The Third Reich: A Chronicle

by Richard Overy

The Third Reich was the twelve-year period (1933 to 1945) during which the Nazi Party held untrammelled power in Germany. Defined by the messianic, iconic figure of Adolf Hitler, self-proclaimed Fuhrer, it is perhaps the central era of twentieth-century history. Beginning with Hitler's election as German chancellor in January 1933, it witnessed the wholesale militarization of German society, the imposition of anti-Semitic legislation, mass persecution of Jews, communists, gypsies, homosexuals and Slavs in the Holocaust, and the pursuit of territorially aggressive policies (based on Hitler's concept of Lebensraum) that would lead to global conflict on an unprecedented scale, culminating in the decline and fall of Nazism. The Third A Chronicle charts the rise and fall of Nazi power in a concise and compelling month-by-month narrative of the period 1933-45, amplified by extensive quotations from letters, diaries and oral testimony, and accompanied by generously captioned and stunning images of the era - including portraits, maps, posters, seals, documents and other artefacts. Additional use is made of timelines and fact boxes to create a uniquely accessible and user-friendly companion to a tangled and difficult period in European history. Commanding, informative and sumptuous, and written by a scholar who is steeped in knowledge of the period, The Third A Chronicle brings the bloody realities of war, conquest and genocide vividly to life. It is the perfect book for anyone with a fascination for the twentieth century, World War II and the age of dictators.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Germany, War, Military Fiction, Holocaust

408 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2010

About the author

Richard James Overy is a British historian who has published extensively on the history of World War II and the Third Reich.

Educated at Caius College, Cambridge and awarded a research fellowship at Churchill College, Professor Overy taught history at Cambridge from 1972 to 1979, as a fellow of Queens' College and from 1976 as a university assistant lecturer. In 1980 he moved to King's College London, where he became professor of modern history in 1994. He was appointed to a professorship at the University of Exeter in 2004.

His work on World War II has been praised as "highly effective in the ruthless dispelling of myths" (A. J. P. Taylor), "original and important" (New York Review of Books) and "at the cutting edge" (Times Literary Supplement.)[

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written & a very engaging read. Not heavy going at all like some history books can be at times. Plenty of testimony & historical documentation from the times interposed with the narrative really bring it to life. highly recommend for anyone with an interest in C20th history

[Enlightened · Rating 5 out of 5]

Op de cover van dit boek staat o.a. "een compact overzicht" en "bestemd voor de jongere generatie". Wat dat compact betreft, met 400+ bladzijden in een klein lettertype ben je toch wel even zoet (ondanks de vele illustraties, niet alledaags in dit soort boeken). Verder reken ik mezelf (45 jaar) dan ook tot de jonge generatie, want ik kon dit boek uitermate appreciëren.

Het is geschreven in een aangename stijl, voorzien van vele illustraties doorheen het hele boek (nogal wat van dit soort literatuur moet het stellen met een aantal fotopagina's op twee of drie plaatsen in het boek), wat een meerwaarde is. Regelmatig staan er kaders met extra info over een specifiek onderwerp. Een minpunt zijn de kaarten, die wat verstopt helemaal achter het boek staan, veel te klein en in één geval zelfs onvolledig (een kaart waarop aangegeven zou moeten worden hoeveel Joden het nazi-regime per land heeft omgebracht; alleen staan er geen getallen in de daartoe voorziene kadertjes).

Los van die kaartjes dus een werk van hoge kwaliteit. Geen historisch overzicht van WOII (wat het ook niet pretendeert te zijn, zie de titel) maar een kroniek gaande van 1923 tot 1945, met nog een laatste hoofdstuk over de nalatenschap van het Derde Rijk. Een zeer volledig relaas wat mij betreft. Het plaatst alle gebeurtenissen nog eens in hun historische context.

Nu WOII verder en verder achter ons ligt is dit boek, door zijn opzet, zijn vormgeving en de aanwezigheid van uitgebreid beeldmateriaal het werk bij uitstek om de jongere generaties de gruwelen van de oorlog in herinnering te brengen. En zo begrijp ik ook helemaal "bestemd voor de jongere generatie".

[Zena Ryder]

I abandoned this. Too much of "this happened, and then this other thing happened". That doesn't make for an engaging story; it makes for very tedious reading. The book, Garden of the Beasts, is so good in part because it's centred around characters (who in this case, happen to be real people) and it has evocative descriptions. For a good story, you need characters, and you need some description of place so the reader can imagine what's happening.

[Dimitri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bearing this in mind, the battle narrative of WWII is limited in favour of the Holocaust.

[Jonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, highly informative with interesting documents of the time, in short presents a good overview of the Germany during the Third Reaich. Highly recommended!

[Ruben Lemmens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het is bijna onmogelijk om de volledige geschiedenis van Hitlers Derde Rijk (opkomst van de NSDAP, de langzame uitholling van de democratie, de radicalisering van Hitler en zijn aanhangers, de expansiepolitiek, de aanloop en verloop van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, de ondergang, en de erfenis ervan tot op heden, en dat allemaal in relatie tot de brede geopolitieke context) in een boekje van 400 blz. te gieten. Overy doet wel een heel verdienstelijke poging. Minpunt is dat hij zich vaak moet beperken tot heel bondige en droge omschrijvingen van gebeurtenissen, zonder details, maar ook vaak zonder verklaringen of inzichten. Dat is jammer.

Wat ik wel krachtig vind aan het boek, is dat je, dankzij de chronologische benadering van het verhaal, merkt hoe Hitler langzaam radicaliseert en extremer wordt in zijn binnen- en buitenlandse beleid, en met hem zijn partijvolgelingen (uit opportunisme of idealisme). Dat gebeurt al voor het begin van de oorlog, en zet zich uiteraard verder tijdens, met de gekende vernietigende gevolgen.

Zo geeft de auteur een belangrijke les voor het heden mee: zelfs al klinken extreemrechtse uitspraken of gedachten initieel niet heel radicaal of weinig beduidend, de kiem is wel aanwezig en die kan in de 'juiste' omstandigheden gevaarlijk escaleren. We mogen ze dus nooit relativeren.

[Robert Thorburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

History, but much more

This book is extensive and an engrossing read. The Chronicle of an organisation of Hate, the atrocities committed by the SS and Hitler’s other cohorts aren’t delved into in graphic details but you know they happened
Quite how the world today can redeem itself from the past is beyond me. Let’s hope lessons are learned
Highly recommended

[Joseph Walliker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth persevering with. Overy's chronicle of the third reich is moving, sensitive and everything that a history book should be. I want to read more beyond my a level in German history, and this piece of work is a great starting point. I want to read more into the pre-1939 years, and I want to learn more about the holocaust. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[Molly Carswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great introduction to the narrative. amazing source of primary sources for extra use and study. great follow on reading in bibliography.

[Goran Jakše · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book ever about Third reich

[Dominik Golob · Rating 3 out of 5]

632

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

As gripping as it was insightful. Would happily start it all over again.

[David Lowther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Overy has written one of many histories of Nazi Germany and this is one of the best. It is an absolute straightforward narrative covering all of the main themes and events. He illustrates the most important aspects of life in the Third Reich with eye witness testimony or diary extracts or personal recollections or war documents.

There are a number of appropriate illustrations and some excellent maps as well as a detailed bibliography and an thorough index (in the new Kindle editions you can click on a reference in the index and it takes you straight to the relevant page.

The Third Reich is an invaluable reference work and should take its place on the shelves alongside Richard Evans' Third Reich trilogy which is by far the best ever written on the period. Overy's book complements this very well.

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil (www.thebluepencil.co.uk)
davidlowtherblog.wordpress.com

[Grahambootle · Rating 2 out of 5]

two stars does look a bit mean when I can think of nothing that is really wrong with this book, it's a book full of facts and figures, and recollections of people who where around at the time. It just didn't grab me..

[Taylor]

Accurate, simple and easy to follow.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and easy read giving isight into history in a very straightforward and factual way.

[Julian Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick overview of the abomination that was the Third Reich. Well written, very easily read.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really straightforward and easy to read summary of the history of the Third Reich. This book would provide an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to lnow more about this period of history.

[Guillermo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about the key decisions by key people that decided the fate of the Reich, very light weight fluid reading, i specially liked the extra bits and trivia included, the photographs are great.
The ending about the concerns of modern germany about the history if the reich was specially enlightening.