Hitler and His Generals : Military Conferences from Stalingrad to Berlin, 1942-1945

by Adolf Hitler

The military conferences that Hitler had twice daily with his staff, where he directed the war, were transcribed by stenographers from 1942 to 1945 in the bunker. These authentic documents are the only record kept by the Germans of their highest military decisions at the critical moment when the war turned against them.

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

992 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Austrian-born Adolf Hitler, known as “der Führer,” from 1921 led the Nazi party of Germans with Mein Kampf , which from 1925 to 1927 embodies his fascist philosophy, which attracted widespread support; from 1933 served as chancellor of the Third Reich; after 1934 ruled as an absolute dictator; pursued aggressive nationalist policies; resulted in the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the subsequent outbreak of World War II as his infamous regime exterminated millions of persons, especially Jews of Europe; and with the imminent collapse, took his own life in 1945.

For role in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, people executed Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Franz von Papen served as chancellor in 1932 and then from 1933 as vice to 1934.


Adolf Hitler rose to power as the leader and then the title. He initiated conflict on 1 September 1939. Military operations closely involved him, who centrally perpetrated the genocide of millions of other victims. He committed his suicide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_H...

Reviews

[David A · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is not quite the kind of book one would read from start to finish. Its more useful as a work of reference and I like to use it in that manner as Im reading about various aspects of WWII to do with Hitler and his decisions at crucial junctures in the war. Depending on what battle or incident or aspect of the war I am reading about, I like to take out this book and read the conference record of it (if it featured, and all the main events do feature). It's almost as if you are there listening to Hitler and his generals planning their next moves.

The history of how the book actually came about is in itself a fascinating story. In 1942, Hitler was growing increasingly frustrated and angry with his Generals with what he deemed to be a lack of adherence to his military decisions and orders. So from September 1942 he directed that a transcript be made of the twice daily military conferences so as to put an end to the apparent confusion as to what he had directed and ordered at the conferences. Two stenographers thereafter worked in shifts at each conference and their verbatim transcripts of each conference were typed up thereafter and stored in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin.

Toward the end of April 1945, Hitler’s military historian, Major General Walter Scherff went to Berchtesgaden, (to where the transcripts had been removed from the Reich Chancellery) to see to their destruction due to the impending defeat of Germany.

The destruction was carried out by SS troops in early May 1945 near the village of Hintersee, about seven miles from Berchtesgaden. The transcripts and stenographic notes were placed in a large hole in the ground and set on fire. There endeth the story, or so thought Scherff.

However, on May 7 two of the original stenographers reported to local American military government administration offices, who had occupied Berchtesgaden and identified themselves and offered to assist in any way they could. They were sent to see George Allen who was working with the counterintelligence corps of the 101st Airborne Division. Allen listened to them recounting their tale of being Hitler's stenographers at his various headquarters and that they had sat in on every conference Hitler had held from September 1942 to April 22, 1945.

Allen also learned that one set of the transcripts and shorthand notes had been brought from Berlin to Berchtesgaden in April and that they had only recently been burnt near the village of Hintersee. Allen went out with the stenographers to visit the place where the transcripts were burned and to see if he could determine more fully what had happened.

Despite the attempted destruction of the transcripts some had survived, and from these and with the help of the stenographers, the conference transcripts were able to be re-written, assisted by the apparent excellent memory and recall of the stenographers. They knew their subject well and could also fill in the missing pieces from having so forensically observed Hitler at such close quarters for so long.

This book contains that material and is the first translation into English of the surviving transcripts. I have checked quite a few entries I have come across in various books quoting Hitler at various conferences, and the quotes match up pretty well. I find that it makes for fascinating reading to be following a particular topic on German strategy or tactics in a WWII book and to be able to take down Hitler and his Generals and to read the pretty much accurate conversation during the particular military conference as it was possibly spoken. It really helps put the particular topic in context. The notes accompanying the book are also a fantastic resource for further study if you are so inclined. Helmut Heiber and David M. Glantz have done a fantastic job of editing this work and the introduction by Gerhard L. Weinberg sets the context perfectly.

[Mark Merritt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t a read from cover to cover book, but just the transcripts of various conferences that survived. Fairly random, and not a story to get into. Good history, more of a source book by far than a fun read.

[Michael Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed book with over 400 pages of end notes about the surviving military conferences of Hitler and his high command. Interesting insight into what the German military were attempting to accomplish. Sadly most of the records were destroyed. Very dense subject matter so the casual reader might have a difficult time reading this 1200 page book.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want an insight into Hitler's personality, these conference notes will give you an interesting, if far from complete, glimpse. Some of the comments he makes in response to the briefings are almost comical. However, you can also see that Hitler was not the clueless boob that he's often portrayed as, and he does have some knowlege about the topics he's discussing. This book isn't for a casual reader by any means, but it is a key piece of primary source material for World War 2 enthusiast.

[Geeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. This book was better than the movie.