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Hitler's Demons: A Novel of German Resistance
Hitler's demons is the Kindle Edition of "An Obsolete Honor"
Hitler's demons were those Germans who opposed his diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law. This novel is a tribute to the brave men and women of Germany's resistance and tells the true story of the Valkyrie Plot to assassinate Hitler. Award winning novelist Helena P. Schrader earned her PhD in History from the University of Hamburg with a ground-breaking dissertation on the originator of the Valkyrie Plot, General Friedrich Olbricht. She brings to this novel the insight into the historical context and understanding of the people involved from a decade of research and hundreds of personal interviews with survivors of the Nazi regime.
Hitler's demons were those Germans who opposed his diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law. This novel is a tribute to the brave men and women of Germany's resistance and tells the true story of the Valkyrie Plot to assassinate Hitler. Award winning novelist Helena P. Schrader earned her PhD in History from the University of Hamburg with a ground-breaking dissertation on the originator of the Valkyrie Plot, General Friedrich Olbricht. She brings to this novel the insight into the historical context and understanding of the people involved from a decade of research and hundreds of personal interviews with survivors of the Nazi regime.
557 pages, ebook
First published March 13, 2008
About the author
Helena P. Schrader
37 books119 followersHelena P. Schrader earned a PhD in History from the University of Hamburg with a ground-breaking biography of a leader of the German Resistance to Hitler. After a number of years in the private sector, she was commissioned in the U.S. Foreign Service and served as an American diplomat in Africa and Europe. She retired in December 2018.
Her non-fiction publications include "Sisters in Arms: The Women who Flew in WWII," "The Blockade Breakers: The Berlin Airlift," and "Codename Valkyrie: General Friederich Olbricht and the Plot against Hitler," an English-language adaptation of her dissertation. Helena has published eighteen historical novels and won numerous literary awards, including “Best Biography 2017” from Book Excellence Awards and “Best Historical Fiction 2020” from Feathered Quill Book Awards. Her most recent release, "Where Eagles Never Flew: A Battle of Britain Novel," was a finalist in the 2021 Book Excellence Awards and the Feathered Quill Book Awards.
For more on her publications, works-in-progress, reviews and awards visit: http://helenapschrader.com
Her non-fiction publications include "Sisters in Arms: The Women who Flew in WWII," "The Blockade Breakers: The Berlin Airlift," and "Codename Valkyrie: General Friederich Olbricht and the Plot against Hitler," an English-language adaptation of her dissertation. Helena has published eighteen historical novels and won numerous literary awards, including “Best Biography 2017” from Book Excellence Awards and “Best Historical Fiction 2020” from Feathered Quill Book Awards. Her most recent release, "Where Eagles Never Flew: A Battle of Britain Novel," was a finalist in the 2021 Book Excellence Awards and the Feathered Quill Book Awards.
For more on her publications, works-in-progress, reviews and awards visit: http://helenapschrader.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 6, 2022
I was expecting a protagonist role for the ringleaders of the 20th of July plot to kill Hitler instead of a secondary character as the main lead, but I was still impressed by the level of research that went into this novel, as it includes interviews with surviving plotters, such as Boeselager, Hammerstein, Bussche, and Schlabrendorff, and widows & co-conspirators of the executed plotters, such as the ladies Olbricht, Yorck von Wartenburg, and Trott zu Solz. The number of survivors Helena Schrader has reached out to for their input is well over a hundred. That's seriously impressive! Having known a descendant from someone involved in this same plot, I am aware that it's not easy to get them to talk at length about these experiences. It requires time and trust as well as mutual respect to get them to talk.
I only wish the story in this novel had more bite, a little more viscerality and pathos given the high stakes and the crushing outcome, because it has a bit of a feel of detachment and lack of punch, mostly because of the main character not being as compelling as the storyline deserves. I suspect using one of the more involved plotters as the main character would've worked much better in this regard, and if it had been up to me, I'd have voted for two real-people POVs to show both the military and the civilian sides of the Valkyrie plot, perhaps Boeselager for the uniformed side and Countess Marion for the civilian side. The novels that exist about this plot generally use a fictional character or take up Stauffenberg only, so sometimes one forgets there were many others implicated that are just as interesting or more. Anyway, I enjoyed this novel very much, it's different from others, and, once more, I can't praise the research highly enough! That's the most important part, after all: truthfulness to the historical facts.
I only wish the story in this novel had more bite, a little more viscerality and pathos given the high stakes and the crushing outcome, because it has a bit of a feel of detachment and lack of punch, mostly because of the main character not being as compelling as the storyline deserves. I suspect using one of the more involved plotters as the main character would've worked much better in this regard, and if it had been up to me, I'd have voted for two real-people POVs to show both the military and the civilian sides of the Valkyrie plot, perhaps Boeselager for the uniformed side and Countess Marion for the civilian side. The novels that exist about this plot generally use a fictional character or take up Stauffenberg only, so sometimes one forgets there were many others implicated that are just as interesting or more. Anyway, I enjoyed this novel very much, it's different from others, and, once more, I can't praise the research highly enough! That's the most important part, after all: truthfulness to the historical facts.
April 30, 2022
This novel evolved over three decades, during two of which I lived and worked in Berlin, Germany. It incorporates extensive primary and secondary research conducted in what was then East and West Germany. In fact, I was the first Westerner to gain access to certain relevant materials in East Germany. I also conducted interviews with well over 100 survivors of Nazi Germany.
Some of those I interviewed turned into friends, and we carried on unending dialogues about the subjects and themes described in this book: the nature of evil, the insidious moral corruption that spreads like cancer even to healthy organs in a society ruled by criminals, the power of self-deception, the limits of conscience, God’s role in human affairs, and much more. The stories told to me by the witnesses of the period have been worked into the fabric of this novel, as have their understanding and explanations of the entire period, society and regime. Sometimes those perceptions are contradictory. That is the nature of the human experience.
Among the survivors of the German Resistance whom I had the privilege to later call friends were, first and foremost, Ludwig Freiherr von Hammerstein, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche, Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager, Eva Olbricht, Friedrich Georgi, Marion Graefin Yorck von Wartenburg, and Clarita von Trott zu Solz. It was an honor – which I have yet to earn – that these courageous, bright and warm-hearted people welcomed me into their homes, shared their memories and feelings with me, and encouraged me to persist in this difficult project.
Obviously, there are millions of other witnesses whom I was not able to interview. Every person who endured the National Socialist regime, whether as an enthusiastic supporter or as an opponent, has a unique perspective and a personal story. This book cannot encompass all those stories, but it does attempt to provide a spectrum of experiences and attitudes. Furthermore, as someone who lived for more than 20 years in Berlin, embedded completely into the society both linguistically and professionally, I am confident that the social and cultural atmosphere portrayed in this novel is authentic. Last but not least, the polaces described are places I personally visited.
Some of those I interviewed turned into friends, and we carried on unending dialogues about the subjects and themes described in this book: the nature of evil, the insidious moral corruption that spreads like cancer even to healthy organs in a society ruled by criminals, the power of self-deception, the limits of conscience, God’s role in human affairs, and much more. The stories told to me by the witnesses of the period have been worked into the fabric of this novel, as have their understanding and explanations of the entire period, society and regime. Sometimes those perceptions are contradictory. That is the nature of the human experience.
Among the survivors of the German Resistance whom I had the privilege to later call friends were, first and foremost, Ludwig Freiherr von Hammerstein, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche, Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager, Eva Olbricht, Friedrich Georgi, Marion Graefin Yorck von Wartenburg, and Clarita von Trott zu Solz. It was an honor – which I have yet to earn – that these courageous, bright and warm-hearted people welcomed me into their homes, shared their memories and feelings with me, and encouraged me to persist in this difficult project.
Obviously, there are millions of other witnesses whom I was not able to interview. Every person who endured the National Socialist regime, whether as an enthusiastic supporter or as an opponent, has a unique perspective and a personal story. This book cannot encompass all those stories, but it does attempt to provide a spectrum of experiences and attitudes. Furthermore, as someone who lived for more than 20 years in Berlin, embedded completely into the society both linguistically and professionally, I am confident that the social and cultural atmosphere portrayed in this novel is authentic. Last but not least, the polaces described are places I personally visited.
June 11, 2021
This novel evolved over three decades, during two of which I lived and worked in Berlin, Germany. It incorporates extensive primary and secondary research conducted in what was then East and West Germany. In fact, I was the first Westerner to gain access to certain relevant materials in East Germany. I also conducted interviews with well over 100 survivors of Nazi Germany.
Some of those I interviewed turned into friends, and we carried on unending dialogues about the subjects and themes described in this book: the nature of evil, the insidious moral corruption that spreads like cancer even to healthy organs in a society ruled by criminals, the power of self-deception, the limits of conscience, God’s role in human affairs, and much more. The stories told to me by the witnesses of the period have been worked into the fabric of this novel, as have their understanding and explanations of the entire period, society and regime. Sometimes those perceptions are contradictory. That is the nature of the human experience.
Among the survivors of the German Resistance whom I had the privilege to later call friends were, first and foremost, Ludwig Freiherr von Hammerstein, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche, Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager, Eva Olbricht, Friedrich Georgi, Marion Graefin Yorck von Wartenburg, and Clarita von Trott zu Solz. It was an honor – which I have yet to earn – that these courageous, bright and warm-hearted people welcomed me into their homes, shared their memories and feelings with me, and encouraged me to persist in this difficult project.
Obviously, there are millions of other witnesses whom I was not able to interview. Every person who endured the National Socialist regime, whether as an enthusiastic supporter or as an opponent, has a unique perspective and a personal story. This book cannot encompass all those stories, but it does attempt to provide a spectrum of experiences and attitudes. Furthermore, as someone who lived for more than 20 years in Berlin, embedded completely into the society both linguistically and professionally, I am confident that the social and cultural atmosphere portrayed in this novel is authentic. Last but not least, the polaces described are places I personally visited.
Some of those I interviewed turned into friends, and we carried on unending dialogues about the subjects and themes described in this book: the nature of evil, the insidious moral corruption that spreads like cancer even to healthy organs in a society ruled by criminals, the power of self-deception, the limits of conscience, God’s role in human affairs, and much more. The stories told to me by the witnesses of the period have been worked into the fabric of this novel, as have their understanding and explanations of the entire period, society and regime. Sometimes those perceptions are contradictory. That is the nature of the human experience.
Among the survivors of the German Resistance whom I had the privilege to later call friends were, first and foremost, Ludwig Freiherr von Hammerstein, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche, Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager, Eva Olbricht, Friedrich Georgi, Marion Graefin Yorck von Wartenburg, and Clarita von Trott zu Solz. It was an honor – which I have yet to earn – that these courageous, bright and warm-hearted people welcomed me into their homes, shared their memories and feelings with me, and encouraged me to persist in this difficult project.
Obviously, there are millions of other witnesses whom I was not able to interview. Every person who endured the National Socialist regime, whether as an enthusiastic supporter or as an opponent, has a unique perspective and a personal story. This book cannot encompass all those stories, but it does attempt to provide a spectrum of experiences and attitudes. Furthermore, as someone who lived for more than 20 years in Berlin, embedded completely into the society both linguistically and professionally, I am confident that the social and cultural atmosphere portrayed in this novel is authentic. Last but not least, the polaces described are places I personally visited.
May 1, 2009
An Obsolete Honor follows the stories of different people and families in Germany during Hitler's rise to power. It shares their fears and concerns about Hitler and the direction their country is taking under his reign. We see the lengths that many Germans went through to follow their own beliefs and morals despite being always in danger of getting caught and tried for treason. We see the simple act of putting shoes on "Polish workers" and letting them live as humans instead of slaves, forging of credentials and id's for Jewish families, and the planning behind Operation Valkyrie, the plot to assassinate Hitler and take over the government.
It is very evident that there was a lot of research done for this book. The historical events are intertwined perfectly with the narrative and held my attention for most of the 568 pages. The drama is gripping and hard to turn away from. The only time I started to lose interest was for the few chapters that focused entirely on military tactics. It was easy to get lost and confused trying to keep track of all the regiments, officers and names of villages. However, the story continues quickly and the pace picks back up all the way to the conclusion.
I highly recommend everyone who is interested in WWII but is not a fan of reading historical texts like I am to read this. This book is perfect because it gives the history of the events with the drama of how it could have effected people's lives. It makes you feel like you are there and experiencing it as it happened.
It is very evident that there was a lot of research done for this book. The historical events are intertwined perfectly with the narrative and held my attention for most of the 568 pages. The drama is gripping and hard to turn away from. The only time I started to lose interest was for the few chapters that focused entirely on military tactics. It was easy to get lost and confused trying to keep track of all the regiments, officers and names of villages. However, the story continues quickly and the pace picks back up all the way to the conclusion.
I highly recommend everyone who is interested in WWII but is not a fan of reading historical texts like I am to read this. This book is perfect because it gives the history of the events with the drama of how it could have effected people's lives. It makes you feel like you are there and experiencing it as it happened.
June 21, 2016
An Obsolete Honor opens in 1938 and ends after the attempted coup (with an epilogue to detail the fates of the many characters, both historical and fictional). There are so many layers to this nearly 560 page story, and I know I can’t do it justice here. The book is intense and engrossing, and though there were a lot of characters and military strategy to follow, I was never bored or overwhelmed with details. However, if you’re not overly interested in this period in history, the book might be a bit much for you.
Full review on Diary of an Eccentric.
Full review on Diary of an Eccentric.
January 22, 2019
This is a very interesting historical fiction novel about German resistance against the Nazis and the attempt to assassinate Hitler to end Nazi rule. Helena Schrader, an expert on the Nazi era, researched her subject for thirty years, interviewing many survivors of Nazi Germany. Her theme is an authentic story of Valkyrie, an operation approved by Hitler to quell any uprising against him, but used by military men opposed to Nazi rule to seize control of government at the most opportune moment.
Schrader fleshes out her book with fictional characters: Philip von Feldberg, a German General Staff Officer; Alexandra von Mollwitz, the woman he fell in love with; other members of his and her families; and two young French women in occupied France. For a historian, Schrader is a very accomplished novelist. Her expert characterization of the dozen or more characters makes her book a real page turner. Some of her characters are real historical persons. Most of the conversations about Nazism, even when attributed to fictional persons, are based on the interviews Schrader gathered from survivors during preparation of her book.
Intriguing to me is Schrader’s account of how the Nazis systematically marginalized Christian influenced in Germany, proscribing certain Churches, even suppressing their youth organizations, and fostering a German Church that favored the Nazi government. Her book is an interesting account of how ordinary people tried to cope with an impossible situation, and, perhaps, a warning how easily similar things could happen to any nation that rejects its spiritual roots.
Schrader begins her book listing the cast of characters, which was very helpful in remembering which character is which as one reads the book and how the characters relate to each other. The story starts on Christmas 1938 and ends when the assassination fails on July 20, 1944. The last chapter relates how Hitler punished every person the Nazis felt were even remotely involved in the plot. Then follows a listing of how the characters, both historical and fictional, fared after the war.
Helena Schrader’s “Obsolete Honor” is a first class, very readable, historical novel about a sad episode in Western History that needs to be viewed more analytically. Reading this book not only informed me of things that really happened in Nazi Germany, it also absorbed me into the very-well-written lives of the fictionalized characters.
Schrader fleshes out her book with fictional characters: Philip von Feldberg, a German General Staff Officer; Alexandra von Mollwitz, the woman he fell in love with; other members of his and her families; and two young French women in occupied France. For a historian, Schrader is a very accomplished novelist. Her expert characterization of the dozen or more characters makes her book a real page turner. Some of her characters are real historical persons. Most of the conversations about Nazism, even when attributed to fictional persons, are based on the interviews Schrader gathered from survivors during preparation of her book.
Intriguing to me is Schrader’s account of how the Nazis systematically marginalized Christian influenced in Germany, proscribing certain Churches, even suppressing their youth organizations, and fostering a German Church that favored the Nazi government. Her book is an interesting account of how ordinary people tried to cope with an impossible situation, and, perhaps, a warning how easily similar things could happen to any nation that rejects its spiritual roots.
Schrader begins her book listing the cast of characters, which was very helpful in remembering which character is which as one reads the book and how the characters relate to each other. The story starts on Christmas 1938 and ends when the assassination fails on July 20, 1944. The last chapter relates how Hitler punished every person the Nazis felt were even remotely involved in the plot. Then follows a listing of how the characters, both historical and fictional, fared after the war.
Helena Schrader’s “Obsolete Honor” is a first class, very readable, historical novel about a sad episode in Western History that needs to be viewed more analytically. Reading this book not only informed me of things that really happened in Nazi Germany, it also absorbed me into the very-well-written lives of the fictionalized characters.
July 15, 2021
It couldn't have been easy, resisting Nazism in Hitler's Germany during World War II. The issues are complex. Especially so if your career is with the military. Here fiction is used well to explore the challenges faced by those who did not approve of the Third Reich. This is a very long books with a huge number of sub plots. and a vast cast of characters. This may put some people off reading it.
September 24, 2021
We are proud to announce that TRAITORS FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY by Helena P. Schrader has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.
May 4, 2012
Written by Helena P. Schrader, this book is set, as you would expect, in the 1930's and 40's and follows the lives of various German families as they muddle through the war with growing resentment for the man in charge of their country. Main characters include Baron Philip von Feldburg,, Marianne Moldenaeur, Alexandra v. Mollwitz and their various families.
Based on over 10 years of research and interviews with numerous survivors of World War Two, Helena has created a fictional work around the well-documented real life Valkyrie plot. It is no secret that there were, in fact, numerous German officers who disagreed with Hitler's idea of Nazism and resented the damage he was doing to their country and their troops.
The author gives the definition of Hitler's Demons as 'those Germans who opposed his diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law.'
Although I found this ebook a little hard to get into at first and struggled a little with the various military references, I found myself very sympathetic towards the main characters, especially Philip. As a military officer himself, he gets to see firsthand just how much damage Hitler is doing and although a little dubious at first, is more than enthusiastic eventually, to be involved in the Valkyrie Plot.
Schrader has cleverly created characters you almost fall in love with - Philip's younger brother Christian is charming and from the way he's described, extremely good looking; Marianne, an Aryan beauty, goes out of her way to help her Jewish friends, forever in fear of being caught; Yvette, the young French girl charmed by Christian's friend Dieter, aloof but interesting. She also introduces some characters you can't help but thoroughly dislike - Philip's younger sister, Theresa, brainwashed by her money and power hungry husband into believing every word that comes out of Hitler's mouth and who is forever insulting her family and those around them; Walther, Theresa's husband, who thinks that his newly successful status means he is above others.
I often found myself worrying for those involved in the plot, there were so many near misses where they could get caught - and they make numerous attempts on Hitler's life, leaving me with my heart in my mouth, wondering what would happen. As a fictional piece of work, I knew that Schrader could make anything happen and this kept me engrossed to the very last page. However, as we know, all assassination attempts on Hitler's life ended unsuccessfully and the author kept true to real life in that respect.
I was a little disappointed in the ending, it seemed abrupt and I felt a little annoyed that some great characters were lost in a few sentences, rather than given the sendoff I felt they deserved. However, I found this an interesting read. I enjoyed learning more about real-life characters the author included in the book, such as General Olbricht.
As a history geek and a total bookworm, I found this very interesting and would like to read more of the authors work. If you have any interest in Hitler's Germany, the Valkyrie Plot, history or just like reading in general, I'd definitely suggest giving this book a try.
I received this ebook free of charge for the purpose of review, however all opinions are my own.
Based on over 10 years of research and interviews with numerous survivors of World War Two, Helena has created a fictional work around the well-documented real life Valkyrie plot. It is no secret that there were, in fact, numerous German officers who disagreed with Hitler's idea of Nazism and resented the damage he was doing to their country and their troops.
The author gives the definition of Hitler's Demons as 'those Germans who opposed his diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law.'
Although I found this ebook a little hard to get into at first and struggled a little with the various military references, I found myself very sympathetic towards the main characters, especially Philip. As a military officer himself, he gets to see firsthand just how much damage Hitler is doing and although a little dubious at first, is more than enthusiastic eventually, to be involved in the Valkyrie Plot.
Schrader has cleverly created characters you almost fall in love with - Philip's younger brother Christian is charming and from the way he's described, extremely good looking; Marianne, an Aryan beauty, goes out of her way to help her Jewish friends, forever in fear of being caught; Yvette, the young French girl charmed by Christian's friend Dieter, aloof but interesting. She also introduces some characters you can't help but thoroughly dislike - Philip's younger sister, Theresa, brainwashed by her money and power hungry husband into believing every word that comes out of Hitler's mouth and who is forever insulting her family and those around them; Walther, Theresa's husband, who thinks that his newly successful status means he is above others.
I often found myself worrying for those involved in the plot, there were so many near misses where they could get caught - and they make numerous attempts on Hitler's life, leaving me with my heart in my mouth, wondering what would happen. As a fictional piece of work, I knew that Schrader could make anything happen and this kept me engrossed to the very last page. However, as we know, all assassination attempts on Hitler's life ended unsuccessfully and the author kept true to real life in that respect.
I was a little disappointed in the ending, it seemed abrupt and I felt a little annoyed that some great characters were lost in a few sentences, rather than given the sendoff I felt they deserved. However, I found this an interesting read. I enjoyed learning more about real-life characters the author included in the book, such as General Olbricht.
As a history geek and a total bookworm, I found this very interesting and would like to read more of the authors work. If you have any interest in Hitler's Germany, the Valkyrie Plot, history or just like reading in general, I'd definitely suggest giving this book a try.
I received this ebook free of charge for the purpose of review, however all opinions are my own.
April 27, 2012
The description on the book’s website indicates that it is a, “Novel of historical fiction about the German resistance to Nazism in WWII and of the Valkyrie Plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler.”
This book centered around a soldier by the name of Philip Baron von Felburg, who worked for the German Home Army which was a deeply undercover operation that on the surface was supportive of Hitler, all the while plotting his assassination. Surrounding Philip was his family, his co-workers, fellow officers above and below him and his tenants in the large home owned by his family, not to mention several other members of the community. Each person had their own opinion of the war and of Hitler and extreme care had to always be made to never say anything derogatory about Hitler at the risk of being arrested for treason.
The German Home Army was run by General Friedrich Olbricht, who since 1942 had been planning “Valkyrie,” a military coup to assassin Hitler in an attempt to gain power over the Nazi regime. After several attempts, the final failure was carried out by Claus Stauffenberg on July 20, 1944. He and 3 other members of the German Home Army were executed that same day without trial. Many lives were changed after this fateful day. Some men involved were jailed, put in concentration camps or executed. Many committed suicide to avoid being arrested by the Gestapo and likely questioned, tortured and then executed themselves. From the beginning, each member of the German Home Army knew the outcome would be “Valkyrie” or death, not to be confused with Hitler’s famous saying during the war of “Stand or die,” instructing his soldiers they are never to retreat by any means, resulting in the death of thousands of German soldiers because of another one of Hitler’s outlandish ‘rules.’
To reiterate, while this book was fascinating as a whole, I really struggled with the amount of characters involved on either side, the German language and the military terminology not to mention just the history itself. Again I admit my ignorance. I’m a smart girl, but history’s just not my strong point. That’s not to say I don’t recommend this book, however. There are many history buffs out there who would undoubtedly enjoy this book. I dare say my grandmother would have blown through it.
This book centered around a soldier by the name of Philip Baron von Felburg, who worked for the German Home Army which was a deeply undercover operation that on the surface was supportive of Hitler, all the while plotting his assassination. Surrounding Philip was his family, his co-workers, fellow officers above and below him and his tenants in the large home owned by his family, not to mention several other members of the community. Each person had their own opinion of the war and of Hitler and extreme care had to always be made to never say anything derogatory about Hitler at the risk of being arrested for treason.
The German Home Army was run by General Friedrich Olbricht, who since 1942 had been planning “Valkyrie,” a military coup to assassin Hitler in an attempt to gain power over the Nazi regime. After several attempts, the final failure was carried out by Claus Stauffenberg on July 20, 1944. He and 3 other members of the German Home Army were executed that same day without trial. Many lives were changed after this fateful day. Some men involved were jailed, put in concentration camps or executed. Many committed suicide to avoid being arrested by the Gestapo and likely questioned, tortured and then executed themselves. From the beginning, each member of the German Home Army knew the outcome would be “Valkyrie” or death, not to be confused with Hitler’s famous saying during the war of “Stand or die,” instructing his soldiers they are never to retreat by any means, resulting in the death of thousands of German soldiers because of another one of Hitler’s outlandish ‘rules.’
To reiterate, while this book was fascinating as a whole, I really struggled with the amount of characters involved on either side, the German language and the military terminology not to mention just the history itself. Again I admit my ignorance. I’m a smart girl, but history’s just not my strong point. That’s not to say I don’t recommend this book, however. There are many history buffs out there who would undoubtedly enjoy this book. I dare say my grandmother would have blown through it.
April 10, 2012
I think I’ve mentioned before how much I love to read anything historical and especially anything that has to do with WWII. Hitler, while one of the most horrible figures in history, does make for interesting reading.
Hitlers Demons revolves around one of the many failed attempts to assassinate Hitler in July, 1944 by military conspirators. The military plan, which was code-named ”Valkyrie”, involved senior officers of the German Home Army as they tried to gain power in a coup and free Germany from the Nazi regime. It follows the story of one of the primary developers of the plan, General Friedrich Olbricht, who had been planning the coup d’etat since 1942. Based on the authors definition,
Hitler’s Demons were those Germans who opposed his diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law.
As we all know, the assassination attempt failed but Hitler issued orders to have the local Gestapo and SS rounded up, detained and charged as anti-Nazi. Many of the men associated in this revolt were immediately executed, without a trial, with executed over the coming months.
This is a really good book especially if you enjoy history. I enjoyed learning more about Olbricht and Claus Graf Stauffenberg, and the parts they played in Valkyrie. It is amazing the amount of conspiracies that revolve around this story and its hard to know if the entire truth will ever be told. The one thing you definitely bring away is that there were many Germans that did try to rise up and free Germany from the Nazi regime.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading some of her others!
Hitlers Demons revolves around one of the many failed attempts to assassinate Hitler in July, 1944 by military conspirators. The military plan, which was code-named ”Valkyrie”, involved senior officers of the German Home Army as they tried to gain power in a coup and free Germany from the Nazi regime. It follows the story of one of the primary developers of the plan, General Friedrich Olbricht, who had been planning the coup d’etat since 1942. Based on the authors definition,
Hitler’s Demons were those Germans who opposed his diabolical regime on moral grounds. They sought to defend human dignity and restore the rule of law.
As we all know, the assassination attempt failed but Hitler issued orders to have the local Gestapo and SS rounded up, detained and charged as anti-Nazi. Many of the men associated in this revolt were immediately executed, without a trial, with executed over the coming months.
This is a really good book especially if you enjoy history. I enjoyed learning more about Olbricht and Claus Graf Stauffenberg, and the parts they played in Valkyrie. It is amazing the amount of conspiracies that revolve around this story and its hard to know if the entire truth will ever be told. The one thing you definitely bring away is that there were many Germans that did try to rise up and free Germany from the Nazi regime.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading some of her others!
August 3, 2012
This is a sponsored review. I received a free copy of the book and compensation to read and review. I was under no obligation to post a positive review and all my opinions are my own and honest.
I debated between a four or five star review for a couple minutes on account of the fact that I loved the story and the uniqueness of the story, but didn't like the way it ended. Five stars wins because it was truly a great read, and something that has not been told enough, especially in fiction. If you are a fan of historical fiction or enjoy reading stories about WWII, then you are going to enjoy this. I have friends reading it, or listening to me talk about it, that are not even big on history, simply because it is a different look at the resistance that took place during this horrible time.
No spoilers, but it basically tells the story of several characters that are all tied together in some way, but living at very different ends of the social scale and socio-economic status. Some of the characters are involved members of the Valkyrie plot and even thought hey work within the German government and military, we see that they have morals and do not believe that Nazism is the right path for Germany. You really get to see the same situation from very different angles, even within the same family.
It was a great read and one that I totally recommend. The author did a great job with all the tiny historical facts that other authors might neglect to acknowledge. Since I already mentioned it I will say that I wish the ending had been a little more than it was. It wrapped up way too fast for my liking.
I debated between a four or five star review for a couple minutes on account of the fact that I loved the story and the uniqueness of the story, but didn't like the way it ended. Five stars wins because it was truly a great read, and something that has not been told enough, especially in fiction. If you are a fan of historical fiction or enjoy reading stories about WWII, then you are going to enjoy this. I have friends reading it, or listening to me talk about it, that are not even big on history, simply because it is a different look at the resistance that took place during this horrible time.
No spoilers, but it basically tells the story of several characters that are all tied together in some way, but living at very different ends of the social scale and socio-economic status. Some of the characters are involved members of the Valkyrie plot and even thought hey work within the German government and military, we see that they have morals and do not believe that Nazism is the right path for Germany. You really get to see the same situation from very different angles, even within the same family.
It was a great read and one that I totally recommend. The author did a great job with all the tiny historical facts that other authors might neglect to acknowledge. Since I already mentioned it I will say that I wish the ending had been a little more than it was. It wrapped up way too fast for my liking.
May 1, 2012
I read Hitler's Demons, which was the Kindle version of An Obsolete Honor. Hitler's Demons is not your typical novel. Instead, it's more of a historical fiction reference guide, filled with deep characters and heart-wrenching side stories. Ultimately the reader realizes what sacrifices were made by those who wanted to overthrow the Nazi regime and how hard life was during the WWII era. I learned quite a bit about German culture and dialect, although I'm definitely no WWII scholar yet. At the end of the book you'll find a helpful glossary of the German military ranks as well as a thorough Historical Note. Hitler's Demons would be a deeply moving read for the WWII buff, especially those who are familiar with the Germany of that time period. It's obvious that Schrader is a gifted historian, able to weave exciting fiction into believable truth. I'm really interested in reading more of her works.
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of Hitler's Demons ebook to review, and was compensated monetarily for my review. I was not obligated to publish a positive review. The opinions stated are my own.)
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of Hitler's Demons ebook to review, and was compensated monetarily for my review. I was not obligated to publish a positive review. The opinions stated are my own.)
May 22, 2012
Anyone who has seen movies or documentary's that tell the history of what happened to so many innocent people during Hitler's regime know how horrific and despicable this man was! However, we rarely see or hear about those German citizens who during his reign where opposed to his beliefs but could not speak out for fear of their own lives or of their families. I have always wondered if there were any citizens who wanted to stand up and fight and Helena has answered this with this fictional story around the well known Valkyrie Plot. This was based on over 10 years of extensive research and although the characters are fictional it leaves you really understanding how they struggled to stand up for what was right.
June 8, 2012
This was one of the most interesting books I have read, very detailed, very accurate, (I found by researching for some time)
It was a new experience and a new type of book for me and for my blog and even always being fascinated by this era, it did take a little longer then normal for me to read this book. (it is a little long, and very detailed). But, I enjoyed reading this and was amazed to read about the author and her own life.
It touches base on every aspect of the Germans, the war, the people, and adds facts upon facts upon facts! Super book for anybody who loves to learn and do some research! Also an excellent book for moms (or dads), who are around children all day and want to keep their brain moving and growing;)
It was a new experience and a new type of book for me and for my blog and even always being fascinated by this era, it did take a little longer then normal for me to read this book. (it is a little long, and very detailed). But, I enjoyed reading this and was amazed to read about the author and her own life.
It touches base on every aspect of the Germans, the war, the people, and adds facts upon facts upon facts! Super book for anybody who loves to learn and do some research! Also an excellent book for moms (or dads), who are around children all day and want to keep their brain moving and growing;)
September 22, 2016
Gripping historical
This book recounts the story of the resistance within Germany against Hitler during WWII. Many of the characters are actual historical figure who worked for the German army unrecognized Hitler for the madman he was. Interwoven in the historical events are the stories of several Germans who worked in private ways - and public ways to help the people oppressed during this time.
I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I have read by Helena Schrader and this is no exception. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
This book recounts the story of the resistance within Germany against Hitler during WWII. Many of the characters are actual historical figure who worked for the German army unrecognized Hitler for the madman he was. Interwoven in the historical events are the stories of several Germans who worked in private ways - and public ways to help the people oppressed during this time.
I have thoroughly enjoyed every book I have read by Helena Schrader and this is no exception. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Want to read
July 21, 2012Will start the book next week. Am finishing "the rise and fall of the third riech" by William Shirer BBB
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