Des Teufels Werkstatt

Reihe Deutsche Vergangenheit / Stätten der Geschichte Berlins #82

by Adolf Burger

The Devil's Workshop is a fully-documented history of the world's largest counterfeiting operation, told by one of the last surviving witnesses, Adolf Burger. Between 1942 and 1945, as part of the Nazi war effort, 142 inmates were forced to forge British and American Bank notes worth billions, as well as bonds, stamps and other documents. The work was carried out by inmates who faced incessant death threats.

In this extraordinary book Adolf Burger describes the ordeal he experienced from the moment of his arrest in Slovakia in 1942, and as an inmate of several concentration camps, to his liberation in May 1945 from the Ebensee concentration camp. He explains how, under unthinkable conditions, he became a professional counterfeiter. The resulting book served as the basis of the award-winning film The Counterfeiters.

Genres: Nonfiction, World War II, History, Holocaust, War, Memoir, Canon

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible story told with vivid detail and a treasure trove of primary documents.

[Anka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Buchvorlage zum Film "Die Fälscher" bietet viele Einblicke, die der Film natürlich nicht bieten konnte, da dieser viel mehr auf Emotionen setzt und den Geldfälscher Salomon Smolianoff anstatt den Autor dieses Buches in den Vordergrund setzt.

Der Bericht von Adolf Bunger wird durch viele Fotos und einige andere Augenzeugenberichte noch anschaulicher und führt einem wieder die Schrecken des Naziregimes vor die Augen. Ich werde nie verstehen, wie Menschen so grausam sein können und wie einige aus den folgenden Generationen heute wieder so getrieben vor Fremdenhass sein können. Wer denkt, eine Politik wie die der AfD oder nationalistischer Parteien, wäre auch nur ansatzweise richtig, der ist in meinen augen schlichtweg zu dumm und ignorant, um aus der Vergangenheit zu lernen!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book quite enthralling. The details are absolutely astounding both in their enormity and abhorrence but also in the clarity of recollection: it is only near the end of the book that we uncover how this has been possible for the writer to achieve. It's difficult to understand the pain that these recollections must have caused Adolf; he is clearly a strong as well as a highly skilled man.
I did not understand the meticulous record keeping that the Nazi regime maintained throughout their atrocities.
We must never forget these FACTS, in the hope that similar events may be staved off anywhere in the world in the present and future.

[Javid Jafarov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Интересная история.

[Max Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the more fascinating episodes of WWII, this book chronicles the Nazi effort to counterfeit currency, primarily the British five-pound-note. A very detailed, well-written account, with photos, written by a prisoner who was one of the main players.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping memoir about the author’s horrific experience in Nazi concentration camps.

[Marie Kushner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating story told with lots of emotion but was stylistically choppy. It would have benefited with some skilled editing.

[Klerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

von der DDR Propaganda abgesehen ziemlich interessant

[Lorri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil’s Workshop: A Memoir of the Nazi Counterfeiting Operation, by Adolf Burger, is a compelling story of how Jewish concentration camp prisoners were forced to become involved in a forgery plot known as “Operation Bernhard“. The memoir is harrowing and intense in its content.

Burger became a part of “Operation Bernhard”, whereby he and other Jews were forced into production. They became forgers, and produced counterfeit British Pound Sterling notes. It was plot masterminded by the Germans. The team of counterfeiters included 142 Jews, from varying countries, who were prisoners at varying concentration camps.

As the story unfolded, it became a nonstop read for me. The events were unimaginable and inconceivable to my mind. The Devil’s Workshop is extremely intense, vivid and rich with minute details, and historical fact. It is an incredible memoir, unlike any I have read. It is invaluable as an educational tool, and historical resource. I highly recommend it to everyone.

[Heather's Mum · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 stars to the movie, The Counterfeiters (with subtitles) starring Karl Markovics, August Diehl and Devid Striesow was tramatic to me as the cruelties of war escape my reason.

3 stars- to the book... was easier to get through, but also not as "stick it in your heart and gut."

[Marcelo Lannes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still in the beginning

[Edwina Book Anaconda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating piece of history that I don't think many people know about.
Highly recommended.