An extraordinary and unique document: Hoess was in charge of the huge extermination camp in Poland where the Nazis murdered some three million Jews, from the time of its creation (he was responsible for building it) in 1940 until late in 1943, by which time the mass exterminations were half completed. Before this he had worked in other concentration camps, and afterwards he was at the Inspectorate in Berlin. He thus knew more, both at first-hand and as an administrator, about Nazi Germany's greatest crime than did any save two or three other men. Taken prisoner by the British, he was handed over to the Poles, tried, sentenced to death, and taken back to Auschwitz and there hanged. During the period between his trial and his execution, he was ordered to write his autobiography. This is it. Hoess repeatedly says he was glad to write the book. He enjoyed the work. And finally the most careful checking has shown that he took great pains to tell the truth. Here we have, painted by his own hand, a vivid and unforgettable self-portrait of one of the great monsters of all time. To this are added portraits of some of his more spectacular fellow-criminals. The royalties from this macabre but historically important book go to the fund set up to help the few survivors from the Auschwitz camps.
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Customer reviews of Commandant at Auschwitz: The Autobiographys of Rudolf Hoess
Customer rating:
5
out of 5
An excellent primer on Auschwitz,
January 19, 2008
By EyeOnHistory, Pennsylvania
"I've read this book a couple of times. It's a little disconcerting that Hoess could write in such a matter of fact style about one of the greatest evils of history. I found it curious that he made no apologies for his actions, and was an apparent sociopath. He was the man placed in charge of the camp in its infant stage. He was largely responsible for its leadership and devising methods to overcome some very serious problems involved with murdering several thousand people per day and handling all their accompanying personal effects. He was a little self serving in describing his life before joining the SS. He stressed one thing throughout that part of his book, and that was orders had to be obeyed regardless of what they were. After his time in the army in WWI, he was involved with right-wing groups in the chaotic 1920's of Germany, and ended up in prison for several years because of a murder he was involved in. He was an early member of the SS, and was involved with several concentration camps before being assigned to Auschwitz. It was he that was tasked by Himmler to convert an old Polish cavalry installation into the death factory it became. He described problems that he encountered, other SS officers and specific problems and their solution. After the war, he did very little to cover his tracks which is consistent with his lack of any sense of wrong doing in the murder of 1-2 million people during his tenure -- primarily, but not limited to, Jews. How does one adjust to Planet Auschwitz? The stench alone must have been beyond anyone's imagination. To witness these things, and not have any conscience, no sympathy, no nightmares and no fear of God, is beyond my comprehension. An excellent work written very shortly after the war, and shortly before the Poles hung him in 1947."
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Review 2 for Commandant at Auschwitz: The Autobiographys of Rudolf Hoess
Customer rating:
5
out of 5
Excellent,
June 7, 2007
By jake935
"I had not known much about Herr Hoess before reading this book. I may be the minoroity, but this book supported my belief that it was difficult being a member of German society then. If you believed in the National Socialist ideals, then it would have been out of step to go against their orders, even if you felt these ideals were inhumane. Also, mass brainwashing does cloud how one views the world. I felt Herr Hoess was a victim of his era. And, it was a known fact that you either did your work well or you were assigned to the Eastern Front, a very scary place."
