Nuremberg Diary by G. M. Gilbert Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Nuremberg Diary
Book Review: Ex Book
Summary: 5 Stars
Also see Nuremberg Goering's Last Stand , with Hannes Hellmann as HGm History Channel, Ex 5 Stars.Book Review: Excellent book with interviews directly from the Nazi leaders
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed this book a great deal. Listening to Goering, Donitz, Speer and the others describe the war, and most importantly Hitler, in their own words was insightful. There was also great tension as they raced to save their own necks. There was a great deal of back stabbing as each one realized the 'trial' was really nothing more than a puppet court and prolonged expose for Western propaganda prior to a summary execution. The Goldensohn book, Nuremburg Interviews, points this out and is much less biased. The Goldensohn book also points out the propaganda purposes of this trial. There was no way this court was going to let the main leaders go free. The allies were out for blood and as the Germans complained the Russians behaved no better, but the victors can hide their atrocities. Also don't form your opinion on how the Nazi government ran or what these men felt about Hitler based on this book alone. Early on in the book they are obviously only trying to save their own necks and reality of the situation goes out the window as each German expresses innocence and the war tribunal which is out for blood is haranguing them on anything they can come up with. The Japanese emperor wasn't treated like this despite a war of aggression and the murder of millions of Chinese, both counts worthy of hanging according to this court.
The psychologist, Gilbert, was obviously biased and would subtly torment the prisoners regarding war crimes and their belief system. But still an excellent book and Gilbert did a great job recording their informal conversations and behaviors. If you are interested in this period of history this book is an invaluable source.
Amazon was great as usual.
Book Review: Fascinating account of the trial
Summary: 5 Stars
I litterally ate that book. It was that good. Learning and reading about how those characters lived the Nuremberg trial kept me glued to the book.
Georing's bullying tactics, Frank's ambiguity, Keitel's weak stand, Rippentrop's unfathomable approach and despair, Speer's "cards on the table" strategy are just a sample of what the reader will experience going throught this marvelous work.
The only thing I found a little annoying toward the end was the repeted holier attitude of Gilbert. But that was a thiny price to pay.
I suggest you buy Gilbert's book and then treat yourself with "Spandau, The Secret Diaries" by Albert Speer.
Spandau is what happened to those who were sentence to prison terms. You will enjoy the engoing and developping animosity and friendship those inmates continued to have after Nuremberg.
Book Review: Good, But Should Have And Could Have Been Better
Summary: 3 Stars
Gilbert brings Goering and the other Nazis to three-dimensional life in this impressive and ambitious book. Ultimately, however, Nuremberg Diary doesn't live up to its promise. A key problem is that Gilbert can't resist intruding his (albeit understandable) moral indignation. After all, he was the prison psychologist, and one has to wonder how objective his appraisals were. In interpreting the results of the personality tests, did Gilbert do so as a trained psychologist or as an outraged layman? The book would have been superior, I think, if Gilbert had discussed at least some of the results of his psychological testing, while keeping his angry outbursts (however understandable and even laudable) more to himself.Book Review: How could humans lend themselves to such barbarism?
Summary: 4 Stars
G. M. Gilbert had a remarkable opportunity to observe evil. Appointed psychologist at Nüremberg in 1945, he had daily access to notorious defendants throughout the trial. This diary (published 1947) faithfully records their remarks and behavior from indictment through prosecution, defense, summation, and judgment. It's a unique contemporary record of the trial through their eyes, as lucid as best-selling fiction.
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the highest ranked defendant, WWI air ace , drug-addict, art thief, and thug par excellence produced some of the most cautionary rationalizations of régime action:
"Naturally the common people don't want war...But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along. Whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
At the same time wife Emmy Göring assured Gilbert "You know my husband. He is not a man obsessed by hatred. He only wanted to enjoy life and let other people enjoy it." All while 50 million died.
The author, ever professional, eschews personal commentary and lets his subjects speak for themselves. The record is followed by two appendices: `The Judgment' (individual verdicts), and `Chronology' (The rise and fall of Nazi Germany).
This work is an invaluable source document. Highly recommended.
Other useful accounts of the trial:
-Robert E. Conot: `Justice at Nüremberg' (published 1983)
-Telford Taylor: `The Anatomy of the Nüremberg Trials' (a memoir, published 1992)
-Joseph E. Persico: `Nüremberg: Infamy on Trial' (published 1994)
George Orwell published `Animal Farm' in 1945, the year the trial opened. "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others" seems to appropriately summarize the belief held by many Nüremberg defendants.