Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis

Ian Kershaw

Another slab of Fuhrer bio from Ian Kershaw. There are over 800 pages in this second volume and the fact that, in my case, the book left the printers with over twenty of them missing did nothing to lessen my regard for it as an impressive work of history. I remember not caring too much for the first volume but perhaps it was the material. Hitler's early life simply wasn't all that interesting. In this concluding volume, which covers the years 1936 to 1945, the story has tremendous pace and we are in the compelling and terrible company of a deranged leader with the fate of millions in his hands.

The full story of Germany's descent into the abyss is expertly told and I think Ian Kershaw judges correctly the extent of ordinary Germans' collaboration with Hitler. Even setting aside the fanatical national socialists then, yes, there was widespread popular support for Hitler, at least in peacetime. But proper consideration is also given to the opposition.

Kershaw's writing style is clean and uncluttered. This paragraph describing the plotters behind the 1944 attempt on Hitler's life is unusually passionate: "they were motivated by a mix of high ethical values and a transcendental sense of moral duty, codes of honour, political idealism, religious convictions, personal courage, remarkable selflessness, deep humanity, and a love of country that was light-years removed from Nazi chauvinism". But for the doomed and belated attempt to rescue us all from Hitler I think a small eulogy is allowed.