Rating: 
Summary: An absolute necessity in Nazi war crime literature
Review: The title suggests this book is comprised of reminiscing reflections from sadistic, self-satisfied Nazi war criminals. In fact, most of the observations in written and spoken testimonies, diaries and documents, suggest the 'Perpetrators and Bystanders' were appalled. Frequently, however, they were only bothered by the manner of the beatings and executions. Those whose material contributed to this book had to see starved women beg for their lives-- soon to be corpses pulled from gas chambers by hooks on sticks inserted into their mouths to make for easy dragging-- Nazi mass executions of Jews by bullet in which many near dead tumbled into communal graves begged to be shot again, or even crowbar execution beatings by SS-supervised Ukrainians, and so on, before returning to enjoy their privileged lives away from real military action.In a section on the camps, an SS Doctor, Johannes Kremer, Mengele-like, describes how he 'reserves' certain starving prisoners who are particularly interesting to him medically, for warm disections. On the next entry of his diary he says: "'There was roast hare for lunch'a real fat leg'with dumplings and red cabbage'" His remark, chosen for the title of this chapter: "Food in the officers' mess excellent." There are a number of photographs throughout the book, which were taken in spite of it being forbidden. For those of us born after 1945, there is an impenetrable membrane between us and a proper sense of these important recent events. (If you visit Auschwitz/Birkenau you may be struck by how modern everything looks. It was not that long ago.) We may ask how it is possible for civilized people with families to commit and tolerate such affronts to humanity, and then quietly return to their lives with a clear conscience. Hauntingly, there is an even worse question, if I had been born in the right time and place, and had been fed the right propaganda, could I have done it? In some way, am I doing it now? Such books as this make me mournful and trouble my sleep. I consider this necessary reading for anyone hoping see a little deeper into this terrible odyssey shared by perpetrators and victims. I also recommend Nazi Hunter, the Wiesenthal File, by Alan Levy, which is by no means similar in style or perspective, but contains a wealth of information.
Rating:
Summary: Very Powerful
Review: This book really makes one shiver. I have read a number of books on the holocaust and World War 2 and this book absolute is the rawest of the books covering the genocide. That is not to say the book had a blow by blow account of the methods of killing, but just the history of this group of solders and the off handed way the mass killing was described. The people doing this killing were just normal guys, not unlike friends, family or myself. Wow, it is just amazing to me the way they try to justify what they were in charge of, the crimes against humanity that they committed. That is what was so disturbing to me. It is much easier to think that the mass killing was done by some group of homicidal maniacs let out of the asylum and given guns that that is not the case. The details you get here are very hard to take once you have finished the book and think about it. This is one of the few books that for weeks after I finished it I would continue to think about it I do not think I can recommend this book enough; it really gives you a feel for the tremendous crime that took place. You will not be able to stop reading the book until you have completed it. I could go on and on. Even if you are not overly interested in WW 2 or the Holocaust you should read this book, there is no way you will not be griped by it.
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