Inside the Third Reich by Albert Speer Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Inside the Third Reich
Book Review: Fascinating story from one of the few who lived to tell it
Summary: 5 Stars
I had seen the movie version of "Inside the Third Reich" many times before I read the book so I thought I knew what to expect. I should not have been surprised that I found the book even more compelling than the movie (which BTW was very well done!). Albert Speer was one of the small group of Hitler's paladins who was present from his early days until the end. With a seemingly average architectural career in front of him a young Speer is captivated by the Fuhrer during the early "days of struggle" (of the Nazi party) after Hitler's release from Landsberg prison. His awe of Hitler as a speaker and magnetic personality, and Hitler's longing to be an "artist" brought the two together and a mutual respect and friendship grew from these likes. According to Speer's accounts his only real contact with Hitler on a professional level in the early years (even through the first years of the war) was related to architecture. Speer was commissioned for several party and later state projects - this despite Prof.Todt and his organization being the chosen "party" architects. When Todt was killed in a plane crash, Speer filled the void. He and Hitler planned to rebuild Berlin (as Germania) as the seat of power in all of Europe (and the world?) in grand fashion. Many of Hitler's own personal drawings for structures, such as a great arch to dwarf the Arch de Truimphe, survived the war in Speer's possession and are presented in the book. These tidbits of "artisan" sidelines are a fascinating piece of history not found elsewhere. One sees another side of Adolf Hitler - one that however still retains his now expected megalomania. As the war progressed and Speer's connections with Hitler were strengthened he attained greater stature and eventually became the Minister of Armaments. In this capacity Speer really found his calling. Many books have touched on the genius that was Speer's in terms of war production. Under Speer's reign, despite the western allies and Russian's closing in from either side and continual air bombardment, war production continued to increase right up to the last couple of months of the war. This is an amazing testament to Speer and his thoroughly Germanic approach to production. It however required slave labor on the backs of hundreds of thousands from the "Minderwertigen" (inferior races), which the Nazi movement looked to erase (and tried very hard to do) from existence. While Speer is one of the few Nazi's who stated that ALL Germans were responsible for the war and it's atrocities - he has often been called the "Good Nazi" (sarcastically) for his statements - he does not really ooze remorse for his slave labor program, which kept the war moving and continued to cause the deaths of so many. He does however make a strong point in these memoirs to give the reader the clear impression that he did everything he could at the end - when he apparently came to his better senses - to end the war and its associated suffering. These claims, from most accounts, seem to be merited. Yet many in the Nazi regime had changes of heart as the walls closed in so we should not have expected anything less from someone of Speer's intelligence.
All in all this book as a really good read with plenty of material not found elsewhere (unless rehashed from Speer's works themselves) to chew on. Whether Speer was a "Good Nazi" or not is not a judgment I would make. I do however feel that he left a Good account of the rise and fall of the Nazi movement and provides plenty of insight into the inner workings of Hitler's power elite. This book should adorn all bookshelves of serious WWII history students.
Book Review: Good Historical Overview, Yet a Bit Dry
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one of the must reads in you are interested in Nazi Germany. The pre 1930's info about Speer did not interest me, I was not looking for his autobiography, but the "inside account" of his years in the inner circle is very interesting. I really enjoyed the detail of the personalities of the German leaders he dealt with. It is interesting to me that the building projects directed or proposed by Hitler were just as much an extension of his ego as was the military conquests. I think the book also gives you a correlated view of what Speer did at the trails, where he said yes what they did was wrong and he was sorry, yet in the book he does not fully take responsibility for the deaths of the thousands of slave labors he used to arm Germany. I felt that he was trying to use this book to further the remembrance of him as not one of the truly [bad] members of the leadership. The book is good but the writing could have been better.Book Review: A fascinating insight into Nazi Germany
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is a fascinating insight into Nazi Germany and its key personalities, written by one of them. It contains the first explanation I have ever read of why intelligent and conciable individuals became caught up in Nazism, and is valuable for that reason alone.The bulk of the book describes key people and events at first hand, and frequently surprises with a very different view to the common one. For example Hitler is portrayed as a bumbling amateur, but with an amazing personal ability to inspire and lead. The Allies' victory was assured mainly by a catalogue of mistakes by the German leadership, some almost incredible. At the same time, Speer identifies several Allied mistakes which lengthened the war - for example failing to follow through and capitalize on the Dambuster raid, or those targeted at ball bearing production.
Although a long book, it's well-written and easy to read, and I found it difficult to put down. Amazingly, given the writer and subject matter, there are even some humorous overtones. Related stories and incidents are grouped together rather than in a strict chronology - this takes a little getting used to. More disappointing is the absence of any diagrams or maps. Architecture was Speer's key skill and Hitler's abiding interest, and it is frustrating to read a lengthy description of their projects to be told "these plans survive", but not to be shown them.
A reader is likely to end up with some sympathy or even admiration for Speer. His successes as armaments minister early in the War were matched by humanitarian achievements as he led opposition to Hitler's "scorched earth" policies during the War's closing stages.
However, the reader must also consider some questions: History is written not necessarily by the victors, but certainly by the survivors. Is the fact that only the relatively decent Nazis survived to write their memoirs cause, effect, or the writers' own self-advancement?
Similarly, there is little or no mention in the pre-war and mid-war sections of Nazi philosophy and Hitler's own established hatreds - is this Speer trying to prove how little he knew about the war crimes and genocide?
This is an important book, revealing the other side of the Second World War. History may judge Albert Speer to be one of the few "decent" Nazis. His own book cannot do that alone, but it definitely deserves to be read...
Book Review: so-so
Summary: 2 Stars
Yes, this book is unique. Yes, because of the privileged position of the author it affords you a rare glimpse into important historical events. My rating, however, evaluates the book itself, how well it is written and how much thought went into it. I do not, by the way, object to the author's self-justification. Everyone indulges himself in this sort of thing continuously and it would be very naive to expect an autobiography not to. I DO object to the book's lack of insight into the psychological motivation of its principal subject (Albert Speer), to its superficiality, and to its banality.And despite my two-star rating I DO recommend that you read it. If nothing else, certain parallels between Hitler's Germany, as Speer describes it, and George W. Bush's America (especially his political exploitation of the events of September 11) are interesting and striking (as well as, of course, alarming).
Book Review: Amazing suspense for a story whose ending is known
Summary: 5 Stars
Speer's book is magnificent. Even though it's a 700 page book where the ending is already known, I could hardly put it down. The suspense builds steadily as Speer's character unfolds and blossoms. All elements of the story line develop in sync - His relationship with Hitler, the war, his political acumen. The story almost makes you root for the main characters before you realize they are Nazi criminals. The book peels back layers of Speer's character in such a way that you will find yourself straining to inspect your own at the same time. Speer's strength came from honesty and vision, all forged to steel amid wartime Germany. Speer discovers himself as the dreams and veils slip away, as he analyzes himself and others. I'd compare it to Equus with Speer as the pyschologist. It's great reading.