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They Thought They Were Free

August 27, 2023

They Thought They Were Free: The Germans 1933-45 is a 1955 nonfiction book written by Milton Mayer, published by the University of Chicago Press. It describes the thought process of ordinary citizens during Nazi Germany.

August Heckscher, the chief writer of editorials of the New York Herald Tribune, wrote that the book "suggests how easy it is for human beings in any society to fall prey to a dynamic political movement, provided their lives are sufficiently insecure, frustrated or empty."[1] He stated that the book is simultaneously a discussion on ethics, on "how political tyranny is established", and on issues in Germany and the "German mentality".[1]

Contents Edit

In 1953,[2] Mayer interviewed ten residents of a town, located in Hesse,[3] Marburg, which the book calls "Kronenberg",[4] to gauge how ordinary Germans felt about Nazi Germany. The real name and location of the town, of 20,000, which contains a university, are not disclosed.[5] The town was controlled by the United States during the postwar period of occupation.[2] The interviews occurred during Mayer's term at Frankfurt University's Institute for Social Research as a visiting professor.[6] All ten were in the lower middle class.[4] The author was not a German speaker and the men did not speak English.[7]

The interviewees had the following occupations: baking, cabinetmaking, clerking at a bank, collecting of bills, police, sales, studying, tailoring, and teaching. Walter L. Dorn of the Saturday Review wrote that the interviewees were from a pro-Nazi bloc that was the "anti-labor, anti-capitalist, and anti-democratic lower middle class".[2] The tailor had served a prison sentence for setting a synagogue on fire, but the others were never found to have actively attacked Jewish people.[2] Mayer read the official case files of each interviewee.[5]

The author determined that his interviewees had fond memories of the Nazi period and did not see Adolf Hitler as evil, and they perceived themselves as having a high degree of personal freedom during Nazi rule,[8] with the exception of the teacher. Additionally, barring said teacher, the subjects still disliked Jewish people.[2] Additionally Mayer found that he sympathized with his interviewees.[6] Mayer did not disclose to the interviewees that he read their case files,[5] nor that he was Jewish.[8] Ernest S. Pisko of the Christian Science Monitor wrote "Had they known [that Mayer was Jewish] they would not have spoken frankly to him."[5] Pisko concluded that therefore the relationship built by the author and the interviewees was on "false pretenses."[5] At the time of the interviews the interviewees were still not in favor of the democratic Bonn government.[2] Pisko added that the interviewees could have objected to political developments that came had they known they would come, but that they failed to foresee how Nazi rule would develop.[5]

The end of the book describes how the post-World War II United States took a pro-militarization stance, in the context of the Cold War, after initially rejecting the idea of militarizing Germany.[9]

Release Edit

In 2017, the book was re-published with an Afterword by Richard J. Evans.[8]

Reception Edit

Hans Kohn, a professor at the City College of New York, wrote in his review that this work was "one of the most readable and enlightening" books written about Germany after 1945, when the Nazi government ended.[6] Kohn agreed with the majority of Mayer's analysis of German history, though Kohn disagreed with Mayer's belief that militarism is inherently a problem in Germany.[6]

Henry L. Roberts, writing for Foreign Affairs, described the book as "informal but in places penetrating and sensitive".[10]

Dorn argues that the book is "certainly one-sided" and "pleasantly discursive, not unsympathetic".[2] Dorn explains that the "muscular punch" comes from "scrupulous fairness and unsparing honesty."[2]

Franz Adler of the University of Arkansas praised the "strong appeal" and "conviction" the book has are its "strength", although he criticized the small sample size and the fact that there was a language barrier between Mayer and the subjects.[7] Adler also stated that there was "an abandoned freedom and high disregard for detail" in the translated material, originally from German, in the book.[7]

Norbert Muhlen of New York City, writing for The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, praised how the author had a distanced, non-passionate view at looking at his subjects, although he criticized the small sample size from a particular rural town, which Muhlen compared to using a sample of people from "Middletown, Mississippi" to characterize the Democratic Party.[3] Muhlen also criticized Mayer's analysis of the Cold War armament of West Germany,[11] arguing that Mayer mischaracterized German newspapers' political stances.[12]

In Books Abroad, Siegfried Wagener of Allenspark, Colorado argued that the book is "very readable and penetrating", though he argued that the interviewees "do not sound convincing" and are not "representative" of the entirety of German people, who Wagener argues "knew they were not free" although they still complied with the Nazi government.[13]

In sum, Pisko stated that the book "is a fascinating story and a deeply moving one."[5] Heckscher argued the book is an "important contribution".[1]

Kurt H. Wolff of Ohio State University criticized the book for being "representative of the confused subject matter and its confused student."[14]

References Edit

  • Adler, Franz (October 1955). "They Thought They Were Free: The Germans 1933-45. by Milton Mayer". American Sociological Review. American Sociological Association. 20 (5): 595–596. doi:10.2307/2092579. JSTOR 2092579.
  • Muhlen, Nobert (September 1955). "They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45 by Milton Mayer". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Sage Publications, Inc. 301, Higher Education under Stress: 246–247. JSTOR 1032591.
  • Wagener, Siegfried (Spring 1956). "They Thought They Were Free. The Germans 1933-45 by Milton Mayer". Books Abroad. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma. 30 (2): 230. doi:10.2307/40095605. JSTOR 40095605.
  • Wolff, Kurt H. (2002). "They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45". American Journal of Sociology. University of Chicago Press. 61: 388–389. doi:10.1086/221788. JSTOR 2773558. - Listed at OpenAire

Notes Edit

  1. ^ a b c Heckscher, August (1955-05-29). "Ex-Nazi Psychology Throws Light on Germans Today". New York Herald Tribune. Vol. 115, no. 39641. p. D3.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Dorn, Walter L. (1955-07-16). "Review of They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-1945". Saturday Review. Washington, DC. pp. 31–32. - Record on ProQuest
  3. ^ a b Muhlen, p. 246.
  4. ^ a b Adler, p. 595.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Pisko, Ernest S. (1955-04-21). "From the Bookshelf the Little Germans". Christian Science Monitor. p. 9. - From ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
  6. ^ a b c d Kohn, Hans (1955-05-08). "'Best Time of; Their Lives' THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE: THE GERMANS 1933-45. By Milton Mayer. 346 pp. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. $4.75". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-07-02. - PDF here
  7. ^ a b c Adler, p. 596.
  8. ^ a b c Sunstein, Cass R. (2018-06-28). "It Can Happen Here". The New York Review. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  9. ^ Adler, p. 595-596.
  10. ^ Roberts, Henry L. (October 1955). "They Thought They Were Free: the Germans 1933-45". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  11. ^ Muhlen p. 246-247.
  12. ^ Muhlen p. 247.
  13. ^ Wagener.
  14. ^ Wolff, p. 389.

External links Edit

August 27, 2023
they, thought, they, were, free, germans, 1933, 1955, nonfiction, book, written, milton, mayer, published, university, chicago, press, describes, thought, process, ordinary, citizens, during, nazi, germany, august, heckscher, chief, writer, editorials, york, h. They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 45 is a 1955 nonfiction book written by Milton Mayer published by the University of Chicago Press It describes the thought process of ordinary citizens during Nazi Germany August Heckscher the chief writer of editorials of the New York Herald Tribune wrote that the book suggests how easy it is for human beings in any society to fall prey to a dynamic political movement provided their lives are sufficiently insecure frustrated or empty 1 He stated that the book is simultaneously a discussion on ethics on how political tyranny is established and on issues in Germany and the German mentality 1 Contents 1 Contents 2 Release 3 Reception 4 References 4 1 Notes 5 External linksContents EditIn 1953 2 Mayer interviewed ten residents of a town located in Hesse 3 Marburg which the book calls Kronenberg 4 to gauge how ordinary Germans felt about Nazi Germany The real name and location of the town of 20 000 which contains a university are not disclosed 5 The town was controlled by the United States during the postwar period of occupation 2 The interviews occurred during Mayer s term at Frankfurt University s Institute for Social Research as a visiting professor 6 All ten were in the lower middle class 4 The author was not a German speaker and the men did not speak English 7 The interviewees had the following occupations baking cabinetmaking clerking at a bank collecting of bills police sales studying tailoring and teaching Walter L Dorn of the Saturday Review wrote that the interviewees were from a pro Nazi bloc that was the anti labor anti capitalist and anti democratic lower middle class 2 The tailor had served a prison sentence for setting a synagogue on fire but the others were never found to have actively attacked Jewish people 2 Mayer read the official case files of each interviewee 5 The author determined that his interviewees had fond memories of the Nazi period and did not see Adolf Hitler as evil and they perceived themselves as having a high degree of personal freedom during Nazi rule 8 with the exception of the teacher Additionally barring said teacher the subjects still disliked Jewish people 2 Additionally Mayer found that he sympathized with his interviewees 6 Mayer did not disclose to the interviewees that he read their case files 5 nor that he was Jewish 8 Ernest S Pisko of the Christian Science Monitor wrote Had they known that Mayer was Jewish they would not have spoken frankly to him 5 Pisko concluded that therefore the relationship built by the author and the interviewees was on false pretenses 5 At the time of the interviews the interviewees were still not in favor of the democratic Bonn government 2 Pisko added that the interviewees could have objected to political developments that came had they known they would come but that they failed to foresee how Nazi rule would develop 5 The end of the book describes how the post World War II United States took a pro militarization stance in the context of the Cold War after initially rejecting the idea of militarizing Germany 9 Release EditIn 2017 the book was re published with an Afterword by Richard J Evans 8 Reception EditHans Kohn a professor at the City College of New York wrote in his review that this work was one of the most readable and enlightening books written about Germany after 1945 when the Nazi government ended 6 Kohn agreed with the majority of Mayer s analysis of German history though Kohn disagreed with Mayer s belief that militarism is inherently a problem in Germany 6 Henry L Roberts writing for Foreign Affairs described the book as informal but in places penetrating and sensitive 10 Dorn argues that the book is certainly one sided and pleasantly discursive not unsympathetic 2 Dorn explains that the muscular punch comes from scrupulous fairness and unsparing honesty 2 Franz Adler of the University of Arkansas praised the strong appeal and conviction the book has are its strength although he criticized the small sample size and the fact that there was a language barrier between Mayer and the subjects 7 Adler also stated that there was an abandoned freedom and high disregard for detail in the translated material originally from German in the book 7 Norbert Muhlen of New York City writing for The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science praised how the author had a distanced non passionate view at looking at his subjects although he criticized the small sample size from a particular rural town which Muhlen compared to using a sample of people from Middletown Mississippi to characterize the Democratic Party 3 Muhlen also criticized Mayer s analysis of the Cold War armament of West Germany 11 arguing that Mayer mischaracterized German newspapers political stances 12 In Books Abroad Siegfried Wagener of Allenspark Colorado argued that the book is very readable and penetrating though he argued that the interviewees do not sound convincing and are not representative of the entirety of German people who Wagener argues knew they were not free although they still complied with the Nazi government 13 In sum Pisko stated that the book is a fascinating story and a deeply moving one 5 Heckscher argued the book is an important contribution 1 Kurt H Wolff of Ohio State University criticized the book for being representative of the confused subject matter and its confused student 14 References EditAdler Franz October 1955 They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 45 by Milton Mayer American Sociological Review American Sociological Association 20 5 595 596 doi 10 2307 2092579 JSTOR 2092579 Muhlen Nobert September 1955 They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 45 by Milton Mayer The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Sage Publications Inc 301 Higher Education under Stress 246 247 JSTOR 1032591 Wagener Siegfried Spring 1956 They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 45 by Milton Mayer Books Abroad Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma 30 2 230 doi 10 2307 40095605 JSTOR 40095605 Wolff Kurt H 2002 They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 45 American Journal of Sociology University of Chicago Press 61 388 389 doi 10 1086 221788 JSTOR 2773558 Listed at OpenAireNotes Edit a b c Heckscher August 1955 05 29 Ex Nazi Psychology Throws Light on Germans Today New York Herald Tribune Vol 115 no 39641 p D3 a b c d e f g h Dorn Walter L 1955 07 16 Review of They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 1945 Saturday Review Washington DC pp 31 32 Record on ProQuest a b Muhlen p 246 a b Adler p 595 a b c d e f g Pisko Ernest S 1955 04 21 From the Bookshelf the Little Germans Christian Science Monitor p 9 From ProQuest Historical Newspapers a b c d Kohn Hans 1955 05 08 Best Time of Their Lives THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE THE GERMANS 1933 45 By Milton Mayer 346 pp Chicago University of Chicago Press 4 75 The New York Times Retrieved 2022 07 02 PDF here a b c Adler p 596 a b c Sunstein Cass R 2018 06 28 It Can Happen Here The New York Review Retrieved 2022 07 02 Adler p 595 596 Roberts Henry L October 1955 They Thought They Were Free the Germans 1933 45 Foreign Affairs Retrieved 2022 07 02 Muhlen p 246 247 Muhlen p 247 Wagener Wolff p 389 External links EditThey Thought They Were Free University of Chicago Excerpt They Thought They Were Free The Germans 1933 45 DeGruyter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title They Thought They Were Free amp oldid 1166193136, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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