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The Reichsbank Robbery
In February 1945 the US Air Force launched the largest day time bombing offensive against Berlin, dropping over 2,250 tons of bombs on the German capital.
The Reichsbank, Germany’s state bank, received 21 direct hits. This left the building badly damaged, its vaults unsafe and meant that most of its contents were at risk.
The German authorities made the decision to take most of the Reichsbank’s treasure away and hide it for safekeeping. Some $200 million US in gold bars, weighing around 100 tons, plus much of the paper currency reserves, as well as a great deal of foreign currency (approximately $4 million in US currency alone) was sent in trains from Berlin.
All this loot was placed in a salt mine at a place called Merkers. This was captured intact by the US Army. After this disaster, the Germans spent the next six weeks transferring their remaining bullion and currency reserves around what remained of the Reich in armoured trains, an area that included parts of northern Italy, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany, looking for somewhere safe.
Much of the treasure actually either ended up back in Berlin, was stolen, disappeared or, was captured, mainly by American troops and the SS.
This novel, by Colin Roderick Fulton, imagines one plot which could have been enacted around this time. The mystery surrounding the locations and ultimate destiny of the liberated treasures provides fertile ground on which to impose such a fiction. Secrecy, intrigue, and fast paced action combine to create a well paced novel, sure to appeal to fans of wartime fiction.
The Reichsbank, Germany’s state bank, received 21 direct hits. This left the building badly damaged, its vaults unsafe and meant that most of its contents were at risk.
The German authorities made the decision to take most of the Reichsbank’s treasure away and hide it for safekeeping. Some $200 million US in gold bars, weighing around 100 tons, plus much of the paper currency reserves, as well as a great deal of foreign currency (approximately $4 million in US currency alone) was sent in trains from Berlin.
All this loot was placed in a salt mine at a place called Merkers. This was captured intact by the US Army. After this disaster, the Germans spent the next six weeks transferring their remaining bullion and currency reserves around what remained of the Reich in armoured trains, an area that included parts of northern Italy, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany, looking for somewhere safe.
Much of the treasure actually either ended up back in Berlin, was stolen, disappeared or, was captured, mainly by American troops and the SS.
This novel, by Colin Roderick Fulton, imagines one plot which could have been enacted around this time. The mystery surrounding the locations and ultimate destiny of the liberated treasures provides fertile ground on which to impose such a fiction. Secrecy, intrigue, and fast paced action combine to create a well paced novel, sure to appeal to fans of wartime fiction.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
371 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2012
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197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 3, 2013
Colin Fulton definitely knows his history and it is clear he has done a good amount of research for this book. He takes a series of real events, all of which he lays out in an appendix at the end of the book, and places his story around the edges of history that remain a mystery in real life. He takes this one step further by not only using well-known figures from history as a supporting cast but also lesser known but equal real members of the German government. Of all the historical fiction I have read Fulton has gone the furthest in grounding his story in real history, and the book is all the better for it.
One of the things I struggled with early on in this book was the characters. Not that they were poorly written. Nearly all of the major and supporting fictitious characters in the book feel very fleshed out and believable. The issue is that most of the protagonists in the book are people who by their very nature it is hard to like. One of the main characters in the book is an SS officer who keeps track of and account for all of the money stolen off the murdered prisoners in the concentration camp. It is difficult as a reader to sympathize and feel a connection to a character like that. To be fair as the book progressed Fulton managed to make the characters work out in a believable and satisfactory way without changing their evil nature. It is a tough line to walk and by the time I finished reading it I could only applaud Fulton’s success.
My only real complaint is how some of the language was used in the book. The author clearly has a fondness for the German language, and it was a detriment. As a book written in English nearly everything the characters say is in English for the reader, yet very often the author also has them say things in un-translated German. I found this fairly distracting because the jumping between languages would mean that most of the time the Germans are all speaking English to one another. While this is obviously not the case it makes those moments when the dialogue is in German feel even more out of place. German names and identifications I can accept but there is no reason for a character whose dialog has been presented in English for a chapter then say "come here" in German. Nearly every time this happened it pulled me out of the story.
That one complaint aside this is a really solid read and I enjoyed nearly every moment of it. If you are a fan of historical fiction or thrillers do yourself a favor and pick up The Reichsbank Robbery.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
One of the things I struggled with early on in this book was the characters. Not that they were poorly written. Nearly all of the major and supporting fictitious characters in the book feel very fleshed out and believable. The issue is that most of the protagonists in the book are people who by their very nature it is hard to like. One of the main characters in the book is an SS officer who keeps track of and account for all of the money stolen off the murdered prisoners in the concentration camp. It is difficult as a reader to sympathize and feel a connection to a character like that. To be fair as the book progressed Fulton managed to make the characters work out in a believable and satisfactory way without changing their evil nature. It is a tough line to walk and by the time I finished reading it I could only applaud Fulton’s success.
My only real complaint is how some of the language was used in the book. The author clearly has a fondness for the German language, and it was a detriment. As a book written in English nearly everything the characters say is in English for the reader, yet very often the author also has them say things in un-translated German. I found this fairly distracting because the jumping between languages would mean that most of the time the Germans are all speaking English to one another. While this is obviously not the case it makes those moments when the dialogue is in German feel even more out of place. German names and identifications I can accept but there is no reason for a character whose dialog has been presented in English for a chapter then say "come here" in German. Nearly every time this happened it pulled me out of the story.
That one complaint aside this is a really solid read and I enjoyed nearly every moment of it. If you are a fan of historical fiction or thrillers do yourself a favor and pick up The Reichsbank Robbery.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
May 27, 2016
The Reichsbank Robbery is a very enjoyable, action-packed work of historical fiction (WWII period in Germany). Little of the fiction I read offers as fast-paced and intricate a plot as Colin Roderick Fulton gives his readers in this work. If you have high standards in that respect, this novel could very well be one to satisfy your taste. The Reichsbank Robbery is unique in my experience in another key respect -- it is not in any way a psychological novel. It's almost the opposite of psychological, even though the reader is privy to summations of character thoughts given by the 3rd person omniscient narrator. I read a lot of literary fiction, and I cannot remember the last time I read a book like this one, if ever. Perhaps the best way to characterize this Fulton's storytelling is as extremely cinematic -- to the extent that it threw me for a bit of a loop because of the features of films (which I like) that it possessed and the absence of a literary style with which I am well familiar.
Rather than psychologically focused, the novel is strikingly visual in its entire orientation. Fulton articulates what is necessary to carry on the story's intricate plot, which is rich with historical detail. What we know about the characters we know from their external behavior first and foremost. Much of the text could be imagined acted out or produced on in with spare insight into the characters' thoughts.
Despite its divergence from the literary fiction I love best, I plan to read The Reichsbank Robbery a second time and widely recommend the experience to fans of historical fiction and first-rate plot twists as well as to fellow readers generally. After all, I think it's easy to enjoy to some extent - given you are ready for dark, war-related content.
Thanks for reading my thoughts -- hope they help someone! Please be advised I accessed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this work electronically through kind permission of the publisher (Casemate) on NetGalley.
Rather than psychologically focused, the novel is strikingly visual in its entire orientation. Fulton articulates what is necessary to carry on the story's intricate plot, which is rich with historical detail. What we know about the characters we know from their external behavior first and foremost. Much of the text could be imagined acted out or produced on in with spare insight into the characters' thoughts.
Despite its divergence from the literary fiction I love best, I plan to read The Reichsbank Robbery a second time and widely recommend the experience to fans of historical fiction and first-rate plot twists as well as to fellow readers generally. After all, I think it's easy to enjoy to some extent - given you are ready for dark, war-related content.
Thanks for reading my thoughts -- hope they help someone! Please be advised I accessed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this work electronically through kind permission of the publisher (Casemate) on NetGalley.
July 11, 2019
I'm being generous giving this novel three stars to be honest, with the advisory the writing is pedestrian and repetitive, with far too much detail. Clearly Fulton has done a lot of research and knows about WWII aircraft, for eg., but the narrative too often is bogged down in minute-by-minute description of characters' actions, thought processes, etc., stuff tbh I wasn't interested in that slowed the pacing right down and I skimmed sections.
There's a good story with plenty of exciting action, and the historical background is well done, interesting characters who are certainly not intended to be likeable or morally acceptable. A tendency to stereotypes is a weakness, particularly Sophia, a Jewish camp inmate rescued by an SS administrator who thinks they're in a romantic relationship. Of course we see things through his perspective and there are hints Sophia is NOT in love, but that aspect of the story made me uncomfortable and some readers might find it too problematic.
The book is simply too long and could've done with a good edit to cut the tendency to long-windedness, and address the way it tells what characters think/feel rather than showing us through their words and deeds.
If you're interested in wartime action thrillers and don't mind the flaws I've mentioned above then it's not a bad read. It's a bit WWII fanfic without a good beta reader. The idea is not far-fetched that German military and SS personnel saw the end was nigh in late 1944 and took steps to escape the collapsing Reich, seizing the opportunity to grab some of the money, gold and valuables stolen from victims of Nazi Occupation and genocide. Whether readers believe they should get away is something else altogether.
There's a good story with plenty of exciting action, and the historical background is well done, interesting characters who are certainly not intended to be likeable or morally acceptable. A tendency to stereotypes is a weakness, particularly Sophia, a Jewish camp inmate rescued by an SS administrator who thinks they're in a romantic relationship. Of course we see things through his perspective and there are hints Sophia is NOT in love, but that aspect of the story made me uncomfortable and some readers might find it too problematic.
The book is simply too long and could've done with a good edit to cut the tendency to long-windedness, and address the way it tells what characters think/feel rather than showing us through their words and deeds.
If you're interested in wartime action thrillers and don't mind the flaws I've mentioned above then it's not a bad read. It's a bit WWII fanfic without a good beta reader. The idea is not far-fetched that German military and SS personnel saw the end was nigh in late 1944 and took steps to escape the collapsing Reich, seizing the opportunity to grab some of the money, gold and valuables stolen from victims of Nazi Occupation and genocide. Whether readers believe they should get away is something else altogether.
June 27, 2019
Very good book!
I gave this fictional book a five star because it was not only deserving on the basis of being a really good WWII story but also because it is well researched and historically accurate.
I only wish we could’ve found out more about Sophia’s story and what her knew life held in store.
I guess the author left the door open for sequel!
I gave this fictional book a five star because it was not only deserving on the basis of being a really good WWII story but also because it is well researched and historically accurate.
I only wish we could’ve found out more about Sophia’s story and what her knew life held in store.
I guess the author left the door open for sequel!
October 23, 2013
This is historical wartime fiction at its best! The history on which this novel is based occurred in wartime Germany in February of 1945. The US Air Force successfully pulled off daring daytime raids, dropping over 2250 tons of bombs over the capital city of Berlin. The State Bank of Germany sustained 21 direct hits, leaving the building unsafe and its contents extremely vulnerable.
The German government began moving vast amounts of gold bars, jewels, securities, and millions in currency of various nations including around $4 million in US currency alone, by armored train to areas they deemed more secure. Multiple robberies are on record and much of the loot was never recovered.
Author Colin Fulton has imagined a daring attempt at a colossal heist by desperate men who had nothing to lose as they saw the country they had fought for losing ground and at the same time several among them were becoming aware of the atrocities that had been perpetrated in secret on the hapless Jewish population of Germany and its conquered neighboring nations. They knew what would become of them if they fell into the hands of the Allies, and knew what would happen if the German government caught wind of their plan.
The idea originates in the SS, the most feared of the German military. The plotters are originally a small group, but they have to enlarge their number as the plan fleshes itself out. Sturmbannfuhrer (Major) Friedrich Schonewille is one of the first drawn in. His role in the SS is to visit the concentration camps and audit the valuables and cash that are taken from the Jews before they are exterminated. He then takes these items to the Reichsbank to deposit on a regular basis. The author notes that he is one of the few who is ambivalent about the German dogma, but actually enjoys the prestige and power that he never experienced til he put on the uniform
As the plan evolves, the parties realize that they must also be prepared to leave Germany and disappear, assuming they can survive the robbery attempt. Schonewille's half brother is a German pilot, both highly skilled and highly decorated. The brothers were not raised together and are not close, but the pilot is persuaded by his older brother. Their father, a German general stationed in Norway has some pull when it comes to securing a plane that could get the thieves out of the country, so he becomes one of the cabal as well.
Absolute secrecy is a must, and there must be guarded trust among the plotters to achieve any progress. It is slow progress and the men become increasingly distraught as they come closer and closer to their own personal D-Day. A riveting story with details about banks, planes and the hierarchy of the German military, not to mention great character development of some flawed and desperate men, that will keep the reader involved until the very last page.
This book was previously published in Great Britain and should receive wide acclaim in the US as well. I read an e-copy courtesy of NetGalley and recommend it highly!
The German government began moving vast amounts of gold bars, jewels, securities, and millions in currency of various nations including around $4 million in US currency alone, by armored train to areas they deemed more secure. Multiple robberies are on record and much of the loot was never recovered.
Author Colin Fulton has imagined a daring attempt at a colossal heist by desperate men who had nothing to lose as they saw the country they had fought for losing ground and at the same time several among them were becoming aware of the atrocities that had been perpetrated in secret on the hapless Jewish population of Germany and its conquered neighboring nations. They knew what would become of them if they fell into the hands of the Allies, and knew what would happen if the German government caught wind of their plan.
The idea originates in the SS, the most feared of the German military. The plotters are originally a small group, but they have to enlarge their number as the plan fleshes itself out. Sturmbannfuhrer (Major) Friedrich Schonewille is one of the first drawn in. His role in the SS is to visit the concentration camps and audit the valuables and cash that are taken from the Jews before they are exterminated. He then takes these items to the Reichsbank to deposit on a regular basis. The author notes that he is one of the few who is ambivalent about the German dogma, but actually enjoys the prestige and power that he never experienced til he put on the uniform
As the plan evolves, the parties realize that they must also be prepared to leave Germany and disappear, assuming they can survive the robbery attempt. Schonewille's half brother is a German pilot, both highly skilled and highly decorated. The brothers were not raised together and are not close, but the pilot is persuaded by his older brother. Their father, a German general stationed in Norway has some pull when it comes to securing a plane that could get the thieves out of the country, so he becomes one of the cabal as well.
Absolute secrecy is a must, and there must be guarded trust among the plotters to achieve any progress. It is slow progress and the men become increasingly distraught as they come closer and closer to their own personal D-Day. A riveting story with details about banks, planes and the hierarchy of the German military, not to mention great character development of some flawed and desperate men, that will keep the reader involved until the very last page.
This book was previously published in Great Britain and should receive wide acclaim in the US as well. I read an e-copy courtesy of NetGalley and recommend it highly!
October 14, 2013
I enjoyed the story overall. I think my only criticism would be that, mostly towards the beginning of the book, things were overly repeated. At least that's how I felt upon reading it. I haven't re-read it so maybe if I do I can see if it really is that way or just a weird perceived notion I got through my first read.
September 29, 2013
What an awesome read, I received a copy though Netgalley and I was quite impressed. It was a very well designed story that "could" have happened in the closing days of World War II. My only beef with the story was the use of US Air Force instead of it's rightful name the Army Air Force but again a small detail that was missed as the writer is not from the United States.
August 15, 2013
Excellent WW2 Thriiler! I didn't want to put it down!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews