Following Speer’s death in 1981 evidence emerged of his complicity in Hitler’s and the Nazi’s atrocities.
In this uniquely revealing book the author skilfully blends his own personal experiences and relationship with Speer with a succinct history of the Nazi movement and the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s. In so doing new light is thrown on the character of one of the 20th century’s most notorious characters.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published June 29, 2021
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23 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Greaves
24 books9 followersAdrian Greaves is the founder of the Anglo-Zulu War Historical Society and the author of numerous books on the period and South African wars.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 30, 2023
Despite Soviet protestations, Albert Speer, the foremost of Hitler's protégés, was given twenty years life imprisonment rather than a death sentence at the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials in 1946. During the trial this highly articulate, well-prepared and 'appropriately' contrite man argued that he knew nothing of the heinous crimes committed by the regime which he assiduously served at the very highest level for over ten years. After completing his twenty-year prison term, during which he had been able to develop his own unique and highly personal narrative in detail, Speer was able to offer himself up as a 'good Nazi' through his own writings and via numerous television and radio interviews.
This facade has since been systematically demolished, not least by Gitta Sereny, in her monumental work Albert Speer: His Battle with the Truth. For those who don't have the appetite to plough through such weighty tomes, this latest and more accessible book by Adrian Greaves also serves to dispel any previously held notions that Speer did not know about the deprivations and horrors that he was directly and indirectly responsible for throughout his later working life - particularly during his time as Reich Minister for Armaments when he presided over half a million slave labourers. The author is well placed to argue the case given that he befriended Speer in the early 1960s whilst serving as a guard at Spandau Prison in Berlin.
The author's conversations with Speer took place in the Prison's garden over a fourteen-month period starting in January 1962. At the time there were three prisoners incarcerated at Spandau - Rudolf Hess, Baldur von Schirach and Albert Speer. The former two were unwilling to engage but Speer did - partly through a need for company and to learn what was going on in the outside world but also to help the author develop his German language skills. Intrigued by the prospect of conversing with someone whom had been so close to Hitler, the young British officer did not shy away from asking some difficult questions. True to form, Speer continued to rehearse his argument that he was not aware of the horrors being inflicted by the Nazi regime. Whilst there are few new substantive points about the central question of Speer's culpability for wartime atrocities, the author does draw on the notes from his meetings to uncover the circumstances behind Speer's seemingly reckless flight into Berlin on 22 April 1945 at a time when the Red Army was just a few hundred metres from the Führerbunker. The answer is a revelation - and one that it is best left for the reader to discover directly!
Aside from the personal experiences themselves, much of the book is devoted to Speer's career and an examination of his role in the rise and fall of the Third Reich. The author takes a fact-based approach using a variety of sources all of which are carefully referenced. The wider history of the Nazi rise to power is covered so as to put Speer's contribution into proper context. For added interest, the book covers the post war history of the Allied Powers' occupation of Berlin and the way in which Spandau Prison was used for geo-political purposes by both the Allies and the Russians. The author provides a vivid portrait of what it was like to serve on the 'Front Line' during the Cold War. In summary, this book does a great job in dispelling the mythology of Speer as a 'good Nazi', it offers up new information about some of the personal relationships within Hitler's inner circle and provides real insight about Cold War tensions in post war Berlin. Recommended.
This facade has since been systematically demolished, not least by Gitta Sereny, in her monumental work Albert Speer: His Battle with the Truth. For those who don't have the appetite to plough through such weighty tomes, this latest and more accessible book by Adrian Greaves also serves to dispel any previously held notions that Speer did not know about the deprivations and horrors that he was directly and indirectly responsible for throughout his later working life - particularly during his time as Reich Minister for Armaments when he presided over half a million slave labourers. The author is well placed to argue the case given that he befriended Speer in the early 1960s whilst serving as a guard at Spandau Prison in Berlin.
The author's conversations with Speer took place in the Prison's garden over a fourteen-month period starting in January 1962. At the time there were three prisoners incarcerated at Spandau - Rudolf Hess, Baldur von Schirach and Albert Speer. The former two were unwilling to engage but Speer did - partly through a need for company and to learn what was going on in the outside world but also to help the author develop his German language skills. Intrigued by the prospect of conversing with someone whom had been so close to Hitler, the young British officer did not shy away from asking some difficult questions. True to form, Speer continued to rehearse his argument that he was not aware of the horrors being inflicted by the Nazi regime. Whilst there are few new substantive points about the central question of Speer's culpability for wartime atrocities, the author does draw on the notes from his meetings to uncover the circumstances behind Speer's seemingly reckless flight into Berlin on 22 April 1945 at a time when the Red Army was just a few hundred metres from the Führerbunker. The answer is a revelation - and one that it is best left for the reader to discover directly!
Aside from the personal experiences themselves, much of the book is devoted to Speer's career and an examination of his role in the rise and fall of the Third Reich. The author takes a fact-based approach using a variety of sources all of which are carefully referenced. The wider history of the Nazi rise to power is covered so as to put Speer's contribution into proper context. For added interest, the book covers the post war history of the Allied Powers' occupation of Berlin and the way in which Spandau Prison was used for geo-political purposes by both the Allies and the Russians. The author provides a vivid portrait of what it was like to serve on the 'Front Line' during the Cold War. In summary, this book does a great job in dispelling the mythology of Speer as a 'good Nazi', it offers up new information about some of the personal relationships within Hitler's inner circle and provides real insight about Cold War tensions in post war Berlin. Recommended.
June 23, 2021
Author and historian Adrian Greaves published the book “Albert Speer – Escaping the Gallows: Secret Conversations with Hitler's Top Nazi” in 2021. Mr. Greaves has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books. This latest book has just been released.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. The book tells the story of Albert Speer, Hitler’s Architect and the German Minister of Armaments.
The book goes through Speer’s early life and the growth of the Nazi party. It sheds a different light on Speer. The author was a newly commissioned British Army Lieutenant when he met Speer. Greaves' first assignment in 1961 was as one of the Guard Commanders at Spandau prison. He served three years in that post. While serving there Greaves became acquainted with Speer sharing many long conversations. The book is a combination of those conversations and other historical data.
At one time Adolf Hitler considered Speer a close confidant. Speer had joined the Nazi party in 1931. He became Hitler's favorite architect. He was later appointed as Minister of Armaments in 1942. He had somewhat fallen out of favor by the end of the war. The leading figures of Nazi Germany were tried at Nuremberg after the war. Unlike the others, Speer escaped execution earning only a 20-year sentence. He maintained his innocence of war crimes. He claimed that he had known nothing about the Holocaust and other atrocities
Speer repeated these claims to the author and throughout the rest of his life. Speer was released from Spandau in 1966 having served his full 20-year sentence. In the years after his release, he wrote three books. Two were autobiographical books while the other was about Himmler and the SS. After Speer’s death in 1981 evidence began to surface linking Speer to the Holocaust.
I enjoyed the 6 hours I spent reading this 192-page WWII history. I had of course heard about Speer, but I learned a great deal more about him from this book. He appears to have been very smart and cunning. The story rambles along at times, but I found it interesting. I do like the selected 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 book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G’. The book tells the story of Albert Speer, Hitler’s Architect and the German Minister of Armaments.
The book goes through Speer’s early life and the growth of the Nazi party. It sheds a different light on Speer. The author was a newly commissioned British Army Lieutenant when he met Speer. Greaves' first assignment in 1961 was as one of the Guard Commanders at Spandau prison. He served three years in that post. While serving there Greaves became acquainted with Speer sharing many long conversations. The book is a combination of those conversations and other historical data.
At one time Adolf Hitler considered Speer a close confidant. Speer had joined the Nazi party in 1931. He became Hitler's favorite architect. He was later appointed as Minister of Armaments in 1942. He had somewhat fallen out of favor by the end of the war. The leading figures of Nazi Germany were tried at Nuremberg after the war. Unlike the others, Speer escaped execution earning only a 20-year sentence. He maintained his innocence of war crimes. He claimed that he had known nothing about the Holocaust and other atrocities
Speer repeated these claims to the author and throughout the rest of his life. Speer was released from Spandau in 1966 having served his full 20-year sentence. In the years after his release, he wrote three books. Two were autobiographical books while the other was about Himmler and the SS. After Speer’s death in 1981 evidence began to surface linking Speer to the Holocaust.
I enjoyed the 6 hours I spent reading this 192-page WWII history. I had of course heard about Speer, but I learned a great deal more about him from this book. He appears to have been very smart and cunning. The story rambles along at times, but I found it interesting. I do like the selected 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 13, 2021
The figure of Albert Speer is fascinating, as the man undoubtedly was. One of the few Nazi hierarchs who escaped capital punishment at the Nuremberg trials, thanks to his having always remained a civilian, which allowed him to make people believe that he had always been in the dark about the Reich's crimes, and therefore to die peacefully in his bed (or rather, in that of his lover). This sometimes boring and often repetitive book, however, made particularly credible by the kind of relationship that existed between the author and Speer himself at the time of his imprisonment in Spandau, brings to light a different Speer, a poker player who was able to save his life through his charm and a castle of lies.
May 5, 2021
Great informational text on a Nazi that is rarely focused on and is often not mentioned in the history books. Information that the average person would never know. Interesting to think that he thought was innocent in all the horrors of the Nazi Era.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews