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Review
One of the most unsettling books to have been written about the Third Reich ... It is two stories in one- both riveting - that of the dentist's transformation into unswerving SS officer and of the grandson's appalled discovery. Woven together they make for unforgettable, haunting reading. (Simon Schama )
A fascinating and extraordinary journey into the heart of Nazism (Ben Macintyre, Author Of Agent Zigzag And Operation Mincemeat )
Martin Davidson has done a brave thing: he has confronted and revealed his own family's Nazi past. The result is absorbing, highly readable and painstakingly researched (Niall Ferguson )
The utterly compelling account of what it's like to discover that your grandfather was a ruthless officer in Hitler's SS (Philip Kerr )
The Perfect Nazi is a terrific piece of writing, shedding light on how ordinary Germans abetted the Nazi terror and how in later years all was conveniently "forgotten" (David Cesarani, Author Of Eichmann: His Life And Crimes )
A fascinating and compelling account. This is an important book for anyone interested in the moral climate which led to the Holocaust and the other crimes of the Third Reich. (Adrian Weale Evening Standard )
A riveting narrative that brings a fresh vividness to a familiar episode (Valerie Grove The Times )
Davidson's journey into his grandfather's past makes for a compelling and unsettling tale ... A thoughtful and affecting book. (Telegraph )
Shocking and compelling ... Hollywood fiction turns out to be not so far from the truth as revealed in Martin Davidson's fascinating account of his maternal grandfather (Sunday Times )
Chillingly addictive ... Davidson was right to decide that, whatever the cost, Bruno had "forfeited the right" to post-humous anonymity (Roger Hutchinson Scotsman )
This highly readable, thought-provoking book highlights the challenges that German families have faced as they seek to put the past behind them ... It offers a window on how the different generations grappled with the Nazi past (Hester Vaizey Independent )
The Perfect Nazi is an important and engrossing story ... at the same time a brave and repulsive work. It also provides a thorough and morbidly fascinating insight into the circumstances that led ordinary people to descend into Hitlerian madness and become monsters (Herald Scotland )
An engaging book, which is part popular history and part Who Do You Think You Are?, and should appeal to fans of both genres. An illuminating story well told (Roger Moorhouse BBC History Magazine )
It's a remarkable book for a whole host of reasons, but mainly because the author has managed to write that most difficult of non-fiction books - a personal history that is also a general history ... What Martin Davidson has achieved here is the ideal balance between his own shock at discovering his grandfather was a member of the feared SD - the intelligence division of the SS - and the general atmosphere of the times. He treads this path with great skill. And in the process reveals that he is a very fine writer indeed (Laurence Rees, Ww2history.Com, And Author Of The Nazis: A Warning From History )
A compelling and disturbing account of the legacy of Nazism ... Davidson succeeds in creating an overview not only of his maternal Grandfather's life and career but of his own search for truth (Publishers Weekly )
A chilling exposé of a dark family secret ... Davidson doesn't blink at the ugly truth of Bruno's actions (Kirkus )
A good edition to the Nazi genre ... Davidson not only tells the tale of his grandfather's experience, but also provides insight into how and why young Germans could choose the Nazi way of life (Library Journal )
A fascinating and extraordinary journey into the heart of Nazism (Ben Macintyre, Author Of Agent Zigzag And Operation Mincemeat )
Martin Davidson has done a brave thing: he has confronted and revealed his own family's Nazi past. The result is absorbing, highly readable and painstakingly researched (Niall Ferguson )
The utterly compelling account of what it's like to discover that your grandfather was a ruthless officer in Hitler's SS (Philip Kerr )
The Perfect Nazi is a terrific piece of writing, shedding light on how ordinary Germans abetted the Nazi terror and how in later years all was conveniently "forgotten" (David Cesarani, Author Of Eichmann: His Life And Crimes )
A fascinating and compelling account. This is an important book for anyone interested in the moral climate which led to the Holocaust and the other crimes of the Third Reich. (Adrian Weale Evening Standard )
A riveting narrative that brings a fresh vividness to a familiar episode (Valerie Grove The Times )
Davidson's journey into his grandfather's past makes for a compelling and unsettling tale ... A thoughtful and affecting book. (Telegraph )
Shocking and compelling ... Hollywood fiction turns out to be not so far from the truth as revealed in Martin Davidson's fascinating account of his maternal grandfather (Sunday Times )
Chillingly addictive ... Davidson was right to decide that, whatever the cost, Bruno had "forfeited the right" to post-humous anonymity (Roger Hutchinson Scotsman )
This highly readable, thought-provoking book highlights the challenges that German families have faced as they seek to put the past behind them ... It offers a window on how the different generations grappled with the Nazi past (Hester Vaizey Independent )
The Perfect Nazi is an important and engrossing story ... at the same time a brave and repulsive work. It also provides a thorough and morbidly fascinating insight into the circumstances that led ordinary people to descend into Hitlerian madness and become monsters (Herald Scotland )
An engaging book, which is part popular history and part Who Do You Think You Are?, and should appeal to fans of both genres. An illuminating story well told (Roger Moorhouse BBC History Magazine )
It's a remarkable book for a whole host of reasons, but mainly because the author has managed to write that most difficult of non-fiction books - a personal history that is also a general history ... What Martin Davidson has achieved here is the ideal balance between his own shock at discovering his grandfather was a member of the feared SD - the intelligence division of the SS - and the general atmosphere of the times. He treads this path with great skill. And in the process reveals that he is a very fine writer indeed (Laurence Rees, Ww2history.Com, And Author Of The Nazis: A Warning From History )
A compelling and disturbing account of the legacy of Nazism ... Davidson succeeds in creating an overview not only of his maternal Grandfather's life and career but of his own search for truth (Publishers Weekly )
A chilling exposé of a dark family secret ... Davidson doesn't blink at the ugly truth of Bruno's actions (Kirkus )
A good edition to the Nazi genre ... Davidson not only tells the tale of his grandfather's experience, but also provides insight into how and why young Germans could choose the Nazi way of life (Library Journal )
Review
One of the most unsettling books to have been written about the Third Reich ... It is two stories in one- both riveting - that of the dentist's transformation into unswerving SS officer and of the grandson's appalled discovery. Woven together they make for unforgettable, haunting reading. -- Simon Schama A fascinating and extraordinary journey into the heart of Nazism -- Ben Macintyre, Author Of Agent Zigzag And Operation Mincemeat Martin Davidson has done a brave thing: he has confronted and revealed his own family's Nazi past. The result is absorbing, highly readable and painstakingly researched -- Niall Ferguson The utterly compelling account of what it's like to discover that your grandfather was a ruthless officer in Hitler's SS -- Philip Kerr The Perfect Nazi is a terrific piece of writing, shedding light on how ordinary Germans abetted the Nazi terror and how in later years all was conveniently "forgotten" -- David Cesarani, Author Of Eichmann: His Life And Crimes A fascinating and compelling account. This is an important book for anyone interested in the moral climate which led to the Holocaust and the other crimes of the Third Reich. -- Adrian Weale Evening Standard A riveting narrative that brings a fresh vividness to a familiar episode -- Valerie Grove The Times Davidson's journey into his grandfather's past makes for a compelling and unsettling tale ... A thoughtful and affecting book. Telegraph Shocking and compelling ... Hollywood fiction turns out to be not so far from the truth as revealed in Martin Davidson's fascinating account of his maternal grandfather Sunday Times Chillingly addictive ... Davidson was right to decide that, whatever the cost, Bruno had "forfeited the right" to post-humous anonymity -- Roger Hutchinson Scotsman This highly readable, thought-provoking book highlights the challenges that German families have faced as they seek to put the past behind them ... It offers a window on how the different generations grappled with the Nazi past -- Hester Vaizey Independent The Perfect Nazi is an important and engrossing story ... at the same time a brave and repulsive work. It also provides a thorough and morbidly fascinating insight into the circumstances that led ordinary people to descend into Hitlerian madness and become monsters Herald Scotland An engaging book, which is part popular history and part Who Do You Think You Are?, and should appeal to fans of both genres. An illuminating story well told -- Roger Moorhouse BBC History Magazine It's a remarkable book for a whole host of reasons, but mainly because the author has managed to write that most difficult of non-fiction books - a personal history that is also a general history ... What Martin Davidson has achieved here is the ideal balance between his own shock at discovering his grandfather was a member of the feared SD - the intelligence division of the SS - and the general atmosphere of the times. He treads this path with great skill. And in the process reveals that he is a very fine writer indeed -- Laurence Rees, Ww2history.Com, And Author Of The Nazis: A Warning From History A compelling and disturbing account of the legacy of Nazism ... Davidson succeeds in creating an overview not only of his maternal Grandfather's life and career but of his own search for truth Publishers Weekly A chilling expose of a dark family secret ... Davidson doesn't blink at the ugly truth of Bruno's actions Kirkus A good edition to the Nazi genre ... Davidson not only tells the tale of his grandfather's experience, but also provides insight into how and why young Germans could choose the Nazi way of life Library Journal
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
When I studied A level French, one of the books I read was on the lines of how a 'good' man was persuaded by the Nazi war machine that they had other people's best interest at heart. This book is not just another book about how someone was hoodwinked or bulldozed into toeing the party line. Martin Davidson's grandfather would have been quite happy to boast of his role as an SS officer, had it not been politically expedient to not do so.
This book is about a man who saw nothing wrong with the Nazi ideology. It makes one realise that it is not just the well known names that played a role. Behind all those names were ordinary people who believed in Nazism and who thought it a good thing. They were the ones who kept the Party machine working and without their efforts, the Nazi party may have just disappeared into the Munich beer cellars as the author suggests in the Preface.
In this book, the author traces his grandfather's past: what was the effect of Mein Kampf on his grandfather, a man whose Party membership number demonstrated that he was an early recruit to Nazism, to records detailing the man's role in Prague in 1944-45 as the Eastern Front was collapsing. A contrast is made between the memories of his daughters walking around the streets of Prague, with what was actually happening. In military terms his grandfather was out of his depth, but his unwavering devotion to the Nazi ideology meant that he volunteered for one of Himmler's most desperate ideas aimed at hampering the Soviet advance. Being out of his depth militarily did not stop him from having , an effect even in the early days: his involvement in the defamation of Jewish dentists is described, a campaign which led to the suicide of the author of what had been the most prominent textbook on dentistry, because he was Jewish. When it was clear that the Nazis were losing, his grandfather relished the fact because he did not have his SS tattoo, as it made it easier to fool the Soviets into believing that he was 'only a dentist'. This was a man who knew what he had done, and what the consequences might be if he was caught. It was only sheer chance that prevented him from being shot by Czech partisans at the end of the war.
The book has an important lesson to teach. It is not the big names that are the only guilty parties in a war. It is the little men, who keep the machinery turning, who are fully cognizant in what they are doing and see it as right and just. This is not just a book about Nazism. It is a reminder of the sometimes faceless army behind the rhetoric who buy into the story, who are there through the street demonstrations, and who believe in it, and see nothing wrong in what they do. I was struck with the thought that, had the war turned out differently, Bruno Langbehn would no doubt have continued to do his bit and would have seen nothing wrong with it.
For the author's courage in uncovering this story, this book deserves a place in schools to provide a vital insight, so that the role of those party faithful is not overlooked or forgotten.
This book is about a man who saw nothing wrong with the Nazi ideology. It makes one realise that it is not just the well known names that played a role. Behind all those names were ordinary people who believed in Nazism and who thought it a good thing. They were the ones who kept the Party machine working and without their efforts, the Nazi party may have just disappeared into the Munich beer cellars as the author suggests in the Preface.
In this book, the author traces his grandfather's past: what was the effect of Mein Kampf on his grandfather, a man whose Party membership number demonstrated that he was an early recruit to Nazism, to records detailing the man's role in Prague in 1944-45 as the Eastern Front was collapsing. A contrast is made between the memories of his daughters walking around the streets of Prague, with what was actually happening. In military terms his grandfather was out of his depth, but his unwavering devotion to the Nazi ideology meant that he volunteered for one of Himmler's most desperate ideas aimed at hampering the Soviet advance. Being out of his depth militarily did not stop him from having , an effect even in the early days: his involvement in the defamation of Jewish dentists is described, a campaign which led to the suicide of the author of what had been the most prominent textbook on dentistry, because he was Jewish. When it was clear that the Nazis were losing, his grandfather relished the fact because he did not have his SS tattoo, as it made it easier to fool the Soviets into believing that he was 'only a dentist'. This was a man who knew what he had done, and what the consequences might be if he was caught. It was only sheer chance that prevented him from being shot by Czech partisans at the end of the war.
The book has an important lesson to teach. It is not the big names that are the only guilty parties in a war. It is the little men, who keep the machinery turning, who are fully cognizant in what they are doing and see it as right and just. This is not just a book about Nazism. It is a reminder of the sometimes faceless army behind the rhetoric who buy into the story, who are there through the street demonstrations, and who believe in it, and see nothing wrong in what they do. I was struck with the thought that, had the war turned out differently, Bruno Langbehn would no doubt have continued to do his bit and would have seen nothing wrong with it.
For the author's courage in uncovering this story, this book deserves a place in schools to provide a vital insight, so that the role of those party faithful is not overlooked or forgotten.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This is the kind of book which shows how real life is almost always more gripping than fiction. In the Perfect Nazi, the demanding and unanswered question of how could perfectly normal Germans enthusiastically involved themselves in the Nazi party is delved into. As is obvious from the title, the book is an exploration of the authors Nazi grandfather. With any such work subjectivity is always an inexcapable problem but Davidson does an exemplorary job in researching the facts as can be ascertained after such a long time and produces a few shocks. For me it was a revelation reading this, I just never considered how huge numbers of active and willing career Nazis must have just been allowed to fade into normal life after defeat in 1945. And how normal people will happily throw themselves into acts which now seem astonishingly evil but if portrayed as a means to an end, and they deserve it anyway, it will benefit our kind, and someone else will do it if I dont, and these acts provide social, economic and career rewards. Evil acts that will be recognised by superiors and peers as good will be happily acted out by the majority and its a lesson of how we must learn from history so that such mistakes are not repeated.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I anticipated a book dealing specifically with the history of someones Grandfather. The fact is that the Author did little to discover his background when he was alive and, as a result, has had to piece together the events that led his Grandfather on the route to becoming quite a high ranking member of the SS. A lot is supposition and the book deals, in general, with the rise of the Nazi party in the '30's and its demise in the '40's. In that respect, the book is very revealing and shows to some degree how the average person was caught up in events and how some were clearly only too pleased to serve despite the dreadful things that they were expected to do as "good" party members.
So, whilst I was disappointed that it was less of a true personal account of how someones relative became involved, the book, never the less, was interesting and added a fresh perspective to some of the things that went on during that time.
Interesting stuff but by no means a biography in the true sense.
So, whilst I was disappointed that it was less of a true personal account of how someones relative became involved, the book, never the less, was interesting and added a fresh perspective to some of the things that went on during that time.
Interesting stuff but by no means a biography in the true sense.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
What did you do in the war Grandad?
An interesting perspective. The author is the Grandson of a man who was in the SS. He has researched everything that went on while his Grandad was in the SS and written it from... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Andy O'Boogie
None the wiser
I decided to read this book as I am interested in my own family history; that said, it's something I do sporadically on a rainy day or winter's night, so I am not obsessive about... Read more
Published 2 months ago by isis 1958
well worth reading
We all have an embarrassing relative, but having a grandfather who was a Nazi might well be something that most of us would rather keep quiet about. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Don Panik
Eye opening account
This book offers a new perspective on historical Germany. It is different because it views the events of Nazi Germany through a family member who was two generations later. Read more
Published 7 months ago by dali
Conflicted
This is a well written World War 2 book with an interesting twist. The author is writing about his grandfather who was an officer in the SS. Read more
Published 8 months ago by G. Lewis
An uncomfortable, yet enlightening read
You cannot believe the looks you get on trains and buses when you are reading a book titled 'The Perfect Nazi'!
Martin Davidson writes in a very matter of fact way. Read more
Martin Davidson writes in a very matter of fact way. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Stracs
Unflinching and uncompromising
The public and the private do not always make the most happy bedfellows. Impressive, then, to see such a personal quest for the uncomfortable truth about a close relative put into... Read more
Published 9 months ago by G. L. Haggett
Relative Evil
A short work that would be ideal on a GCSE or A Level History course. It gives a good overview of Nazism before WW2. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Useless Article
One for history buffs
If you are the sort of reader who wants your history to read like a novel, this may prove a little dry. Read more
Published 16 months ago by J. Dawson
A very agreable book, but a little bit light in some aspects
Martin Davidson has written an entertaining book. It has a personal flavor. It will also be very useful for those who have not read many things about the history of the third reich... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Oliver W. Holmes
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