The Hitler Files: The Essential Facts

by Patrick Delaforce

Adolf Hitler is one of the most infamous men of the 20th century, and the legacy of his terrible crimes will live for centuries, but what do most people really know about him, beyond the scale of his atrocities? Many biographies are long and daunting, but The Hitler File is easily accessible and covers the life and actions of Hitler from birth right through to his death in 1945. What drove Hitler and his megalomania, and what brought about his, and Nazi Germany’s eventual downfall? At once fascinating, sobering, and far-reaching, Patrick Delaforce’s latest book roots out things that most readers won't know about the Nazi dictator; including his Olympic rivalry with the British, his youth as church acolyte and choirboy, school reports and teacher’s opinions, his art phase, and his relationship with Eva Braun, the "bird in a gilded cage."

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Napísať toto na tejto stránke, je minimálne zvláštne, ale:

Vážne nepotrebujete čítať knihu:

- ak dávate pozor na hodinách dejepisu,

- občas si radi pozriete horu filmov s tématikou II. svetovej a Hitlera

- alebo jednoducho dávate pozor, keď zapnete telku na náhodnom programe STV2, ktorú používate ako kulisu - z nejakého dôvodu je na STV2 vždy dokument o Hitlerovi alebo 2. svetovej.

Bolo to totiž veľmi, veľmi, veľmi, veľmi...krátke, stručné, a vo svojej stručnosti zdĺhavo nudné.
Zaujímavosti neboli až tak nové ak máte, čo to už zistené.
Zároveň je dosť šanca, že sa budete cítiť stratene v prípade, že sa v tématike neorientujete.
Fakty sú podávané bez ladu a skladu akoby sa len tak sypali z rukáva a vy sa nestačíte čudovať.
Zrazu sme v roku 1938, pričom pred pár sekundami bol rok 1920. Ak máte väčšie medzery a ste netrpezlivý, toto vám pokoj neprinesie. Pravdepodobne budete nervózny.
Je to podávané štýlom "na - bav sa" bez hlbšej analýzy, nejde sa do hĺbky problému, nepýta sa prečo to robil, čo ho k tomu viedlo?
Nakoniec o Hitlerovom živote a povahe vieme iba veľmi, veľmi málo.

Ale uznávam, vždy je fajn zistiť, že Hitlerovi ukradli farbičky a kto boli jeho obľúbení umelci (a ak zistíte, že tí umelci sú aj vaši obľúbení umelci, well, môžeme byť zarazení spolu, kamaráti).
Že väčšina jeho žien spáchala samovraždu alebo sa o ňu pokúsila, a že takmer každý nosil vo vačkoch kapsule kyanidu.

A verte, že ma nakoniec až tak viac dožierali nie neosobné úryvky z tejto knihy ale mená, ktoré som si vďaka nej neskôr vygooglila. Tak naštvaná som nebola ani pri hľadaní a nenájdení odpovede na testové otázky z chémie.

[Rey Félix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lo dice el título, ¿verdad?

[Bryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never before encountered this format.

As the title suggests it is a collection of facts about Hitler, but rather than bullet-pointed 'essential' pieces of trivia it is more akin to a short biography where the author made notes about all the most interesting things to mention but couldn't be bothered filling in the bits in-between.

Also strange and never before encountered is the author's clear bias, taking very much an active role in the promotion of Hitler and his cronies as being a force for evil. As someone who actually fought against the Nazis during the war Delaforce may be entitled to such a stance, but it still seems somewhat odd in an historical publication which shares shelf space with so many authors who go to great lengths to be impartial. Although as a one-off it is a welcome change I generally prefer to let Nazi atrocities speak for themselves, the hatred of an old man unnecessary in swaying my opinion that Hitler was a bad person.

Overall I enjoyed the extremely short bursts of information which made it easy to read, especially the revelations concerning Hitler's youth, although some of Delaforce's sources may not be entirely reliable.

If you were wanting a quick re-cap of Hitler and the Third Reich you probably couldn't do much better than this book.

[Erlich Lõwi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A brief, easily accessible introduction to Hitler’s youth, rise to power and eventual downfall, though clearly far from being an objective biography. Tends to present a somewhat cartoonish, overly simplified perspective of Hitler and his staff, an impression moreover supported by the choice of illustrations by British caricaturists from 1933 to 1945. The short chapters sporadically skip from one topic to another, without strictly adhering to thematic or chronological order, at times needlessly repeating statements already made in previous paragraphs.

[Lokesh Joshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much in detail but a quick read. I was not knowing that hitler had a major major contribution for germal automobile revoultion. Perfectionist by nature and sports lover. Much to suprise he nearly ate same routine food for many years. Was vegeterial except fish slice in breakfast :).