Perhaps the most enigmatic and interesting member of hitlers inner circle, albert speer was the only nazi leader tried at nuremberg who expressed remorse and accepted responsibility for the. We know a good deal about albert speer during his years at spandau, both through his own voluminous accounts, and through forensic crossexaminations performed by the incomparable gitta sereny. This view was damaged when matthias schmidts extended thesis on speer was published as a book albert speer the end of a myth in 1982. New students of speer should seek out serenys work first. Architect of the house of lies how much did albert speer. I was not a priori sympathetic to speer but i was ready to be persuaded of the case for and i havent been. That was the absolute limit for the third reichs war effort. As possibly no other politician in our time, hitler understood the art of public speaking, of pauses, of silence. In the text, speer went on to urge hitler to concentrate on doing everything possible for the countrys population to ensure their survival.
Speer was one of the few defendants at the nuremberg trials to take responsibility for nazi war crimes, even as he denied knowledge of the holocaust. Gitta sereny, cbe march 1921 14 june 2012 was an austrianbritish biographer, historian, and investigative journalist who came to be known for her interviews and profiles of infamous figures, including mary bell, who was convicted in 1968 of killing two children when she herself was a child, and franz stangl, the commandant of the. Gitta sereny, cbe march 1921 14 june 2012 was an austrianbritish biographer, historian, and investigative journalist who came to be known for her interviews and profiles of infamous figures, including mary bell, who was convicted in 1968 of killing two children when she herself was a child, and franz stangl, the commandant of the treblinka extermination camp. The biography of franz stangl, commandant of the treblinka extermination camp a classic and utterly compelling study of evilonly four men commanded nazi extermination as opposed to concentration camps. Sereny s account of bell s 12year incarceration is disjointed and overwritten, but it offers a scorching look at british women s prisons as cesspools of drugs, abuse and coerced sex. Oct 24, 2002 there has, however, been no adequate biography serenys book was an extensive report on speers personality that emphasized issues of guilt and responsibilityand it is gratifying to have that deficiency repaired now by joachim fest, the author of one of the most highly respected biographies of adolf hitler. A panoramic historical drama about the man whose devotion to hitler blinded him to the worst crime of the twentieth century, drawing closely on gita serenys definitive and magisterial biography of albert speer. Is hitlers reich minister albert speers memoir, inside. Thirty years after his death, and 16 after gitta serenys controversial biography, albert speer.
Speer might have supposed that the ss leader was talking about executions, as he told the journalist gitta sereny. Gitta sereny, the writer and journalist, who has died aged 91, spent her adult. The young historian schmidt used this new information to revolutionise histories view of speer. Of all the moral cripples who marched into hell at hitler s. Whether youre a veteran reloader, or just getting started, let. Brilliant historian gitta serenys 1972 book tried to argue that society was to blame for mary bell. Serenys ability to extract secrets, the nazi once said to her. The best over view of the controversies around speer is albert speer. Albert speer was hitlers most highranking war minister, but just how much was he complicit in nazi atrocities. Stangl commanded treblinka and was found guilty of coresponsibility for the slaughter there of at least 900, 000 people. Vista outdoor sales llc speer cci speer reloading manual 15. King, deputy prosecutor at the nuremberg trials who later wrote a book about speer said, love and. Albert speer, the man who killed millions, saved millions more, lied to save his own neck and recreated history so people would see him as a hero has had a definitively negative impact on his time.
Gitta sereny s biography meticulously recreates for the reader the professional, emotional, and psychological life of albert speer, hitler s architect and later. His battle with truth, speer remains a most enigmatic figure. If youre a speer completest, then this work is worth reading. She is known for her work on channel 4 news 1982, history 2000 and reputations 1994. By continuing to browse this site you consent to the use of cookies. Gitta sereny, through twelve years of research and through many conversations with speer, his friends and colleagues, reveals how speer came to terms with his own acts and failures to act, his progress from moral extinction to moral selfeducation and the question of his real culpability in the nazi. Albert speer his battle with truth by gitta sereny illustrated. This made a detailed examination of the inconsistencies contained in speers book and thoroughly researches his statements by making crossreferences to. Speer only mentions in passing that heydrich was one of himmlers lieutenants, he had an icy aura, and that he was quite determined to carry out decisions that he made. Gitta serenys biography meticulously recreates for the reader the professional, emotional, and psychological life of albert speer, hitlers architect and later. There has, however, been no adequate biography serenys book was an extensive report on speers personality that emphasized issues of guilt and responsibilityand it is gratifying to have that deficiency repaired now by joachim fest, the author of one of the most highly respected biographies of adolf hitler.
Why do people believe what albert speer said about hitler when he was a liar and a traitor. The article references gitta serenys biography of speer to explain the methods of manipulation used by hitler. This made a detailed examination of the inconsistencies contained in speers book and thoroughly researches his statements by making crossreferences to other sources. Highly recommend reading gitta serenys portrait of albert speer after reading either of speers books. Sep 19, 1995 however, excerpts of sereny s conversations with speer alone make this book this book does a wonderful job in framing speer s two other books in terms of his own moral questioning, but it doesnt give much more factual information about speer if you have read inside the third reich and spandau diaries. She interviewed him for three weeks, 12 hours a day, and followed this up with 12 years further research, pursuing the twists and turns of his logic in an effort to make him confront the extent of his culpability and at the end of it even she could not make. A personal assessment by gitta sereny of hitlers armaments minister, who died in london this week at the end of 1977, quite out of the blue, i received a letter from albert speer. Why do people believe what albert speer said about hitler. Weve built upon the lawenforcement proven gold dot g2 bullet, optimizing the design for compact concealed handguns. Himmler was always careful never to mention gas chambers. All these attributes were on display at nuremberg, where he stood out among the 21 defendants for his reasoned confession of guilt even as he. On one side is speers own view of himself, as presented in his two.
A few weeks earlier the sunday times had published an analysis by lewis chester and myself of david. Serenys questioning, speer contradicted his nuremberg testimony and told her that he had been keenly aware of the final solution, and had done nothing to stop it. Therein, speer reported the german economy could only hold out another four to eight weeks. Internationally she is best known as the daughter of the german architect and highranked nazi party official albert speer 19051981, and the younger sister of albert speer jr. We use cookies to provide you with an improved user experience and to personalize content. Kubarych believes that speer felt true guilt for what he did but was too engrossed in his. Albert speer by by david edgar 9781854594853 nick hern.
His battle with the truth an excellent book, sereny provides her own background information on heydrich, but she reports that, speer certainly. Dec 23, 2016 there is great value to a memoir likes speers, but it must always be supplemented by outside scholarship. Albert speer outline albert speers role within the nazi regime albert speers role in the nazi regime primarily was centred on a couple of areas, his work as the general building inspector gbi, the chief architect of the reich and his role as armaments minister. Gitta sereny, an acclaimed investigative journalist whose books on nazis and killers delved into the minds behind heinous acts of depravity and violence, died june 14 at a hospital in cambridge.
Gitta serenys investigation of this mans mind, and of the influences which shaped him, has become a classic. Highly recommend reading gitta sereny s portrait of albert speer after reading either of speer s books. New students of speer should seek out sereny s work first. Sereny albert speer proposes that children under 14 should not be held criminally responsible and should be tried by a specially convened panel instead of by jury. Indeed, serenys account is in large measure devoted to presenting a more accurate picture of speer s role in the nazi horrors. The manner in which gitta sereny and david irving respectively dealt with the controversial career of hitlers munitions minister albert speer in their biographies is one of the issues before the high court. I recommend reading them in the same order that i did. As a memoir by a trusted member of hitlers inner circle it provides insights that scholars will use, when cross referencing other sources. Albert speer by gitta sereny commentary commentary magazine. Sereny s ability to extract secrets, the nazi once said to her. Serenys massive and wellresearched biography includes extensive interviews with speer who died in 1981, speers family and friends, and dozens of people who either worked with him during the. He was the second of three sons of luise mathilde wilhelmine hommel and albert friedrich speer. To listen to more of gitta serenys stories, go to the playlist.
I remember reading in gitta serenys biography of him, how his daughter hilde was both repulsed by it, and fascinated by it. Perhaps the most enigmatic and interesting member of hitler s inner circle, albert speer was the only nazi leader tried at nuremberg who expressed remorse and accepted responsibility for the. There is great value to a memoir likes speers, but it must always be supplemented by outside scholarship. Sereny s questioning, speer contradicted his nuremberg testimony and told her that he had been keenly aware of the final solution, and had done nothing to stop it. Speer was born in mannheim, into an uppermiddleclass family. Mary, then eleven, was charged and subsequently convicted of the manslaughter of two younger boys. The heralded speer reloading manual represents years of finetuning loads and meticulous testing. In the first, speer defends every single action he took or didnt take. Synopsis renowned journalist and biographer gitta sereny covered the mary bell case in the 1960s and wrote about it at the time. Plucked from obscurity to be hitlers architect and minister of. I have read inside the third reich followed by gitta sereny s biography of speer. Gitta sereny, cbe march 1921 14 june 2012 was an austrianbritish biographer, historian, and investigative journalist who came to be known for her interviews and. I came to serenys book after twenty years working on the german war economy. But certainly, the seeds of corruption lay, as barraclough suggested, in speers own political ambition.
Sep 26, 2002 nonetheless, it is the secondbest book written on speer, after sereny s albert speer. A portrait of a child who murdered 1972 and albert speer. Speers ascendancy within the nazi hierarchy has been described by henry king as vertical and ladder like, speer was an. It is probably on the basis of her biography of albert speer that most of the criticism has come. Feb 28, 20 gitta sereny s investigation of this man s mind, and of the influences which shaped him, has become a classic. Made in 2005 and now released on dvd, speer and hitler. It is true that sereny got close to speer and liked him.
Compact pistols have never offered this level of protection. This is worth reading if you want a different perspective on albert speer. However, excerpts of serenys conversations with speer alone make this book this book does a wonderful job in framing speers two other books in terms of his own moral questioning, but it doesnt give much more factual information about speer if you have read inside the third reich and spandau diaries. Theyre built for accuracy and the most consistent expansion at extreme distances. Writer best known for her books on mary bell and albert speer 12 obitsereny. Speer, irving, dine together at frankfurt book fair october 1980 the albert speer i knew. Speer only mentions in passing that heydrich was one of himmler s lieutenants, he had an icy aura, and that he was quite determined to carry out decisions that he made. Gitta sereny obituary biography books the guardian. Only four men commanded nazi extermination as opposed to concentration camps. Speer, the minister of armaments and war production under hitler, the man who had kept germany armed and the war machine running even after hitlers mystique had faded, takes a brutally honest look at his role in the war effort, giving readers a complete view of the inside of the nazi state. Aug 01, 2010 the first is that speer was merely a technocrat, with no political views and this view is created by speer in his postwar writings, as well as historian joachim fest. Serenys account of bells 12year incarceration is disjointed and overwritten, but it offers a scorching look at british womens prisons as cesspools of drugs, abuse and coerced sex. Sereny peels back multiple layers of the speer defense. Serenys book gives a needed perspective that reminds us to treat speers books with cautiousness especially about events in nazi germany that speer may have deliberately avoided.
Jun 18, 2012 journalist was known for her unflinching studies of nazis and child criminals, including albert speer and mary bell barry neild mon 18 jun 2012 17. Indeed, serenys account is in large measure devoted to presenting a more accurate picture of speers role in the nazi horrors. Speers autobiography, inside the third reich, addressed this issue as well, and went to great lengths. Nonetheless, it is the secondbest book written on speer, after serenys albert speer. Gitta sereny and the truth about evil the spectator. Gitta sereny was one of europes foremost journalists with a special interest and expertise in the third reich. His battle with truth is a dense but wellwritten, meticulously researched and brilliant tome by the londonbased journalist gitta sereny, reconsidering the colorful life, memorable tribulations and profound ethical and moral conflicts of the third reichs master technocrat. Journalist was known for her unflinching studies of nazis and child criminals, including albert speer and mary bell barry neild mon 18 jun 2012. Sereny s massive and wellresearched biography includes extensive interviews with speer who died in 1981, speer s family and friends, and dozens of people who either worked with him during the.
Is hitlers reich minister albert speers memoir, inside the. Born and initially raised in austria, she was the author of five books, including the case of mary bell. Albert speer, whom i knew well and grew to like, might easily have been hanged the night of 1617 october 1946, when, in the gymnasium of nuremberg prison, 10 other of hitlers men were executed. Not only did speer view hitler as his only means of professional legitimacy, but hitler constantly used fear to subordinate nazi officials. Albert speer, whom i knew well and grew to like, might easily have been hanged the night of 1617 october 1946, when, in the gymnasium of nuremberg prison, 10 other of hitler s men were executed.
The psychology of albert speer humanities portfolio. Gitta sereny, who has written prolifically about the third reich and spent 12 years working with albert speer and a large number of people who knew him, tells. His battle with the truth, a more extensively researched and readable book if somewhat digressive and. His battle with truth offers the patient reader a model of careful excavation, the sort that yields tiny fragments of bone that suddenly disrupt everything we thought we knew. I find speer from his own testimony cold, irascible, manipulative, ambitious, selfabsorbed to an unusual degree and instinctively difficult to believe. From 1942 speer was the second most powerful man in the reich and hitlers righthand man. In 1918, the family leased their mannheim residence and moved to a home they had in heidelberg. Speer, a young architect seeking work, proposed to hitler a night rally that would be geared to suggest infinite space by employing a backdrop of 10story flags and a wall of 150 searchlight beams.
By implication hitler was the dominant partner and, in serenys view, it was he who corrupted speers moral sense by the seductive attraction of his grandiose visions. I have read inside the third reich followed by gitta serenys biography of speer. The second viewpoint, which is more widely believed than the first, is that speer was a clever man who manipulated the nazi party, the nuremburg war crimes prosecutors and also. In the text, speer went on to urge hitler to concentrate on doing everything possible for the countrys population to. Albert speer was the only member of the nazi party to accept responsibility for the actions of hitler and apologize for those actions. Perhaps the most enigmatic and interesting member of hitlers inner circle, albert speer was the only nazi leader tried at nuremberg who. Gitta sereny was born on march, 1921 in vienna, austria. Sereny s book gives a needed perspective that reminds us to treat speer s books with cautiousness especially about events in nazi germany that speer may have deliberately avoided. As a teenager, schramm was awarded a competitive scholarship to.
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