Nazi Wives
Author: James Wyllie
This book is a heavy read, but a very interesting one. The key players in the Nazi regime -- we all know their names. Himmler, Bormann, Hess, Goering...the usual list. We all know their actions, their beliefs....their fates. Books, movies, television shows, documentaries, school lessons....we've learned all about the men that were Hitler's henchmen.
But how much do we know about their wives? The women who followed Hitler....the women who were married to these famous, horrific men? Most sources I have learned from over the years only focus on the men involved. I knew a little bit, but not a lot about the women and families behind those men. The only wife I was really familiar with was Magda Goebbels.
How were people so mesmerized and drawn to Hitler? It just astounds me. This entire circle of people knew there were millions of men, women and children being murdered....and they did....nothing. Planned it. Agreed with it. Carried it out. Fine-tuned it. Not a pang of conscience or morality in the bunch. They thought it was right. Wow.....it's just horrifying. This book brought so many new facts into the light for me, but it did nothing to calm my astonishment and horror at the events the Nazis brought about.
And, the women behind the men are just a culpable as their husbands. It still chills me clear to the bone when I think about Magda Goebbels poisoning her six children....having them injected with morphine and then administering cyanide to each of them....herself. And the rest of them.....their fates vary, but they all paid a price for their allegience to the Nazis.
Chilling, but enlightening read.
This is the first book by James Wyllie that I've read. It was well-written and obviously Wyllie did thorough research into the topic. I would definitely like to read more of his writing.
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