Albert Speer: Conversations with Hitler's Architect

by Joachim Fest, Albert Speer

Albert Speer remains the most mysterious character of the leadership of the Nazi regime. He was the chief architect of the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler's confidant. Speer built the "Reichskanzlei" (official offices), discovered the "Lightdome" and was finally, in 1942, named as the minister for arms. But he characterised himself as apolitical, called Hitler's hatred of Jews an anomaly, and the conspirators of the 20th July placed Speer's name on their cabinet list.

Genres: History, Biography, Politics, War, World War II, Germany

220 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Joachim Clemens Fest (1926-2006) was a German historian, journalist, critic and editor, best known for his writings and public commentary on Nazi Germany, including an important biography of Adolf Hitler and books about Albert Speer and the German Resistance to Nazism. He was a leading figure in the debate among German historians about the Nazi period.

Reviews

[Bruno Gremez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The intriguing story of the only member of Hitler's inner circle who survived WWII and the verdict of the tribunal of Nuremberg. After 20 years in jail, Albert Speer tells us his version of the war and of what he knew (or did not know) about all what happened during that war. On the one hand, there is some charm in this figure of Albert Speer, who had superior education, was well mannered, and did everything he could at the end of WWII to save Germany from the last orders of Hitler to destroy everything and leave Germany in total ruins for the allies to take it over. On the other hand, there is always the same question: did he know? Did he know anything about the holocaust? Did he know anything about the labour camps? Remarkably, contrary to the other Nazis sitting in the Tribunal of Nurnberg, he will plead guilty. To be sure, he did not admit that he knew. But he admitted that he could have known, that he should have known. For that reason, he did not admit any personal responsibility, but he pleaded a collective responsibility. This has probably saved him from the death sentence, but has landed him 20 years in the prison of Spandau. A very intimate story about an unusual Nazi.

Review by Bruno Gremez

[Tõnis · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is not the most informative book on the architect of the Third Reich. I was also constantly annoyed by the unwarranted moral condescension by the author Joachim Fest (and Siedler and other historians quoted) who one feels were half the men Speer was.

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Fest’s writing. He doesn’t go down the beaten path of attributing every depravity and solely impure motivation to the subject of his book. Instead, he simply allows him to speak and studies him almost like a psychologist. That highlights the moral brokenness of Speer far more compellingly than any passages ridden with the most scathing epithets and condemnations.

One motif that I find particularly refreshing both in this book and in the 1999 biography is that, it ultimately doesn’t matter whether Speer knew of this or that particular crime of the regime. There have been quite a few “aha GOTCHAAA” articles and books of varying quality written by sensation-seeking historians; some did contribute to obtaining a better understanding of Speer’s role in the Nazi regime. However, even if we had nothing, him having a so-called “Billigung” of the atrocities of that magnitude and still choosing to condone them and let himself be seduced by his own ambition is arguably sufficient for at least a moral verdict.

Five out of five for intellectual rigour and refusal to take the cognitive shortcuts of the “alien species, evil incarnate” fashion.

[El Viejo Mochales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desde luego que son mucho más interesantes las preguntas y puntualizaciones de J. Fest que las respuestas poco convincentes del sincero falsario de Speer, arquitecto del Reich.
Aún así, el conjunto del libro resulta interesante.

[Mark Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and intriguing insight into the mindset one of the last surviving Nazi's operating within the context of a post-Nuremburg World. The book consists of interview notes and the Authors' introspection generated over the course of researching and writing the biography of Speer.

The insights provided by Speer into "the Old World"; it's construction, maintenance, and destruction is nothing short of apocalyptic. It left me grappling for an explanation as to how a convicted War criminal, whom sought to place the best possible gloss on the crimes of the past, saw out his days hoping that the post-Nazi World would offer both himself and his family "a normal life" in the wake of what went before. The very fact that Speer was "there" when the Reich came crashing down is haunting and intriguing in equal measure.


I have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone whom is looking for a now impossible insight into the mindset of a leading Nazi, and the process of "normalization" that he went through in order to die "a normal man".

[Jeroen Berndsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Fest describes his difficulties interviewing Speer and writing this book while telling Speer's story. It's breezily written for such a heavy subject and very engaging. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the psychology of the Third Reich. Especially with Speer, who always was more of an artist and intellectual then our prototype of the remorseless nazi, we as reader can wrestle to identify with (or not). Here we have this cultivated man, why...?! That's of course precisely Fest's question and Albert Speer: Conversations with Hitler's Architect tells us the story of the interactions between these two men and the version of his history Speer has decided to share with us.

[Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting and very insightful book about Speer - who some say was Hitler's only friend, which gives us a close look at the inner circle - especially the architectural dreams that they shared together. From the megalomaniacal plans for the rebuilding of Berlin (Germania) to the final farewell in the Reich Chancellery, Fest leaves very few stones unturned. Very intriguing how close Fest got to cracking Speer's shell and admirable how much information he was able to write down from the conversations over the years. I can see why Fest is a groundbreaking Third Reich historian.

[Yago de Artaza Paramo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutelly irrelevant and uninteresting unless you are a fan of Albert Speer.

[Marie Østvold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting read, if you are interested in Speer and the psychology of the Third Reich.

[Brianna]

I didn't finish because I simply didn't feel compelled to. Having spent weeks researching Albert Speer for an essay, I'm happy to put this down!