Der Fuehrer: Hitler's Rise to Power

The book is insightful and most interesting, the author was a young student at the time Hitler and his followers were rising to power. It was easy to read (2 nights) and reads almost like a novel..Unlike Pang, I did not find it scholarly and ponderous (though he recommends the book despite this objection).

I have read over 80 books on this subject. I rate this book just under William Shirers book(Rise & Fall of Third Reich)for its completeness--up to Hitlers ascention to power. Most of what is included in the book agrees with other smaller books that are more focused on narrower segents of the period. If you want an overview with plenty of the details but don't want to try your hand at Shirer's 1600 pages then this is a great work at about 600 pages.

The Fuhrer, by Konrad Heiden, is an intriguing analysis of Hitler's rise to power that was written by one of his contemporaries. Heiden, a Socialist, who nevertheless is more objective than one would expect, seeks to show the scheming, events, and popular sentiments that led to Hitler's rise to power while at the same time foreshadowing the danger of Hitler's rule. The only departures from objectivity are those places in which Hitler is called "the Antichrist" and is said to be the true follower of The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion. The conventional belief is that it was "the Jewish enemy" that was carrying them out, in stark contrast to Heiden's views. Although the book is an analysis of Hitler's rise to power, it is not a comprehensive biography. It starts with events that occured before his birth and ends during the Blood Purge of 1933, in which Hitler the chancellor, orders the systematic murder of his enemies. The book does not even go as far as the start of World War II or the Holocaust, as by then, Hitler had rose to power, and his achievements went downhill from there. The book is written in ponderous scholarly language and takes effort to read. As a fulltime student, it took me about 20 days to finish the 600 odd pages. It is replete with reported anecdotes and excerpts from Hitler's speeches, correspondences, and correspondences relating to him, enhancing and lengthening the volume. If one can avoid falling asleep and really pay attention to what is being said, one will realize the clarity and relevance of the book. I bought this book because it was the cheapest biography of Hitler I could find, and I was not disappointed. I recommend this book to all diligent readers who desire a greater understanding of how Hitler became the Fuhrer.