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Children of Nazis

The Sons and Daughters of Himmler, Göring, Höss, Mengele, and Others - Living with a Father’s Monstrous Legacy

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Children of Nazis

By: Tania Crasnianski, Molly Grogan - translator
Narrated by: Christa Lewis
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About this listen

In 1940, the German sons and daughters of infamous Nazi dignitaries Himmler, Göring, Hess, Frank, Bormann, Speer, and Mengele were children of privilege at four, five, or 10 years old, surrounded by affectionate, all-powerful parents. Although innocent and unaware of what was happening at the time, they eventually discovered the extent of their fathers' occupations: These men - who were capable of loving their children and receiving love in return - were leaders of the Third Reich and would later be convicted as monstrous war criminals. For these children, the German defeat was an earth-shattering source of family rupture, the end of opulence, and the jarring discovery of Hitler's atrocities.

How did the offspring of these leaders deal with the aftermath of the war and the skeletons that would haunt them forever? Some chose to disown their past. Others did not. Some condemned their fathers; others worshiped them unconditionally to the end. In this enlightening book, Tania Crasnianski examines the responsibility of eight descendants of Nazi notables, caught somewhere between stigmatization, worship, and amnesia. By tracing the unique experiences of these children, she probes at the relationship between them and their fathers and examines the idea of how responsibility for the fault is continually borne by the descendants.

©2016 Grasset & Fasquelle; English-language translation copyright 2018 by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. (P)2020 Tantor
20th Century Germany Military War Holocaust Prisoners of War Imperialism

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Important book

This selection of biographies of children of leading Nazis provides an insight into the burden carried by these individuals and their different ways of reconciling (or not) childhood memories of their father and the record of their fathers' roles in the Nazi regime. It is barely credible that this fanatical ignorance-based murderous ideology lingers and in some places flourishes to this day. Not an easy read but interesting and well worth the time. Christa Lewis's German is perfect as is her overall narration.

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Important history and beautifully narrated

This is a fascinating study of intergenerational impacts, the concepts of guilt and shame and even nature versus nurture. Of course the children were not to blame for what their parents did but it was interesting to learn how few of them realised that their own lives and privilege were shaped by what their parents took from others. The author has done an amazing job of exploring in detail the early and later lives of both the parents and the children, building a comprehensive picture. I appreciated the care taken with pronunciation.

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