BOOKSREVIEWS
Hitler: Downfall
1939–1945
by Volker Ullrich
Bodley Head, 848 pages, £30In the worlds of
publishing and the
media, Hitler and
the Nazis are often
described as the gift
that keeps on giving,
such is the volume of
books and TV documentaries devoted to
them every year. Yet, while the vast majority
of that output is little more than a rehash
and retread of previous work done by other
scholars, a few offerings stand out for their
rigour or originality.
One such is Volker Ullrich’s Hitler
biography, the second volume of which has
just appeared. One might have imagined that
after Ian Kershaw’s monumental two-volume
biography from a generation ago, there was
little more to be said about the infamous
German dictator, but that would be mistaken.
Of course, opinion on Hitler has not
shifted in the meantime, and is very unlikely
to shift anytime soon, but differences of
approach and the choice of sources can
nonetheless bring subtle nuances to the
established narrative. To a large extent,
Ullrich follows the standard trajectory. This
second volume tells the story of Hitler and
his war from the invasion of Poland in 1939
to the grim denouement of 1945.
Yet, while much of the narrative will be
familiar to readers, Ullrich’s frequent asides
and diversions, his forays into social, political
and military matters, and his liberal use of a
wealth of first-hand accounts lend his
account a welcome freshness.
Most importantly, perhaps, Ullrich is
interested in what we might call ‘Hitler the
Man’. Peculiarly, this is an aspect that some of
his predecessors have preferred to shy away
from, in preference for ‘Hitler the Politician’
or ‘Hitler the Warlord’, out of fear, perhaps,
that humanising their subject would be
interpreted by some readers as sympathy.
Of course, part of that dehumanisation of
Hitler came from the man himself, who liked
to present his life beyond the political as anirrelevance. As he once boasted: “My bride is
Germany.” On another level, it comes from
us: as a self-defence mechanism, an attempt
to set Hitler apart as ‘not like us’, a toxic and
contagious ‘other’.
But as Ullrich convincingly demonstrates,
that human aspect – the key traits and flaws
of Hitler’s personality – is vital if we are fully
to understand Hitler’s actions. In terms of his
character, it was a combination of his inflexi-
bility, his nose for his enemies’ weak points
and his all-or-nothing gambler’s instinct –
along with wider circumstances – that drovehim on to his successes, and also ushered in
his murderous, calamitous failure.
Hitler then was all too human. But Ullrich
is keen to deny his exceptionalism in another
sense. Far from being a historical anomaly, he
concludes, Hitler is a “cautionary example”
for humanity: an object lesson in the fragility
of democracy, the seductive allure of authori-
tarianism, and the perilously thin divide
between civilisation and barbarism. We
marginalise him at our peril.
Together with the earlier volume,
published in 2016, Ullrich’s work is much
more than just a biography. It is a work of
synthesis, certainly, but a thorough and
thoroughly readable one nonetheless, which
stands muster alongside Hitler’s most
significant earlier biographers: Bullock,
Toland, Fest and Kershaw. Elegantly
written, engaging and insightful, it is
a new standard work on its subject.Roger Moorhouse’s latest book is First to Fight:
The Polish War 193 9 (Bodley Head, 2019)Mind of a tyrantROGER MOORHOUSE welcomes the conclusion to a biography that offers fresh insights
into how the personality of Adolf Hitler shaped his actions during the Second World WarHitler is an object
lesson in the thin divide
between civilisation and
barbarism. We marginalise
him at our perilNAZI GERMANYMan behind the monster While Hitler downplayed the importance of the personal, such as his relationship
with Eva Braun (left), Volker Ullrich’s new biography puts his character at the centre of its narrativeGETTY IMAGESBOOKS
REVIEWS
Hitler:Downfall
1939–1945
byVolkerUllrich
Bodley Head, 848 pages, £30Intheworldsof
publishingandthe
media,Hitlerand
theNazisareoften
describedasthegift
thatkeepsongiving,
suchis thevolumeof
booksandTVdocumentariesdevotedto
themeveryyear.Yet,whilethevastmajority
ofthatoutputis littlemorethana rehash
andretreadofpreviousworkdonebyother
scholars,a fewofferingsstand out for their
rigourororiginality.
Onesuchis VolkerUllrich’sHitler
biography,thesecondvolumeofwhichhas
justappeared.Onemighthaveimaginedthat
afterIanKershaw’smonumentaltwo-volume
biographyfroma generationago,therewas
littlemoretobesaidabouttheinfamous
Germandictator,butthatwouldbemistaken.
Ofcourse,opiniononHitlerhasnot
shiftedinthemeantime,andis veryunlikely
toshiftanytimesoon,butdifferencesof
approachandthechoiceofsourcescan
nonethelessbringsubtlenuancestothe
establishednarrative.Toa largeextent,
Ullrichfollowsthestandardtrajectory.This
secondvolumetellsthestoryofHitlerand
hiswarfromtheinvasionofPolandin 1939
tothegrimdenouementof1945.
Yet,whilemuchofthenarrativewillbe
familiartoreaders,Ullrich’sfrequentasides
anddiversions,hisforaysintosocial,political
andmilitarymatters,andhisliberaluseof a
wealthoffirst-handaccountslend his
accounta welcomefreshness.
Mostimportantly,perhaps,Ullrichis
interestedinwhatwemightcall‘Hitlerthe
Man’.Peculiarly,thisis anaspectthatsomeof
hispredecessorshavepreferredtoshyaway
from,inpreferencefor‘HitlerthePolitician’
or‘HitlertheWarlord’,outoffear,perhaps,
thathumanisingtheirsubjectwouldbe
interpretedbysomereadersassympathy.
Ofcourse,partofthatdehumanisationof
Hitlercamefromthemanhimself,wholiked
to present his life beyond the political as anirrelevance.Asheonceboasted:“Mybrideis
Germany.”Onanotherlevel,it comesfrom
us:asa self-defencemechanism,anattempt
tosetHitlerapartas‘not like us’, a toxic and
contagious‘other’.
ButasUllrichconvincinglydemonstrates,
thathumanaspect– thekeytraitsandflaws
ofHitler’spersonality– is vitalif wearefully
tounderstandHitler’sactions.Intermsofhis
character,it wasa combinationofhisinflexi-
bility,hisnoseforhisenemies’weakpoints
andhisall-or-nothinggambler’sinstinct–
along with wider circumstances – that drovehimontohissuccesses,andalsoushered in
hismurderous,calamitousfailure.
Hitlerthenwasalltoohuman.ButUllrich
is keentodenyhisexceptionalisminanother
sense.Farfrombeinga historicalanomaly,he
concludes,Hitleris a “cautionaryexample”
forhumanity:anobjectlessoninthefragility
ofdemocracy,theseductiveallureofauthori-
tarianism,andtheperilouslythindivide
betweencivilisationandbarbarism. We
marginalisehimatourperil.
Togetherwiththeearliervolume,
publishedin2016,Ullrich’sworkis much
morethanjusta biography.It is a workof
synthesis,certainly,buta thoroughand
thoroughlyreadableonenonetheless,which
standsmusteralongsideHitler’smost
significantearlierbiographers:Bullock,
Toland,FestandKershaw.Elegantly
written,engagingandinsightful,it is
a new standard work on its subject.RogerMoorhouse’s latestbookisFirsttoFight:
The Polish War 193 9 (Bodley Head, 2019)Mind of a tyrantROGERMOORHOUSEwelcomestheconclusiontoa biographythatoffersfreshinsightsinto how the personality of Adolf Hitler shaped his actions during the Second World WarHitleris anobjectlessonin thethindividebetweencivilisationandbarbarism.Wemarginalisehim at our perilNAZI GERMANYManbehindthemonsterWhileHitlerdownplayedtheimportanceof thepersonal,suchashis relationship
with Eva Braun (left), Volker Ullrich’s new biography puts his character at the centre of its narrativeGETTY IMAGES