Reviews for Biographical Studies

The average rating for Biographical Studies based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-10-12 00:00:00 David Davis Excellent detail about the last majority-supported Chancellor of the Weimar Republic, a basically honest and dedicated man who did his best to keep Hitler out of power. Not a flattering portrait of Hindenburg, but none of them are. Hindenburg never told the truth about seeking an armistice in WWI, which he and Ludendorff did and which Hitler relentlessly and effectively blamed on the Jews, who had nothing to do with it. A tale of many lost opportunities to stop Hitler, most prominent of which was the trade the Vatican made to sell out German bishops and lay Catholics, who almost unanimously opposed Hitler, in return for a Concordat that recognized Church Canon Law and (more importantly in my opinion) Church property. The Vatican demanded that the Catholic Center Party provide the votes to pass the Enabling Act, which gave Hitler dictatorial powers, and then demanded the dissolution of the party once it had served its final purpose. It was all about the power and treasure of the Vatican. Nothing else mattered. Then, after 60 million died in the war and the Holocaust, they helped Nazi murderers escape to Argentina. Do I sound angry? Lots of material for my novel-in-progress, the first section of which should be complete by the end of the year. Anyone interested in being a critical "early reader," please let me know. I will share the section with the first 5-6 who respond.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-05-17 00:00:00 Yann Roye The man who paved the way for Hitler or the last bulwark against dictatorship? That's the question historians have asked about Heinrich Brüning, the 12th of the 14 Weimar Republic Chancellors of Germany. Most historians are on the side of paving the way. Professor of History at Washington and Lee University William Patch's 113,500-word book makes a convincing case for Brüning. Heinrich Brüning and the Dissolution of the Weimar Republic isn't the usual biography, though there are details of Brüning's early life, education, war service and career. There aren't a lot of details about the personal influences that shaped the man. He was pious, studious and sagacious. His deep devotion to politics precluded almost all else, certainly marriage. The book is an invaluable source for anyone interested in the Weimar Republic and/or the rise of the Nazis. It provides a detailed chronological account of Brüning's chancellorship, the years immediately before and after.