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Book Description
The biography of Franz Stangl, commandant of the Treblinka extermination camp - a classic and utterly compelling study of evil.
Product Description
Only four men commanded Nazi extermination (as opposed to concentration) camps. Franz Stangl was one of the. Gitta Sereny's investigation of this man's mind, and of the influences which shaped him, has become a classic. Stangl commanded Treblinka and was found guilty of co-responsibility for the slaughter there of at least 900, 000 people. Sereny, after weeks of talk with him and months of further research, shows us this man as he saw himself, and 'as he was seen by many others, including his wife. She takes us sharply and deeply into hierarchy of the death camps; the experiences of the very few survivors, both inmates and guards. ' (Observer)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Sereny's contribution to the history of the holocaust is deeply disturbing, strangely unjudgemental and goes a long way to helping the reader understand how a human being like Stangl, with a relatively unremarkable background could take part in the most terrible crime in recent history. A harrowing and terrible is the revelation that Stangl had a lot in common with any of us. Would we be capable of the same thing if we were in his shoes? Ask yourself the old question: Is man inherently evil? Read it.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Gitta Sereny does a fantastic job here of transcribing her interviews with one of the key Nazi figures of Operation Reinhard. Franz Stangl held management positions in not one, but two of the three Nazi death camps, where all prisoners were killed within 24 hours of arrival, with the exception of a small number who were kept alive to maintain the camp (also destined for death when all the Jews had been killed, if they lasted that long!) Please remember here that thousands and thousands of men, women and children were murdered in these camps.
Franz Stangl was commended on his efficient work in the camps and that is what makes these interviews so compelling. Here is a unique opportunity to look into the mind of a true Nazi, initially a very ordinary, non-descript man, and his recollection and feelings on his 'work' during WWII.
The book is completely un-biased, leaving the reader to decide whether or not this man was evil, easily led or otherwise! The author does not shy away from difficult or painful questions, (such as how Stangl felt about the killing of children and babies). This book must be read. There are very interviews from the men in key positions in the death camps, and whether or not you believe all of Stangl's explanations, it does give you a compellable insight into the psyche of a Nazi.
38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is without doubt an important book, being one of the few written about the holocaust which genuinely attempts to see into the minds of those who committed the terrible crimes of the period. When the Gita Sereny does this, it is a fascinating and compelling attempt at understanding the workings of man's mind who finds himself in the most unimaginable situation. The author does not attempt to symphasise or condemn him, rather she offers up his explanations for his actions, for the reader to judge for him or herself. However in the later chapters, the book degenerates into a poorly researched attempt to disect the role of the Catholic church in the holocaust, and the book loses all form or direction. If you are interested in the political machinations of the vatican during WWII I would suggest reading 'Hitler's Pope' by John Cornwell.
This book was good, but it could have been so much better, if the author had directed her attention fully at the character of Franz Stangl rather than attempting to deal with a myriad of other events, which have been far better covered by other writers.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Thankfully unsensational
All the more powerful for its restraint, this book goes some way to trying to answer the question of how and why a man could get caught up in genocide. Read more
Published 6 months ago by John Whitfield
An Excellent Read
For anyone interested in the WW2 Holocaust and the events involved in it , this book is a very large insight. Read more
Published 10 months ago by TomValley
into that darkness
A very interesting book, a good attempt at explaining why people like Stangl did what they did, surprisingly not very well written
Published 20 months ago by salinas
Essential reading, but a disappointing deviation towards the end
I wholly agree with the reviewer who says that the book would have been better if Ms Sereny had not gone into details about the role of the Catholic church. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ekisenge
A chilling study of the Nazi mind
I found the title and author of this book whilst reading Escape From Sobibor (an excellent book by Richard Rashke). Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2010 by Paul
into the darkness by gita sereny
fast, informative, brilliantlty researched. an historical document that all young people should read, describing how easily mankind can sink to the depths of depravity if the... Read more
Published on 2 April 2009 by J. M. Cahn
Excellent
A very thought provoking book. Shows what can happen if you keep giving in little by little.
Published on 22 Dec 2007 by Mr. A. Creelman
Could not put it down.
This is a very human book, examining the character of the man who, through a series of decisions and circumstances, became commandant of Treblinka and oversaw the murder of a... Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2007 by M. L. Mitchell
An extraordinary read.
As with her book on Albert Speer, Sereny goes looking for the man behind the myth, both self-created and fashioned by historical fact. Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2006 by M. Warburton
Compelling
A grim but utterly compelling look at the mind of Nazi mass-murderer Franz Stangl. Incredibly, Stangl emerges as a kind of sympathetic figure, tortured by his profound moral... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2005 by giraudtheunwilling
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