The German War: A Nation Under Arms, 1939-1945 is a non-fiction book written by historian Nicholas Stargardt. Centering upon the "thoughts and actions" of the citizens living inside Nazi Germany during the Second World War, the author argues that the war crimes committed by Adolf Hitler'stotalitarian state had widespread awareness among regular people. Despite massive hardship, those citizens continued to fight in support of fascistideology even when their cause appeared truly lost. Much of the moral callousness arose due to the fallout from the First World War, which impacted regular Germans' lives deeply, yet the far-right dictatorship had fundamentally managed a successful propaganda machine that brought mass public opinion onto the side of the regime.[1][2]
Praise for the book has come from multiple publications. Examples include The Guardian, where the "beautifully written" book got lauded as a "sensitive and subtle portrayal of war",[1] and The Independent, where the author was found to have made a "terrifically good" summary of "disturbing" German thoughts.[2]The German War has additionally attracted support from organizations such as the Jewish Book Council.[3]
In broad terms, the author seeks to portray the wide swaths of German public opinion by including both multiple accounts of ordinary people with that of various community leaders. Examples of the latter include bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. Although the attitudes of individual citizens often feature a diversity of contradictory opinions, Stargardt finds a widespread lack of intellectual curiosity and a sort of emotional callousness that characterizes those living under Nazi Party rule, with atrocities getting seen as normal and routine.[2]
Stargardt presents evidence that regular Germans learned of the genocide undertaken as the result of German policy through word of mouth. Massive resistance to the Nazis didn't take place in Germany, and as the war went on, the author documents, German media increasingly "hinted at what people already knew, fostering a sense of collusive semi-secrecy." This 'spiral of silence', according to Stargardt, produced a sense of quasi-complicity among Germans even among those who did not directly participate in atrocities given the widespread knowledge of particular events. The author additionally writes that the Germans began the conflict in the conviction that they were fighting "a war of national defense forced upon them" due to the actions of the Allied powers, particularly what got seen as the Polish Republic's "aggression".[4][3]
As well, the Allied powers' widespread bombing of Germany convinced the people under the Nazi regime of their own victimhood, an emotion that the author states got mixed with guilt over the mistreatment of Jews, Ukrainians, Poles and others under the Axis powers. As the conflict dragged on, Stargardt writes that the determination with which Germans fought long after it became clear that the Third Reich had essentially lost was based in conviction that the conflagration "must never come home to Germany" given what had been dished out to other nations.[4] Stargardt goes on to explore the remarkable resilience of defeated Germans who, despite living under military occupation, organized themselves to receive and assist the millions of ethnic Germans expelled from countries to Germany's east and south during the end of the War.[2][3]
In conclusion, the author remarks that the German experience in the First World War frequently blinded individuals to the circumstances of the later conflict. Perceiving themselves as victims, ordinary individuals bought the propaganda of the Nazi Party and fought on despite impossible odds. The Holocaust and all of the related tragedies, simply put, were known by regular Germans; government policy became either openly or tacitly accepted.[1][2]
Reception and commercial response
The Independent ran a supportive review that labeled Stargardt's conclusions as well-documented although "disturbing". Though facing "an immense task", as historian Marcus Tanner put the challenge, the author "made a terrifically good stab at it" and effectively managed to display Germans' "evolving opinions" in order to "steer and bind the narrative."[2] The Jewish Book Council additionally has cited The German War as a recommended work analyzing Nazi atrocities. Historian Jack Fischel stated that Stargardt made "an important contribution" to studies of the Second World War, with the book describing how the typical German went through a process in which "duty to the nation trumped their conscience".[3]
The Guardian also praised the book. Journalist John Kampfner remarked for the publication that Stargardt's "penetrating study of ordinary German's lives" had documented a morally repugnant "ghastliness" yet had done so in a "beautifully written" fashion. Kampfner also stated that in the "sensitive and subtle portrayal of war", fundamentally "[t]he author deftly weaves individual tales with surprising observation".[1]
^ abcdKampfner, John (6 September 2015). "The German War by Nicholas Stargardt review – the Third Reich's home front". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
^ abcdefTanner, Marcus (24 September 2015). "The German War: A Nation Under Arms 1939-45 by Nicholas Stargardt, book review". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
^ abcdFischel, Jack (February 22, 2016). "The German War: A Nation Under Arms 1939-1945 | Jewish Book Council". jewishbookcouncil.org. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
^ ab"Fate and furies; How Germans perceived the second world war". The Economist. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
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The German War A Nation Under Arms 1939 1945 is a non fiction book written by historian Nicholas Stargardt Centering upon the thoughts and actions of the citizens living inside Nazi Germany during the Second World War the author argues that the war crimes committed by Adolf Hitler s totalitarian state had widespread awareness among regular people Despite massive hardship those citizens continued to fight in support of fascist ideology even when their cause appeared truly lost Much of the moral callousness arose due to the fallout from the First World War which impacted regular Germans lives deeply yet the far right dictatorship had fundamentally managed a successful propaganda machine that brought mass public opinion onto the side of the regime 1 2 The German War A Nation Under Arms 1939 1945First edition hardcover imageAuthorNicholas StargardtCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishSubjectNazi GermanyPublisherBodley HeadPublication date2015Pages736ISBN9780465018994Praise for the book has come from multiple publications Examples include The Guardian where the beautifully written book got lauded as a sensitive and subtle portrayal of war 1 and The Independent where the author was found to have made a terrifically good summary of disturbing German thoughts 2 The German War has additionally attracted support from organizations such as the Jewish Book Council 3 Contents 1 Background and contents 2 Reception and commercial response 3 See also 4 References 5 External linkBackground and contents EditIn broad terms the author seeks to portray the wide swaths of German public opinion by including both multiple accounts of ordinary people with that of various community leaders Examples of the latter include bishops of the Roman Catholic Church Although the attitudes of individual citizens often feature a diversity of contradictory opinions Stargardt finds a widespread lack of intellectual curiosity and a sort of emotional callousness that characterizes those living under Nazi Party rule with atrocities getting seen as normal and routine 2 Stargardt presents evidence that regular Germans learned of the genocide undertaken as the result of German policy through word of mouth Massive resistance to the Nazis didn t take place in Germany and as the war went on the author documents German media increasingly hinted at what people already knew fostering a sense of collusive semi secrecy This spiral of silence according to Stargardt produced a sense of quasi complicity among Germans even among those who did not directly participate in atrocities given the widespread knowledge of particular events The author additionally writes that the Germans began the conflict in the conviction that they were fighting a war of national defense forced upon them due to the actions of the Allied powers particularly what got seen as the Polish Republic s aggression 4 3 As well the Allied powers widespread bombing of Germany convinced the people under the Nazi regime of their own victimhood an emotion that the author states got mixed with guilt over the mistreatment of Jews Ukrainians Poles and others under the Axis powers As the conflict dragged on Stargardt writes that the determination with which Germans fought long after it became clear that the Third Reich had essentially lost was based in conviction that the conflagration must never come home to Germany given what had been dished out to other nations 4 Stargardt goes on to explore the remarkable resilience of defeated Germans who despite living under military occupation organized themselves to receive and assist the millions of ethnic Germans expelled from countries to Germany s east and south during the end of the War 2 3 In conclusion the author remarks that the German experience in the First World War frequently blinded individuals to the circumstances of the later conflict Perceiving themselves as victims ordinary individuals bought the propaganda of the Nazi Party and fought on despite impossible odds The Holocaust and all of the related tragedies simply put were known by regular Germans government policy became either openly or tacitly accepted 1 2 Reception and commercial response EditThe Independent ran a supportive review that labeled Stargardt s conclusions as well documented although disturbing Though facing an immense task as historian Marcus Tanner put the challenge the author made a terrifically good stab at it and effectively managed to display Germans evolving opinions in order to steer and bind the narrative 2 The Jewish Book Council additionally has cited The German War as a recommended work analyzing Nazi atrocities Historian Jack Fischel stated that Stargardt made an important contribution to studies of the Second World War with the book describing how the typical German went through a process in which duty to the nation trumped their conscience 3 The Guardian also praised the book Journalist John Kampfner remarked for the publication that Stargardt s penetrating study of ordinary German s lives had documented a morally repugnant ghastliness yet had done so in a beautifully written fashion Kampfner also stated that in the sensitive and subtle portrayal of war fundamentally t he author deftly weaves individual tales with surprising observation 1 See also Edit Books portal Germany portal History portal Politics portal World War II portal2015 in literature List of books by or about Adolf Hitler Bloodlands The Storm of War The Third Reich Trilogy The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich Nazi Germany The Holocaust Nazi crimes against ethnic Poles Nazi crimes against Soviet POWsReferences Edit a b c d Kampfner John 6 September 2015 The German War by Nicholas Stargardt review the Third Reich s home front The Guardian Retrieved 1 April 2020 a b c d e f Tanner Marcus 24 September 2015 The German War A Nation Under Arms 1939 45 by Nicholas Stargardt book review The Independent Archived from the original on 2022 06 18 Retrieved 1 April 2020 a b c d Fischel Jack February 22 2016 The German War A Nation Under Arms 1939 1945 Jewish Book Council jewishbookcouncil org Retrieved 29 November 2022 a b Fate and furies How Germans perceived the second world war The Economist 26 September 2015 Retrieved 1 April 2020 External link EditNicholas Stargardt Website Magdalen College Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The German War amp oldid 1124618651, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
