Doctors from Hell

The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans

By: Vivien Spitz

Narrated by: Christina Delaine

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

This is the account of torture and murder by experiment in the name of scientific research and patriotism.

The author describes the experience of being in bombed-out, dangerous, post-war Nuremberg, where she lived for two years while working on the trial. Once a Nazi sympathizer tossed bombs into the dining room of the hotel where she lived moments before she arrived for dinner. She takes us into the courtroom to hear the dramatic testimony and see the reactions of the defendants to the proceedings. The witnesses tell of experiments in which they were deprived of oxygen; frozen; injected with malaria, typhus, and jaundice; subjected to the amputation of healthy limbs; forced to drink seawater for weeks at a time; and other horrors. 

This landmark trial resulted in the establishment of the Nuremberg Code, which sets the guidelines for medical research involving human beings. Doctors from Hell is a significant addition to the literature on World War II and the Holocaust, medical ethics, human rights, and the barbaric depths to which human beings can descend. 

Contains mature themes.

©2005 Vivien Spitz (P)2021 Tantor

Not what I expected

The book seemed more like her personal story VS. the crimes. Not what I expected. I was looking for a history book, not her diary.

The Past is but Prolog to the Future

A very good book with insights that have great meaning in our circumstances today. As a physician I always wanted to know what drove the Nazi doctors. I realize that whatever our morals today the risk that they may change toward evil is always their depending on the infection of ideology. I recommend this book highly!

Excellent book very captivating. Take several breaks in between.

This is an amazing book that accurately details the horrors of the Nazi Doctors and their experiments during the Holocaust. The details and the interviews, along with Court testimonies are chilling. I had to take breaks at times in between due to the ghastly and horrific nature of the details that were accounted in the book. The book is very well narrated by Christina Delaine. She has a very soft and pleasant voice but can drive home the feelings that she conveys while reading about the horrors that she describes in chilling detail. A definite read. 5 stars.

Mostly for researchers

I would recommend this book only to persons doing research on the Holocaust subject. Definitely NOT a book for everyday listening.

Very interesting

The book was amazingly written and very informative. I was wanting to hear more about the experiments performed during the Holocaust and this book gave it. Definitely recommend.

Boring and misleading

Assumed it would be a history and accounting of the doctors and crimes committed. Instead this is a first person account of the trial recorder and reading of the court record. Nothing reaches the levels expected for a history of these events and book is incredibly boring for first 4 chapters (story of Nazi crimes and doctors does not need to tell of her going to a GI Halloween party and what she had for breakfast)

Important

Parts of this were hard to listen to because of the content, but it is so important that we remember what happened.

I couldn't even finish this

The first few chapters are boring and don't have a lot to do with doctors, then we go into few plane flights that almost end in death which has nothing to do with what this book is suppose to be about. I got bored and didn't even finish it so I can't tell you what the middle of the book is about. Just glad I didn't have to pay for this.

Drawn out

The process and methods are entirely too drawn out. This with thx monotone reading makes this a difficult listen. Fairly boring for at least 4 chapters. Couldn’t finish.

A great book

An interesting and detailed book that i found to be developmental and maturative for a young man coming of age such as myself. I further highly recommend this book.

apparently an optional heading is required...

It might have got into its stride, but I got tired of continual chat about air travel, having to use water purification tablets and the travel arrangements of a young woman. Very dull. I don't care who she sat next to on the flights....I image the tone that the narrator choose to use was designed to replicate the droning of aeroplane engines

A true example of courage and feminism

An amazing story of a woman who did so much, way ahead of her time.
Sat here in the 2020s, listening to this story, it is amazing that a 22 year old wanted to cross the Atlantic to report on the Nuremberg trials. She had no idea about the Holocaust, as we do today, nor did she have a real idea about conditions in post WWII Germany.
Not only did the author survive but went on to have a career as a court, then a parliamentary, reporter.
Modern feminists go hang your heads in shame.

Important testimony

Description of one of the saddest things which happened during the Second World War.
Important testimony of a witness to historical trials, giving the voice of survivors and victims of horrible crimes.

A valuable account

This is a must read/listen for all who have the stomach to discover the extent of the horrific experiments carried out on human beings. We must make sure future generations are aware of this genocide

Very well documented

I’ve have previously read this book . The narration is excellent and it’s horrifying to hear the stories again. Hard to believe humans could treat people like this. Really awful. Clearest views of the atrocities I’ve seen. Well written. These horrors must not be forgotten

A must listen

I still can’t believe this was real, it’s almost like horror movie? People should never forget what these sick people did, rip to all the fallen people to this sick regime..

Captivating

I found it very informative on the nuremburg trials, the nazi experiments on humans and germany post WW2. Unlike some books, it transfers well from book to audio.