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He Was My Chief: The Memoirs of Adolf Hitler's Secretary
by
"A rare and fascinating insight into Hitler's inner circle." --Roger Moorhouse, author of Killing Hitler
As secretary to the F�hrer throughout the time of the Third Reich, Christa Schroeder was perfectly placed to observe the actions and behavior of Hitler, along with the most important figures surrounding him. Schroeder's memoir delivers fascinating insights: she notes his ...more
As secretary to the F�hrer throughout the time of the Third Reich, Christa Schroeder was perfectly placed to observe the actions and behavior of Hitler, along with the most important figures surrounding him. Schroeder's memoir delivers fascinating insights: she notes his ...more
ebook, 272 pages
Published
August 19th 2009
by Frontline Books
(first published 1985)
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Start your review of He Was My Chief: The Memoirs of Adolf Hitler's Secretary
I give this this book 4 stars for the historical information only. That being said I have serious issues with Fraulein Schroeder. All my own personal feelings. From her writing I get the distinct impression she supported Hitler and enabled him. To me that makes her just as guilty as the rest in crimes against humanity. Others may not agree as is their right but this is the way I feel. I do not feel sorry for what happened to her. She deserved it.
Christa Schroeder was a long-serving secretary to Adolph Hitler and other Nazi Party elite. Her matter-of-fact insider’s account is an intimate view of Hitler’s inner circle right up its final days. Her book is an excellent companion to the classic autobiographical account by Traudl Junge, Hitler’s Last Secretary. Both give an insider’s view of a much softer and gentler Adolph Hitler. Just as I noted in my 2013 review of Junge’s book, Schroeder also shows us something of the charmer that Hitler
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I picked up this book thinking it was going to be just like all the other books about Hitler, Crazy, callous, inhuman or just the opposite Godlike, Kind, visionary. So it was nice to read a book that was more or less written by a self centered lonely deluded creature. She is Hitler’s secretary and as such is privy to most of his intimate details but yet she maintains she knows nothing about the war crimes. I was captured by the book and frankly disturbed by the things I have in common with one o
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good for the day to day small stuff of being in the entourage. Extremely careful not to use the word Jew or to allude in almost any way to the Nazi policy towards the Jews, she picks her way through the minefield, giving away very little of herself, except to show us she was not very astute at judging character. At one point she suggests to Hitler that Himmler would be a good successor, because the people like him. Really? It would also seem she had some kind of dislike for Traudl Junge, as she
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Interesting read for two reasons: The everyday descriptions that paint a picture of this (weird) human being called Adolf Hitler - and the just as mundane stories about daily life in Hitler's inner circle, including the dark belief in the rightousness of The Third Reich's horrendous ambitions.
The book could have benefited from a more strict and focused editing, though. That might for example have ensured that the chapter about The Russian Campaign was actually about The Russian Campaign, and not ...more
The book could have benefited from a more strict and focused editing, though. That might for example have ensured that the chapter about The Russian Campaign was actually about The Russian Campaign, and not ...more
This woman was one of the secretaries who was with Hitler the longest. She writes about her life with Hitler in a very forthright manner. Some of her information I had read in other books. She did not rate herself too high even though she was quite close to Hitler. She acknowledged the other secretaries' importance, for instance.
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Schroeder provides some interesting behind the scenes views of Hitler and his inner circle. It's an interesting memoir in the fact that she never really discusses politics or discusses any remorse. Has a bad habit of going off on tangents, though.
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Memoirs by members of Hitler's inner circle are always fascinating, and this one is no exception.
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Dear god. wow.
I came to this book after having read "I Was Hitler's Chauffeur : The Memoir of Erich Kempka". (which is said to be 1 of 3 memoirs by those close to Hitler and worth reading) This book is in contrast to the rigid surreal picture of Hitler that book painted. I guess the most significant thing I can say about this book is:
1. In this book, You get a sense of what Hitler is doing and how it's different from what other despots and scum (let's call them what they are) like Stalin, Mao, ...more
I came to this book after having read "I Was Hitler's Chauffeur : The Memoir of Erich Kempka". (which is said to be 1 of 3 memoirs by those close to Hitler and worth reading) This book is in contrast to the rigid surreal picture of Hitler that book painted. I guess the most significant thing I can say about this book is:
1. In this book, You get a sense of what Hitler is doing and how it's different from what other despots and scum (let's call them what they are) like Stalin, Mao, ...more
I read this book out of curiosity to find out what Hitler was like behind the public facade when he was backstage with his personal staff. I had done some research on the subject myself, but other books of the interest seemed to be written to provoke spotlight publicity and sensationalism by those who professed to work for him on a personal level, as a chauffeur or a secretary, or a bodyguard. I am not questioning the validity of their work experience, personal integrity, or character but the in
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Okay; another Hitler/WW II-related book... I had intended to avoid those for a while, but saw this in the library "new books" section and had to pick it up.
It's pretty much what the title says it is -- the memoirs, drawn from her diaries of the time, of having been Hitler's secretary from the early 1930's until the end. Interesting to have that "inside look" of the every-day man. Her belief in him and his aims held right through to the end, and I don't think she goes deeply enough into what it ...more
It's pretty much what the title says it is -- the memoirs, drawn from her diaries of the time, of having been Hitler's secretary from the early 1930's until the end. Interesting to have that "inside look" of the every-day man. Her belief in him and his aims held right through to the end, and I don't think she goes deeply enough into what it ...more
Published after her death, this is not a chronological account of Schroeder's 12 years as one of Hitler's secretaries but rather a series of observations and comments about various aspects of Hitler's personality and life in what was essentially a royal court. There are frequent mentions of how boring and isolating the entire experience was. Schroeder claims to have known nothing about Nazi crimes as her work was limited to typing Hitler's speeches, letters, and other routine business. Although
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This is a must read for any period historian. Lots of good information and footnotes. It gives you a little information about the man (boss) and what he was like when he was not in front of the cameras. Its a good read, fast read. Frau Schroeder tells you what she knows, which was really not very much.
I would have liked to hear more from her about the contents of her dictation and what the speeches were and what the content of the letters and memos were. But over all its an okay book.
I would have liked to hear more from her about the contents of her dictation and what the speeches were and what the content of the letters and memos were. But over all its an okay book.
"Whenever I visit the opera I have to take care that my officers do not snore. One day during Tristan and Isolde, Heinrich Hoffmann nearly fell over the ledge out of the box. I had to wake Schaub up to tell him to give Hoffmann a shake. Brückner was behind me snoring. It was dreadful."
The trials and tribulations of being the Führer. ...more
The trials and tribulations of being the Führer. ...more
Diff PIC from the war.
More specifically the pov from the secretary where there are details of her boredom and frustrations of being locked up all day. Great stories of Hitler's youth, relations, love stories, etc. ...more
More specifically the pov from the secretary where there are details of her boredom and frustrations of being locked up all day. Great stories of Hitler's youth, relations, love stories, etc. ...more
The book by Hitler's secretary. Nothing new, nothing especially exciting, but if you hold a simplistic view on Hitler, as just the blood-thirsty monster - it will be useful to read.
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Intriguing inside account, just like Traudl Junge she was a secretary to the Fuhrer (altho Traudl began her work in 1942) and they both left remarkable testaments to these events
Interesting glimpse into the man Hitler.
Describing the behavior of Hitler during the WW2, pretty captivating. Well- written overall.
Fascinating story by Hitler's secretary.
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Her words is objective, it makes me to believe that Hitler is an insane bastard. But as a close typist for Hitler, she speaks for him with a more intimate tone, as if he is kind older man for her.
May 05, 2010
Denise
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
WW2, Holocaust, memoirs
Interesting biography from Christine Schroeder, one of Hitler's secretaries.
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El fue mi jefe: las memorias de la secretaria de Adolf Hitler marcan la primera vez que las notas de Schroeder se publican en inglés. El libro se publicó por primera vez en alemán (Er war mein Chef) en 1985, poco después de su muerte. Schroeder le pidió a Anton Joachimsthaler en 1982 que publicara sus notas. Joachimsthaler, una escritora técnica e histórica, conocía a Schroeder con quien sentía que podía hablar de sus experiencias, dado que cuando se conocieron, estaba escribiendo un libro sobre
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I gave this 5 stars because the author provides insight into the humanity of Adolf Hitler, the man, the leader and his love for Germany. This account is important because the victors have completely lied to us about Hitler, his numerous offerings of peace, and Hitler’s humanity. Christa Schroeder was a simple typist, for me, not even a secretary. That Schroeder does not offer political insight is acceptable, why would she be attending high level military or political meetings, she made it clear
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Dec 31, 2015
Razvan Zamfirescu
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
istorie,
memorii-biografii
Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste pe blogul meu
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Christa Schroeder a fost alături de liderul nazis din 1933 până la momentul sinuciderii acestuia. Portretul pe care Schroeder îl schițează din amintiri este unul pe care doar o persoană din anturajul intim al dictatorului îl putea face. Fascinația lui Schroeder față de Fuhrer se observă foarte ușor. Mitul conducătorului absolut, al liderului mesianic și-a lăsat amprenta asupra ei. Schroeder înc ...more
..........................................
Christa Schroeder a fost alături de liderul nazis din 1933 până la momentul sinuciderii acestuia. Portretul pe care Schroeder îl schițează din amintiri este unul pe care doar o persoană din anturajul intim al dictatorului îl putea face. Fascinația lui Schroeder față de Fuhrer se observă foarte ușor. Mitul conducătorului absolut, al liderului mesianic și-a lăsat amprenta asupra ei. Schroeder înc ...more
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