The File: A Personal History

Amazon.com

When Timothy Garton Ash graduated from Oxford in 1978, he went to live in Berlin, ostensibly to research and write about Nazism. But once there, he gradually immersed himself in a study of the repressive political culture of East Germany. As if to return the favor, that culture--in the form of the dreaded East German secret police, the "Stasi"--secretly began studying him. As was Stasi's practice, over the years its study produced a considerable paper trail. After the fall of the East German communist regime, a government apparatus was established to allow those targeted to see their Stasi files, and Garton Ash discovered and pored over his. He then set about to interview the people who made this gross intrusion possible, the several case officers, and the numerous regular-citizen informers. The result is nothing short of a journey into the darkest recesses of the totalitarian mind, taking its place honorably alongside 1984 and Darkness at Noon.

Book Description

"Eloquent, aware and scrupulous . . . a rich and instructive examination of the Cold War past." --The New York Times

In 1978 a romantic young Englishman took up residence in Berlin to see what that divided city could teach him about tyranny and freedom. Fifteen years later Timothy Garton Ash--who was by then famous for his reportage of the downfall of communism in Central Europe--returned. This time he had come to look at a file that bore the code-name "Romeo." The file had been compiled by the Stasi, the East German secret police, with the assistance of dozens of informers. And it contained a meticulous record of Garton Ash's earlier life in Berlin.

In this memoir, Garton Ash describes what it was like to rediscover his younger self through the eyes of the Stasi, and then to go on to confront those who actually informed against him to the secret police. Moving from document to remembrance, from the offices of British intelligence to the living rooms of retired Stasi officers, The File is a personal narrative as gripping, as disquieting, and as morally provocative as any fiction by George Orwell or Graham Greene. And it is all true.

"In this painstaking, powerful unmasking of evil, the wretched face of tyranny is revealed." --Philadelphia Inquirer

Customer Reviews:

The File: A Personal Perspective of Spying and Life in the GDR.......2007-05-13

In The File Timothy Garton Ash confronts the people who informed on him after opening a file that the Stasi kept on him during his time in East Germany (GDR). He gains access to the files of the individuals who informed on him to the Stasi and also to the informants themselves by first stating that he has a professional interest as a historian and secondly, a personal interest because they participated in keeping records on him. When questioning the informants he often inquiries whether they remember informing on him, how they became informants, what these informants felt about informing and themselves while they were doing it, and how do they feel about informing and the East German government now. Often when confronted the informants seem to want to project blame elsewhere. To them they either did no harm or they were just doing their job. It was the Stasi or GDR who deserved to be blamed.

The only thing that within the book that I wish was done differently was the author's placing blame on people or to find them as either good or bad. The questioning of whether they felt blame or guilt was quite different then him asserting these characteristics on these individuals. Although it is unfair to fault him for this, his personal investment somewhat diminishes the historical, objective approach I desired from the book. I would have preferred him to allow the reader to decide for him/herself the guilty or not guilty verdict.

The File is a historical analysis of one file and one person's experience with the Stasi and East German Government. Because the author is analyzing his own life there is a deal of personal bias when it comes to how an particular informant/person should be viewed, however, this does not diminish from the book. Instead, it offers greater insight into how this individual felt about the GDR, the role of the Stasi in East German society, and the role of the East German citizens as informants. Furthermore, the personal approach The File offers allows the audience to experience for themselves the emotions and events of the author's life.
All in all The File is an excellent case study into East German Society, the East German Government, the Stasi and the experiences of a captalist foreigner residing temporarily within a communist government/society.

interesting Memoir.......2007-05-13

This well written book describes the author's encounter with the Stasi, the East German Secret Police. In the late 70s, Garton Ash worked, and for a short period of time, lived in East Berlin. Not surprisingly, he was under surveillance by the Stasi. At this time, East Germany had the most elaborate internal secret police system in the world. The Stasi itself had thousands of employees and an estimated 2% of the population of East Germany were informants for the Stasi. After re-unification, most of the Stasi files became available for review by the former subjects of Stasi surveillance. Garton Ash obtained his file, over 300 pages in length, and compares it with his recollection of events and the apparently extensive diaries he kept during this period of his life. He also sought out and interviewed several of the individuals listed in the file as informants for the Stasi, and the Stasi officers overseeing the informants. The result is an revealing look at the nature of life in a totalitarian state. The discussions of, and interviews with the former Stasi informants and Stasi officers are the most interesting parts of the book. These sections show well the mixture of intimidation, appeal to careerism, and even residual idealism about socialism that underlay the whole system. Even these revealing anecdotes fail to convey the extent of moral corruption that pervaded East Germany. As Garton Ash points out, he did not really suffer from the Stasi and as a Westerner, he could leave or be expelled. The unfortunate citizens of East Germany were trapped in failing society shored up by implied violence, systematic undermining of family and professional ties, and hypocritical lip service to Communist ideals.

Interesting Look At The Stasi Through One File.......2005-01-12

This is essentially an internal adventure story: it is the story of one man returning to his past and revisiting his younger self by reviewing his East German security service (Stasi) file. Ash, a Briton, was a graduate student at Humboldt University in the late 1970s-early 1980s. As a foreigner in East Germany, he was monitored by the ever-thorough Stasi, which managed to keep records on millions of East German citizens as well. Reading his Stasi file (made available after German unification) forces Ash to remember incidents from his past and reveals to him the identities of numerous Stasi informants -- some of whom were his friends. Ash then visits these informants and confronts them with evidence of their collaboration. In perhaps the most interesting part of the book, Ash visits the Stasi officers in charge of his case.

While Ash's writings caused him to be banned from East Germany, he was never imprisoned, nor was he subject to the depradations faced by average citizens of the GDR. Ash acknowledges that as a foreigner, he was always free to leave, and this makes his file less interesting than those of true dissidents. Ash describes, however, the story of an East German dissident who discovered that her own husband was informing the Stasi of her activities and discusses his friendships with brave East Germans who bucked the regime, and paid the price for it.

This is not the definitive work on the Stasi. It provides some background of the agency, but if you are looking for a more thorough treatment, look to "Stasi: The Untold Story of East Germany's Secret Police," by John Koehler. This book is worth reading, however, to understand, through the file of one man, why men joined the Stasi and how the Stasi turned so many ordinary East Germans into informants. Ash also raises important moral questions about spying and intelligence agencies, which are relevant to free societies as well.

Skip it.......2004-05-04

While this book provides detail to what everyone knows (the Stasi spied on everyone, including the sixth of the population that worked for it) it offers very little else. Missing is any sense whatsoever of the psychological effects of living in this kind of society or any kind of nuanced understanding of what it has meant to confront these files. Ash gives some small indications of what his own responses were, but as a Westerner who expected to be spied on for his activities, his experience is not very instructive. Garton Ash has many things to be proud of, but this book is not one of them.

Excellent Book about a sensitive subject........2003-04-20

I came across this book by accident just searching for books about East Germany on Amazon.com. On a personal note, I myself immigrated from the USA to the DDR (Home of my fathers family) in 1982 and lived there until 1987 when I was expelled for political reasons. This book told of many things I personally experienced, confirmed many things I had long suspected and informed me of many things I never knew.
It is an excellent, accurate look at a country and a system that have passed into oblivion but left many scars on many people.

Average customer rating:

Dus Vedanya Tovarishch
SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION
Real History
Stop apologizing, start reading
Read both this book and The Brother by Sam Roberts

The Rosenberg File: Second Edition
Ronald Radosh , and Joyce Milton
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300072058

Book Description

This highly acclaimed book-hailed as the definitive account of the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case-now includes a new introduction that discusses the most recent evidence. It provides information from the Khrushchev and Molotov memoirs, the Venona papers, and material contained in a Discovery Channel documentary that was first aired in March 1997.

Customer Reviews:

Dus Vedanya Tovarishch .......2007-10-01

The Rosenberg File (2nd edition) by Ronald Radosh and Joyce Milton is a gargantuan piece of superb literary research. The authors take the reader into the dark world of Soviet espionage within the latter part of the decade preceding the war, during the war, and shorlty thereafter.

The ideological sympathies portrayed by many Americans towards Soviet Russia during this time period is no secret, but many took their ideals and sympathies too far! The Rosenbergs, and their accomplices were prime examples of those individuals.

The book reads like an ongoing novel, but...this novel is true. The authors do a magnificent job in laying out each "player" in this "Great Amercian Tragedy." The reader is allowed a glimpse into the formative years of each personality which ultimately enhances the events and story line as it starts to unravel. The crumbling "house of cards" follows the arrest and incarceration of Dr. Klaus Fuchs (who should have been extradited from England and stood trial along with the Rosenbergs!)

The authors present enough recent information (i.e.; FBI files, Venona Intercepts, KGB archives, and publications) to confirm (without a doubt), that Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were guilty as charged.

The court room testimony, and drama revealed in the book is as unique, and moving as anything one could ever find within the Nuremberg trials.

The only criticism I would mention is that a book of this size (616 pages including notes and index section) should have had numerous photo plates. In addition, a little more information (if there is any) on Ruth Greenglass would have been appreciated. After all, a woman with the code name of "OSA" (Wasp) deserves a little more study and explanation. Did her Soviet handlers know her better than her husband?

The Rosenberg File (second edition) is actually a "6-Star" book with a 5 star rating.

SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.......2007-03-05

Eisenhower, Stalin, the Cold War, the Korean War, atomic bombs, atomic spies, air raid shelters, the "Red Scare", McCarthyism and the Rosenbergs- in the mist of time these were early, if undigested terms, from my childhood. Ah, the Rosenbergs. That is what I want to write about today. Out of all of those undigested terms that name is the one that still evokes deep emotion in these old bones. For those who have forgotten or those too young to remember the controversy surrounding their convictions for espionage in passing information about the atomic bomb to the now defunct Soviet Union and their executions defined an essential part of the 1950's, the formation of the Cold War period in American history. Their controversial convictions and sentencing evoked widespread protests throughout the world. Thus, those who seek to learn the lessons of history, and about justice American-style should take the time to carefully examine the case and come to some conclusions about it.

Frankly, I have not, until recently when I read the updated The Rosenberg File by Ronald Radosh and Joyce Milton (written originally in 1983), read any new books on the case so that one of my tasks was to re-read the old material, read the new post-Soviet material, and make some suggestions about what to look for in trying to understand its history. This book, for friend or foe of the memory of the Rosenbergs, is a good place to start.

And what is the scholarship on the case? Was their trial a frame-up in classic American-style against leftist political opponents of the Cold War and American foreign policy? Were they, individually or collectively, "master spies" at the service of the Soviet Union? Were they innocent, if misguided, progressives caught up in the turmoil of the American "red scare" of the post-World War II period? Did the government through its FBI and other security agencies, its attorneys, its judges stumble into a case which would make many reputations? Did the American Communist Party, itself under severe scrutiny, betray the Rosenbergs? Did the various international campaigns on behalf of the couple work at cross purposes with their various demands for a new trial, reduction of sentence and clemency? What kind of people were these Rosenbergs? In short, were the Rosenbergs heroic Soviet spies, martyrs, dupes or innocents? Those are the questions thoughtful readers are confronted with and are fully examined in this book.

Let me add that very few people are neutral on the question of the Rosenbergs, and give the nature of the case no one should be. The authors here are convinced of their guilt in the legal sense and that seems to be good enough for them, although they have some issues about the propriety of the executions. My take on the meaning of the case is different which reflects a different political perspective from the authors. As the title of this piece indicates they stood up for the cause they believed in, the defense of the Soviet Union, and they did not flinch when the consequences of their actions required they pay the highest price. Whether you agree or not, if the reader is merely interested in the spy thriller "who dunnit" aspect of the case and getting the 'bad guys' rather than a thorough review of the case and its political ramifications perhaps one should look elsewhere.

Real History.......2005-07-03

When Ronald Radosh and Joyce Milton began the research for this book, many people across the political spectrum became uncomfortable. That is because this is an actual work of history, rather than an ideological screed masquerading as history. Radosh and Milton have been faithful to the historian's profession: they have interviewed, they have researched, and they have made an honest, ethical attempt to answer the crucial historical question: "What really happened?"

Ideologues on the left and the right have feared and criticized this book because it does a thorough job of lifting the fog of ideology and shedding light on events. What really happened to the Rosenbergs? The revelations are shocking, debunking years of mythology that, even now, continues to be taught in public schools by overindoctrinated teachers. Julius was, indeed, a spy for the USSR, and his wife was fully supportive of his activities, a minor accomplice. They did indeed pass on crude atomic information to the USSR. The USSR would have built an atomic bomb by 1950 at the latest even without the Rosenberg's information. A New York judge used the Rosenbergs to further his career and imposed an unrealistically harsh sentence. President Eisenhower approved of the Rosenberg execution as a warning to anyone else who would spy on the USA. Most of the Rosenberg's most vocal defenders were well aware of their guilt, even as they proclaimed their innocence. Finally, the Rosenbergs could have saved themselves, but chose to put their politics above their children.

These revelations will continually be tested and challenged. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that they will be overturned any time soon. Radosh and Milton have amassed an awesome array of primary and secondary source evidence supporting their conclusions, including interviews of surviving witnesses, court documents, and a review of the scientific evidence -- with only passing reference to the formidable Venona decrypts, which fully corroborate their conclusions.

This book is highly recommended for an understanding of the Cold War era.

Stop apologizing, start reading.......2003-06-21

The Rosenberg case has faded with time and turned into a diffuse urban legend. Facts are rarely possessed by those who are most vehement about the case. This book puts an end to the hodge-podge of information that led some people to believe the Rosenbergs were innocents framed by the government. The truth is that they were spies, they were communists, and they engaged in treason. The Soviets would have acquired The Bomb with or without the Rosenbergs. That doesn't mitigate their guilt for hastening the information to our enemy. The Rosenbergs weren't tried for what they believed. They were tried for what they did. And they were killed for what they did not do--which was recant. Sworn communists, they chose death instead of life. A selfish, stupid choice that placed a worthless ideology over the needs of their two young children, who have written worthwhile books about growing up as orphans of two of the most infamous American traitors. This book ends the speculation that they were innocent, that they had no chance to save their lives by recanting. Here are the latest facts and the fullest account of a chapter in American history that continues to be a vital flashpoint for people on either side of the political spectrum.

Read both this book and The Brother by Sam Roberts.......2002-03-03

The Radosh book concerning the Rosenberg case is a much fuller and more comprehensive treatment of the case than is the more recent book, The Brother, by Sam Roberts. The Brother is based on the current recollections of Ethel Rosenberg's brother David Greenglass who fingered both Ethel and Julius in testimony. David also served a number of years for espionage, himself, as part of same case.

The review by a recent reviewer which states that The Rosenberg File clears Juius and Ethel apparently has not read this book which makes it very, very clear that Julius was certainly part of a communist espionage ring in the NY City area for years during WWII. The Venona Files also make the same case. It is Ethel who was probably not actually guilty of active espionage activities. It should be said, also, that both Rosenbergs could have saved themselves by telling the truth. Ethel might well not even have been charged, and Julius would almost certainly not have gotten the chair. But, they chose to lie right up to the end and be martyrs for the communist cause. The Radosh book, strongly documents the case against Julius and is also forthright about the weakness of the case against Ethel.

Book Description

As the regular forces rebuilt after their escape from Dunkirk, Britain began striking back at Nazi Germany through a small number of strategically placed spies and saboteurs, the Special Operations Executive. Britain's Public Record Office now reveals much new information, particularly about the training of agents. This heavily illustrated work includes actual training manuals used during World War II.

Customer Reviews:

Technical yet interesting account of SOE training at Camp X.......2003-05-14

A very interesting book full of information that you will in all odds never use.

However, we need to remember the past. The SOE did not set Europe ablaze as Churchill had hoped but undoubtedly made a difference in the second world war. The training methods developed at Camp X still have a strong influence today. I have seen some of the hand to hand combat techniques in newer publications reproduced almost word for word. A variation Fairbairn's knife technique is still taught in the military.

Much of the information is adaptable to day to day life. Being aware of ones situation, how to find out if you are being followed and what to do about it and other situations are covered. While none of us will probably have to kill a brothel full of German solders it is still rather interesting to see how it would be done.

Book Description

Starting with Stalin's early years, the author reveals the bitter family conflict caused by the suspicion that the boy was the result of an adulterous affair. The suspicion poisoned the lives of his parents and led to the family's breakup, and to severe abuse by Stalin's father that left the ten-year-old boy's arm crippled for the rest of his life. The traumatized boy grew up into a brutal and crafty criminal, becoming an agent-provocateur of the Tsarist secret police, the Okhrana. This account details Stalin's role as an Okhrana agent, and reconstructs his rivalry with Roman Malinovsky, the top Okhrana agent in Lenin's organization.
The book explores why Stalin was not exposed after the collapse of the Tsarist regime. It gives an account of the discoveries in the odl archives of Stalin's Okhrana files after his rise to power. It came to light in 1926 and there were several attempts to use the file to depose and execute Stalin as an Okhrana provocateur. Soviet officials of Polish and Jewish ethnic origin played a part in the story of this file, and Brackman argues that this inspired Stalin's hatred for these two groups, igniting the irrational urge to destroy them that led to his alliance with Hitler and the partitioning of Poland, which started World War II.

Customer Reviews:

Well Researched But Theme Pushed Too Far.......2005-06-21

As the Soviet archives have been opened, researchers have had a rich treasury of new information on many Soviet figures, particularly Lenin, Stalin, and their lieutenants.
Serious Soviet scholars have long known that strong circumstantial evidence existed that Stalin had been a long time informer (and actual agent) for the Tsarist politcal police, the Okhrana. Using new Russian materials, including archives, interviews and unpublished manuscripts, the author seeks to fully explore and explain the consequences of Stalin's Okhrana service and the file left behind documenting it.
Had this information come out during Stalin's reign, it obviously would have been devistating. It would have exposed him as nothing more than an opportunistic fraud that had betrayed his Bolshevik comrades. Some had been imprisoned, exiled, or even killed as a direct result of his treachery.
Indeed, when Lenin discovered that his close associate Roman Malinovsky had been a Tsarist agent, he was humilated and enraged. When Malinovsky returned to the Soviet Union from abroad to try and make amends, he was arrested. After a brief trial, he was shot.
While a number of authors over the years have downplayed the seriousness of Stalin's past as an Okhrana agent, I would disagree. Some scholars have noted the very fine lines of double (and even triple) agents during this period. However, it seems Stalin, like Roman Malinovsky, was more than just an occasional snitch for the police. I believe his past treachery was serious enough that a good number of Soviets, many in the Cheka/NKVD, were killed to prevent the information from becoming public during Stalin's life. There is quite a bit of evidence for this, which, of course, is one of the main themes for this book.
However, while this book is well researched, I think it takes it's themes too far. In short, most of Stalin's murderous ways and high crimes are traced back by the author to the Okhrana file and Stalin's attempts to keep it from becoming public. I think that this is, in the end, far too simplistic an explanation for Stalin's behavior and methods.
I also have a few other problems with the work. One, the author continually tries to apply Freudian psychology to Stalin. Many of Stalin's actions are said to be based on certain psychological factors relating to events in his childhood and other periods of his early life (such as being beaten by his drunkard father). While such speculation is interesting, too much of Stalin's behavior is attributed to these factors with no real evidence -- just the speculation.
I also had some problems trying to find out exactly who some of the author's sources were and how they would have known the information attributed to them. In some cases, I was unaware of the person cited and could find no reference anywhere in the book as to who they were and why we should believe what they had said.
Students of Stalinist history and the Soviet State Security apparatus will find this a valuable work and an enjoyable read despite it's flaws. It is certainly the most detailed work yet on an old mystery from the early days of the Soviet regime.

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Thought provoking
Not a work of scholarship
maybe a thriller, surely not a biography
Riveting...Then Boring
A great addition to Holocaust literature

Nazi Hunter: The Wiesenthal File
Alan Levy
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 078671090X

Book Description

This is the remarkable story of a man who has become a legend in his own lifetime. Simon Wiesenthal spent four and a half years in Mauthausen concentration camp during the Second World War. With the exception of his wife, all his immediate family were exterminated, and he himself ended the war a living skeleton. Since then, he has achieved international renown for his tireless tracking down of Nazi war criminals—including his capture of Eichmann, the “desk murderer” who masterminded Hitler’s Final Solution, and Stangl the overlord of Treblinka—and for his pursuit of Mengele of Auschwitz, the dreaded “Angel of Death.” To this day his work continues, his motivation simply expressed in the words: “Justice, not vengeance.” The accounts of inspired detective work that lie behind Wiesenthal’s successful apprehension of the fugitives reads as excitingly as any thriller, but Alan Levy’s book is much more than that. It is an award-winning examination of the work of one of the greatest Jewish figures of the twentieth century. 8 pages of black-and-white photographs bring to life this gripping account of the life-long pursuit of justice by the man who declared “So long as the criminals are free, the war has not ended for me.” “Wiesenthal has played his part in a disturbing episode of post-war history. [A] readable and intelligent book.”—The Times (London)

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking.......2007-04-12

This is an unusually well written book. The sections on Weisenthal's early years are fascinating, but ultimately, this is not a biography, as it is the story of Weisenthal's " clients " which is the most haunting. Don't agree with other reviewers that the book is non critical of Weisenthal - within a supportive framework, the author makes it quite clear just how hopelessly wrong Weisenthal got it on Mengele, and there are plenty of quotes from his detractors, including leading Jews.

One of the best books on the Holocaust and its aftermath I have read.

Not a work of scholarship.......2006-07-22

This book is well intentioned and should certainly be read, but it is not a work of scholarship. It is poorly written too. It is frustrating.

The book does not live up to its title. The author reveals little of Wiesenthal's files. For that, it is recommended you turn to Wiesenthal's books.

The book is poorly structured, bounding together several biographical entries, largely unconnected with one another. Some entries span a few pages, others span over one hundred. The main entries concern Eichmann, Wallenberg, Mengele, Stangl. Raoul Wallenberg the hero finds himself squeezed between mass murderers Eichmann and Mengele.

This is the sort of book that makes you want to read more, to look up details, to check facts, to find out more. It creates needs more than it satisfies them. It is a frustrating book.

The book is well intentioned, but poorly written. It consists of a string of assertions that are not backed up by references. It suffers from the weaknesses of an eyewitness account, except that the writer, Alan Levy, has not witnessed anything himself. And he does not tell us where his facts come from.

In several places, Alan Levy corrects Simon Wiesenthal. Wiesenthal's writings are full of mistakes, we are told. Alan Levy compares the two versions of Wiesenthal's memoirs to show how his views have changed over time. He corrects this or that assertion, but because he never tells us where his facts come from, this is a useless exercise bordering on the profane.

Simon Wiesenthal was not a scholar and he has often been wrong. But this is mostly because he relied on eyewitnesses' accounts and anonymous denunciations. It is also because, driven as he was by a desire to bring to justice nazi mass murderers, his strategy was to keep the hunt alive by publicizing believeable nazi spottings as well as not-so-believeable spottings. What reasons does Alan Levy have for writing such a sloppy book?

This is a frustrating book because it is full of facts we would like to check, but cannot because there are no references to the sources.

Turn instead to: Raoul Wallenberg, by Sharon Linnea. Into That Darkness: From Mercy Killing to Mass Murder, by Gitta Sereny (this is a biography of Stangl). Mengele: The Complete Story, by Gerald L. Posner. Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, by Hannah Arendt. The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal.

maybe a thriller, surely not a biography.......2006-04-02

I was quite disappointed by this book (I hesitated between 2 and 3 stars, and finally opted for 2, to balance the enthusiastic reviews that this book gets)
When I started reading it, i had great expectations. Here was a book that would tell me the story of Simon wiesenthal, a survivor of the Holocaust that swore to hunt Nazi around the world, and bring them in front of justice.
The description of wartime and the horror of concentration camps is quite good (although anything written by Primo Levi is much better). The wartime life of wiesenthal himself is well described, although it sounds a little romanticized. It could have set the ground to understand what drove this man in his postwar hunt. But that's where the disappointment comes : it doesn't. The book goes back and forth between a mere collection of facts and a blindly admirative account of Wiesenthal's life. Whatever Wiesenthal says is right, whatever Wiesenthal does is great. What this book lacks is independant investigation. The author seems to be satisfied with Wiesenthal accounts on pretty much everything in the book. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say Wisenthal lied on anything. But a biograph should not rely solely on the testimonies of his subject. And when he does quote somebody else, the quote is not properly referenced (there is a certain flakiness in Levy's journalistic methods).
Rather than giving fuzzy criticism, let's look at one particular example:
Page 136 is symptomatic of the lazy writing in this book : the first part of the page is a long citation of Annah Arendt, explaining how Eichman got out of Europe after the war (Levy doesn't give the reference of the quote). Then he goes on to quote an ecclesiast who helped Eichman getting out, testifying how he didn't realized that the person he was helping was a Nazi (Levy also ironizes about the fake innocence of the priest). Here, once again, we don't know where the quote is coming from. Did Levy directly asked the ecclesiast ? I doubt. More probably Levy got this quote from Wiesenthal himself (probably from one of his books). This is symptomatic from this book : it comes so close from a direct testimony of Wiesenthal that he even forgets to remind us when he actually is quoting him. So then, why not just reading one of Wiesenthal's books instead?
This is just an example taken randomly. Other -more serious- points on which Levy doesn't take much distance from Wiesenthal include :
-when Wiesenthal proposed that Eichman be dressed a a Nazi during his trial (page 156, Levy qualifies this idea as "emotionally right", I personally find it grotesque)
-On the controversy between Wiesenthal and Israel's secret services as to who took the most important part in Eichman's capture (once again, all we have his Wiesenthal point of view, taken for granted).

The function of a biography (and this book is advertised as a biography) is to give a balanced, honest account on one man's personality, not trying to hide its complexity. On that regard, Alan Levy partially fails.
As I read again my comments, I realize that I have been a little bit harsh. The book is not bad, it is just that it is written more like a thriller than a book on history.

Riveting...Then Boring.......2005-02-03

First of all, I'd like to state the book (most of it) was quite riveting. Levy begins with a look at Wiesenthal's experience as a young Jew in pre-war Europe. He later chronicles Simon's life during the war in the camps and his search for his family after the war. The stories make for fascinating reading. Then, Levy writes how Simon got into the business of Nazi hunting.

The chapters describing the hunts for Adolf Eichmann (and the rivals between Mossad and Wiesenthal), Josef Mengele, and Franz Stangl were absoluting quality reading. After the chapters on these three Nazis, and the brief chapter on the concentration camp guards, the book takes a different path and describes the ordeal of Raoul Wallenberg. Although Wallenberg was not a Nazi, but a humanist dedicating to saving the lives of Jews, I had to ask myself what this chapter was doing in the book. Nevertheless, it was quite fascinating to read about the ordeal Wallenberg faced and to read what actually happened to him during the war, and especially, after the war.

At this point, you can quit reading the book. The next chapters dealt with Bruno Kriesky and Kurt Waldheim. I didn't have a clue who Bruno was. (I believe he became chancellor of Austria during the '70s). Why was he in this book? As far as I can tell, it was due to Simon and Bruno not liking each other. Bruno was a Jew who claimed that he was not a Jew and tried to distance himself from Jews during the war. He didn't kill any Jews, so why have his story in this book? It's wasted space.

As far as Waldheim is concerned, the jury appears to be out as far as his guilt is concerned. There never seems to be direct evidence pointing to Waldheim as to whether he was responsible for killing partisans (or at least KNEW some killings took place)
in Yugoslavia. Waldheim's superiors (during the war) say that he did not have the authority to kill or order killings; a sargaent who reported to Waldheim said that he did. Some say he was present at the time the killings took place; others said he was not. Some say that as part of intelligence, and as a lowly lieutenant, Waldheim would not have known about partisan killings. Others said how did he not know? If no one knows the truth, why read it about in this book? Even the Yugoslavian government has refused to prosecute. So, I may ask, why fill 150 pages of this book if there is no conclusive evidence that Waldheim is guilty? The later part of these chapters were very boring. The book was about hunting murderous NAZIS, not about people who were ashamed of being Jewish or about German Army officers.

The book should have included the hunt for Nazi Klaus Barbie and other Nazis who eluded capture for many years. Then, I would have rated this book 4 stars. But, to include chapters on Bruno Kriesky and Kurt Waldheim? A real time waster.

A great addition to Holocaust literature.......2003-07-11

Alan Levy does an excellent job documenting both the life of Weisenthal and of the killers he hunted. One of the most striking points is the change in the ideas and attitude of these war criminals from the pre- to post- war period. The continued complicity of governments in hiding these fugitives until today is unbelievable as is the existence of clandestine organizations such as Odessa, which directly assist them.

One of the most interesting parts of the book I found was about Kurt Waldheim and the struggle that former military personal have with admission of their involvement with the German army. Living in Europe, it is easy to assume the collective guilt of the older generation of Germans and Austrians, but much harder to imagine the choices they faced both during and after the war. We get to imagine it from both the side of master and slave in the course of this book. I am currently living in a former Communist country, where Stb agents (Czech KGB) and Communist party members were some of the first to profit from the change to capitalism, so I can clearly imagine in some ways how the post-war period was for both Germany and Austria. The inclination to forget the past and move on is great, and yet, at least here, the same "leaders" have managed to change outfits with such little protest. It is 12 years since the fall of communism and there have been so few investigations here of the crimes of former government officials, that the situation seems comic. The people of Czechoslavakia just as the Germans did before them, want to forget, and yet justice will only be done when people with Simon Weisenthal's courage and drive become involved.

Levy goes to great lengths to highlight the Weisenthal coda defining the difference between a war criminal and personnel who were aware and complicit during the time war crimes were occurring. Weisenthal placed a great deal of emphasis on both truth and morality in his work, but the author shows balance in pointing out that he didn't always get it right.

Customer Reviews:

Great read.......2006-05-01

I cant say too much about the book because Im still early into it, but from what Ive read has been very interesting. Even the introduction which is the history of the program, is worth reading.

However, all the data is dated (thats given since it was for WWII) but still can be helpful. I skipped close to the end to read the hand to hand combat section which gave some great tips.

If you like or interested in FBI/CIA/Secrent Agent action, this is book is for you.

Hitler's Death: Russia's Last Great Secret from the Files of the KGB

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There is something missing
As Close as You'll Get to the Original Source Material
So finally, that's what really happened!
Scholarly WW II history
Informative

Hitler's Death: Russia's Last Great Secret from the Files of the KGB
V.K. Vinogradov et al
Manufacturer: Chaucer Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1904449131

Book Description

At last one of the greatest mysteries of the Second World War has been solved. Since historian Hugh Trevor-Roper made his name with the publication of Hitlerâ€™s Last Days, it has been accepted that the Nazi leader killed himself as Allied troops closed in. Many have suspected that the story was incomplete; now, with the help of previously unpublished documents from the KGB archives, one of the last great secrets of World War II can be revealed. With testimony from Germans and Russians who participated in the battle for the Reichstag and evidence from those sent to arrest the FÃ¼hrer, Hitlerâ€™s Death pieces together the astonishing truth of the final days of Nazism.
Surrounded by secrecy, this book also includes a detailed examination of the complete diaries of Martin Bormann and graphic new evidence from Hitlerâ€™s inner circle. This revelatory work provides a unique insight into the death throes of the Third Reich and is guaranteed to cause controversy.
â€~... at that moment, Linge came in and confirmed that Hitler was dead, saying that he had had to carry out the hardest order the Fuhrer had ever given him ... Obviously Hitler, doubting the effectiveness of the poison after all the injections he had been given for such a long time, ordered Linge to shoot him after he had taken the poison. Linge had shot Hitler.â€™
Hitlerâ€™s personal security chief SS GruppenfÃ¼hrer H. Rattenhuber, page 195

Customer Reviews:

There is something missing.......2007-06-02

I thought the book was outstanding. Until I got to literally the last page and realized something very, very important was missing. As they say in movie and TV reviews Spoiler Alert!! On that last page she observes that a look at the pieces of Hitler's skull establishes that he could not have shot himself. That is when I realized that missing from the book was even a semi-comprehensive autopsy of Hitler. There is great concentration on the teeth which are used to prove that the bodies are Hitler's and the Mrs. But at no point I could find was there any material to show that the two parts of the skull went together and it is certainly not obvious from the pictures. It is also notable that a cursory autopsy was done on the German Shepard, presumably Blondi. I really can not see the Russians doing a autopsy on an dog and not on Hitler and the rest. I think someone has swept the file a bit before these gentlemen got there. Other than that disappointment, outstanding!

As Close as You'll Get to the Original Source Material.......2006-06-21

I have only two problems with this otherwise excellent book:

First is the sub-title, 'Last Great Secret.' It's really hard to say convincingly that this is the last secret. It seems that all the time more secrets are being found. And I can think of some other things that should be in the KGB files that haven't been reported yet. For instance, what were the Russian code breaking efforts.

The second problem is admitted on page 11 of this book. Much of the information contained in the book comes from the Soviet interrogation of captured Germans who had been close to Hitler in the bunker. It was in their interest to tell their captors what they wanted to hear. And under questioning by the KGB who knows what was done to them. 'The Hitler Book' covers much of this same subject and the diligent reader will want to read both as they present a different slant.

The Russian forces captured Berlin, and immediately began an investigation as to Hitler's last days. They compiled a great deal of forensic evidence, reports of which are included here. In fact, most of the book is in the form of reports of one kind and another. This book appears to be about as close to the original source material as can be found without the ability to read Russian.

So finally, that's what really happened!.......2006-03-30

Recent history is always the most fresh in any person's mind and the events which led to the rise and fall of Nazi Germany remain as fresh today as they ever were for many people - even for those who were born after the war was finally over and simply grew up in it's aftermath. No other person from that time was ever more hated than Adolph Hitler and, for far too long, specific details and facts about his death have always seemed to raise more questions than answers. Not any more.

Now that the former Soviet Union is gone, the new Russia is slowly opening her doors - and her archives!, to reveal what was formerly the country's most guarded secrets. With Russian troops being the first the storm the Reichstag, it was to Stalin that all papers and diaries recovered from that building were delivered and, until recently, the world's historians had been denied access.

Now, those historians and writers have been allowed sight of the most telling documents about the final days of Nazism. In this book, we are treated to a compilation of evidence about Hitler's death unlike anything which has gone before. Evidence such as that from Hitler's own closest inner circle, reports made by the Russians and Germans who took part in that final battle, detailed accounts from those who were sent to arrest the Fuhrer, records of the interrogation of those who survived Hitler's Bunker, Martin Bormann's entire diary of the time and more besides.

Many people dismiss Adolph Hitler as a madman. Perhaps he was - but maybe that answer is just too simple. One thing is for certain, to read this book is to answer almost every single nagging question that was there before it was published.

An excellent job of research.

NM

Scholarly WW II history.......2006-03-19

V.K. Vinogradov, et.al.'s HITLER'S DEATH: RUSSIA'S LAST GREAT SECRET FROM THE FILES OF THE KGB is a 'must' for any scholarly collection specializing in World War II history. It solves one of the greatest mysteries of the war, using previously unpublished top secret documents and images from KGB archives to present new evidence from Hitler's inner circle, testimony from Germans and Russians who participated in the final battle, and evidence from those sent to arrest Hitler. Verbatim records of the interrogation of survivors blend with internal reports to Stalin and more to penetrate the cloak of secrecy and recreate Hitler's last days.

Informative.......2006-02-17

Very interesting, though dry. This book provides some interesting facts for this period of history. Problem area is
the read is a bit dull, and drawn out.

Average customer rating:

Conspiracy Theory it's not
hmmmm... Very interesting read
Good for the time it was written
"Plots have I laid"
Interesting as a reflection of it's time

The File on the Tsar
Anthony Summers , and Tom Mangold
Manufacturer: Orion mass market paperback
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0752849379

Book Description

The world was told that the last Tsar of Russia and his family were butchered in the 'cellar massacre' at Ekaterinburg in 1918. Yet diplomats and reporters did not believe it. And the longest court case of the century failed to explode Anna Anderson's claim to be the Tsar's youngest daughter, Grand Duchess Anastasia. Anthony Summers and Tom Mangold spent five years tracking down witnesses and long-lost documents. The search led to Moscow, Tokyo and Washington and their persistence finally paid off when they found a suppressed official dossier - the File on the Tsar. It shows that the public was fed a lie. The Romanovs did not all die at Ekaterinburg, but became pawns in an international power game, involving Lenin, the Kaiser, the British Royal Family and British Intelligence. And in London, over 80 years later, the cover-up goes on.

Customer Reviews:

Conspiracy Theory it's not.......2006-11-03

Many people have dismissed "File on the Tsar" as another Conspiracy theory, however it is far from that. File on the Tsar, is an extremelly well researched investiagtion into an alternative theory about the fate of the Romanovs.

Many people dismiss this book because it does not hold that the family was massacred at Ekaterinburg. The fact is that contrary to popular belief the massacre is still a theory, it has not been proven as fact, and the File on the Tsar provides informative generally unknown information on how some of the evidence for a massacre was fabricated.

WARNING SPOILER

Spoiler; For instance when the massacre theory was first being investigated shortly after the Romanovs disapeared, it was claimed that they were shot in the dinning room, not the basement.

Secondly three seperate investigations were conducted, the last investigation is the only one that ever saw light, primarily because it was the most shocking. Early investigators did not find nearly as many bullet holes, bayonet holes, ect . . . as later ones.

SPOILERS END HERE

Even the discovery of bodies does not prove that the alternative theory in File on the Tsar is untrue. The Imperial grave was opened more then once after the family was believed to have been shot and buried, and the remains could have been disturbed.

In short File on the Tsar simply provides comprehensive information, and an alternative theory as to the familys fate, whats more it also could explain the absence of two bodies from the Imperial grve site. The massacre theory does not.

Is it somewhat dated? Yes. Unproven by modern science and DNA? No.

All scientific and fernsic evidence can equally be used to support the File on the Tsar's theory, as it can the massacre.

I recomend if nothing else, that even if you disagree, that you read it.

hmmmm... Very interesting read.......2006-05-10

Anthony Summers and Tom Mangfold did something extrordinary when they discovered Sokolov's original file on the Tsar. They discovered he had withheld evidence to what he found on the Tsar's murder. The book pretty much dispells of the Sokolov investigation and its faults and is way ahead of its time in that sense. But of course the second half of the book has lost most of its validity since the bodies have been located. But it is interesting how many people claimed to have seen the Empress and her daughters alive and being used by Lenin as pawns. It's a perfect story for those in Russia who still believe that the Romanov bones are not authentic. I think they are though. The part of the book which discusses Anna Anderson is very interesting as well, and makes you wonder how this woman could have truly been a Polish factory girl.

Good for the time it was written.......2006-01-02

Many people have criticized this book because it can be labled as a "conspiracy theory." However, it is remarkably well-researched and has some valuble info, such as the fact that Anastasia and Alexey couldn't possibly have been burned to ashes within one night out in the open. The authors can be forgiven, as it is an attempt to explain the fate of the Romanovs before the definitive DNA analysis concluded that at least 9 of the inhabitants of the Ipatiev house were brutally murdered. Also, it was written before Yurovsky's testimony came to light. I don't think it merits Henry Kissinger's "crap" statement about it. It is outdated, but its authors nevertheless command respect from historians. It was right about one thing - that the Sokolov investigation was fixed and Medvedev's testimony is unreliable, as Yurovsky's "confession" demonstrates. If one wants a definitive book about the fate of Nicky and Alix, I suggest Robert K. Massie's "The Romanovs: The Final Chapter."

"Plots have I laid".......2001-11-12

Sadly, with the advent of DNA and the fall of the iron curtain there is less and less mystery in history.

This book is a fine example of the fog and questions which surronunded the death (or disappereance) of the russian imperial family. However, as time has moved along, we now know that most of the ideas the authors suggest never occured.

That said I liked the book and felt that it gave a good treatmeant of the context within which the last Tsar and his family met their tragic end. The reader must always exercise caution about the conclusions even as you enjoy the text.

Interesting as a reflection of it's time.......2000-03-29

File on the Tsar is interesting as a compilation of escape theories popular in the 1970's, most of which have since been proven to be false, particularly in Radzinsky's The Last Tsar (which would be a good book to read after this one). Still, the writing style is engaging and the photos are well chosen. Take it's theories with a grain of salt and it is a fun read.

Encyclopedia Of The Enlightenment (Facts on File Library of World History)

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Encyclopedia Of The Enlightenment (Facts on File Library of World History)
Peter Hanns Reill , and Ellen Judy Wilson
Manufacturer: Facts on File
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0816053359

Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (Facts on File Library of World History)

Average customer rating:

Where is the Love?
A Great Book about The Roman Empire
A treasure trove of detailed information
A Great Book for Beginners and Scholars
Informative one-volume encyclopedia of Rome

Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (Facts on File Library of World History)
Lesley Adkins , and Roy A. Adkins
Manufacturer: Facts on File
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0816050260

Amazon.com

Archaeologists Lesley and Roy Adkins offer a sweeping overview of the Roman world in Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. The authors, whose previous books include Dictionary of Roman Religion, An Introduction to Archaeology, and Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece, draw upon both archaeological and historical evidence to provide an authoritative and engaging look at an empire that lasted some 1,200 years and formed the basis for the development of Western jurisprudence and governmental systems.

The chapters are arranged thematically, and cover the republic, military affairs, geography, town and countryside, travel and trade, writing, religion, economy and industry, and everyday life. Within each chapter the authors cover an exhaustive range of subtopics. For instance, in the chapter on towns and countryside, one can find information that spans from the planning and construction of aqueducts to the furnishings found in the typical Roman apartment. Though each entry is fairly short, the authors include extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter, as well as over 125 photographs, line drawings, and maps to round out the picture. Informative and entertaining, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome is an illuminating guide to the Roman world.

Customer Reviews:

Where is the Love?.......2006-07-22

i regret not being able to give this book 5 stars because what it contains is amazing information. the 4 star rating is because of whats missing. the main thing being the sex lives, romance and love between the people of ancient Rome. there is absoutely nothing except for a sentence or two about bacchanal orgies. i'm not looking for Jacquline Susann but what is more important than these three things. it's a stunning omission and i am completely perplexed why it isn't in there. also there is very little about day to day things such as clothes, toiletries, grooming and interpersonal relations. its chock full of geography and battle info.... which is great but i was hoping for more "everyday life" stuff.... like what happens in a family, what kind of schools and differences in schooling for the rich and poor.
well actually i'm going down to a 3 after writing this.

A Great Book about The Roman Empire.......2005-11-12

Hi, I got this book from the public library for a report on Roman ships. This book was full of information on the subject, and many other subjcts besides. It has information on many aspects of Roman life, from daily life to government to military. I'll probably be getting this book for myself, it's such a great book.

A treasure trove of detailed information.......2005-07-01

If you have a passion for learning about ancient Roman life, as I do, then this book is a must for you. It contains a wealth of encyclopedic detail about everything from Roman roads to religion, writing to wine pressing, eating and drinking to healing and thinking. Moderns can only reconstruct ancient Rome in the mind in fleeting glimpses nudged into being at random moments. This book, more than any other that I know of, succeeds in bringing many such satisfying moments to life.

A Great Book for Beginners and Scholars.......2005-03-02

Lesley and Roy Adkins' book on Roman civilization is a thourough categorical text covering everything from political institutions to fashion. The book also has extensive photographs and illustrations detailing countless subjects such as military formations and equipment, roads, city plans and development, architecture, etc., etc. For a general reference guide, it's the most exhaustive, detailed, and accurate text I have ever found. A perfect book that can be easily used by adults or children, and teachers or students.

If you are just beginning to learn about Roman civilization, I strongly recommend this book above all other introductory texts: there's simply no comparison! As you learn more of the basic information, the book has an excellent bibliography and reference guide to authoritative books or academic texts that focus on a specific area. This book is truly one of the best investments one can make in the study of ancient Rome.

Informative one-volume encyclopedia of Rome.......2002-07-27

One of the first things the serious student of Roman history learns is how complicated the subject is. The neat, orderly account in the freshman history text quickly proves to be misleading (while at the same time a testimony to the painstaking efforts of scholars). When the minutiae become overwhelming, and you have trouble relating or remembering all the parts, that's a good time to refer to this handbook--whether you need to know something basic, like who was emperor in 192 or what the offices were in the cursus honorum, or want to know something more specialized, like which legions Caesar commanded. Its articles have the right balance of detail and brevity to make them useful for both beginning and advanced students.

The authors, being archaeologists, devote a lot of space to material culture. Students should appreciate this; classroom study of ancient Rome usually emphasizes literary monuments, and it's the things, the "stuff," the common objects of daily life, which by their sheer ordinariness are least likely to be described by authors. Unfortunately, this does mean that certain other topics are given short shrift. There is virtually no material on Roman law--its content, its development, and its institutions--unless you're content with a few paragraphs and references. There's a great section on arms and armor, but almost nothing on the specific rights of citizenship.

The perfect guide to ancient Rome probably hasn't been written yet, but until it appears, I'm using this one and do give it my recommendation. Great for filling in the background of your picture of Roman life.

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