Berlin at War

By: Roger Moorhouse

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

Length: 17 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

In Berlin at War, acclaimed historian Roger Moorhouse provides a magnificent and detailed portrait of everyday life at the epicenter of the Third Reich.

Berlin was the stage upon which the rise and fall of the Third Reich was most visibly played out. It was the backdrop for the most lavish Nazi ceremonies, the site of Albert Speer's grandiose plans for a new "world metropolis", and the scene of the final climactic battle to defeat Nazism. Berlin was the place where Hitler's empire ultimately met its end, but it suffered mightily through the war as well. Not only was the city subjected to the full wrath of the Soviet ground offensive and siege in 1945, but it also found itself a prime target for the air war, attracting more raids, more aircraft, and more tonnage than any other German city.

In Berlin at War, acclaimed historian Roger Moorhouse provides a magnificent and detailed portrait of everyday life at the epicenter of the Third Reich.

Berlin was the stage upon which the rise and fall of the Third Reich was most visibly played out. It was the backdrop for the most lavish Nazi ceremonies, the site of Albert Speer's grandiose plans for a new "world metropolis", and the scene of the final climactic battle to defeat Nazism. Berlin was the place where Hitler's empire ultimately met its end, but it suffered mightily through the war as well. Not only was the city subjected to the full wrath of the Soviet ground offensive and siege in 1945, but it also found itself a prime target for the air war, attracting more raids, more aircraft, and more tonnage than any other German city.

Combining groundbreaking research with a gripping narrative, Moorhouse brings all of the complexity and chaos of wartime Berlin to life. Berlin at War is the incredible story of the city - and people - that saw the whole of this epic conflict, from start to finish.

©2010 Roger Moorhouse (P)2017 Tantor

Gripping

An amazing reader. The book gives a portrait of the war often neglected, the home front.

Fascinating

Well written and narrated story of the lives of the citizens on Berlin. It shed light on a city and a people that lived within the eye of the storm.

I found myself very conflicted... part of me found satisfaction in what ultimately happened to the city. Certainly nazi Germany caused great and enduring evil. And yet part of me is ashamed of feeling this way, as if I was in some way perpetuating the barbarism.

A unique study of part of World War II

There are very many books concerning World War II and especially concerning the European Theater of that war. Most of them cover the preparations for the war, the actual fighting, the strategy and, for some, the politics involved in fighting the war. Some, like The Third Reich at War, cover the actions of the German government at home in trying to wage and support the war. None of them that I have read are intended to cover the effect of the war on the civilian population so this book, which does just that, has contributed a great deal to my understanding of what life was like for the civilians of Berlin.

With its concentration on the civilian population this book provides a look into an often neglected part of the war. How did the civilians cope with Germany’s gradual slide from victory into defeat, how did the German government try to keep civilian morale high as the German armies began to be beaten back, how successful were they in what they tried to do and what did the civilians know about the war and its progress?

I had expected that this book would follow the progress of the war sequentially from 1939 through 1945 but was surprised to find that the book is thematic instead. That is, each chapter covers a distinct topic and follows it through the war. Thus we get a chapter on the German resistance movement, another chapter on how those who wanted to avoid being deported were able to survive “underground”, another chapter on what life was like in a concentration camp (a chapter that I found extremely difficult to listen to), another on how Berlin civilians dealt with allied bombing raids, another on the life of the foreign workers brought in to do the work of those drafted into the German army and so on. Thus the reader is treated to what amounts to a series of sketches of life for Berlin residents (and others) during the war, but not to an overall sequence of events through the war. While this treatment of the life of the Berlin residents was not what I expected I still found it both interesting and informative. In fact this book is the only place in all of my reading on this subject that has provided some of this information. Until I read Berlin At War I had no idea how people survived living “underground”, how many did and survived the war, little idea of the general “resistance” movement in Berlin or of a hundred other questions answered by Mr Moorhouse’s book.

The narration is first class and I never lost interest in the topics being covered or in the way they were presented. The thematic approach was a bit of a surprise, but worked well in covering the individual subjects. This book is almost unique in its subject material and I highly recommend it for those interested in what life was like during World War II in Berlin.

Almost as good as his "Devil's Alliance" history

Roger Moorhouse is not only a superb historian but also a clear and uncluttered writer. And Perkins does an excellent job of narration too. However, the subject is not as penetrating and revealing as his Devil's Alliance work on the 22 months of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

I'll be looking out for more history from Moorhouse.

A extremely well researched book.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would. It demonstrates how Berliners went about their lives before and during the war. I found myself often wondering, many times really throughout the book given a situation such as having no running water, or heat on a daily basis, how I could or might not have coped.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The citizens throughout the book make up the entire book.

What about Derek Perkins’s performance did you like?

Derek Perkins is one of my favorite readers and did a wonderful job in narration. Throughout the book, he often would read a particular piece in German, and almost flawless I might add, then translate it into English.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me thankful for what I have today. I have never really had to do without. It made me think. That is for certain.

Any additional comments?

Being Dutch, (born in the Hague) I can relate in some parts of the book how similar in certain areas, the Dutch and German ways of life in the city, transportation (trains-trams-buses) as well as horse and wagon. Milk delivery, tobacco stores and so on.

This book still haunts me

Moorhouse eloquently tells the story of WWII from the perspective of those inhabiting Berlin. I already knew what happened when the Russians finally arrived but did not know what Berliners had suffered through in the previous three years. It's too much, of course, to call them 'victims,' but this book reminds us of their humanity.

The Tragedy of Hubris

Moorehouse captures the immense tragedy of the Third Reich at home in its capital. We all know the horrors that Nazi Germany inflicted on the world. Moorehouse shines a light on the horrors the Germans brought upon themselves. Of course the Nazis got what they deserved, but many Germans who opposed the Nazis behaved with honor and some with courage. The majority of Berliners were guilty of apathy, of looking the other way and of supporting the regime as long as it didn’t target them and brought Germany glory. They would pay the price for their hubris. This is tragedy in the classic sense of the word. It’s a very moving book, about real people and the consequences of hubris Derek Perkins is great, as always.

insightful

I've always wondered how ordinary Germans lived through and saw the war. good read!!

Fascinating, unique WWII angle

Where does Berlin at War rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Upper 10%

Who was your favorite character and why?

the people of Berlin

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

After Hitler announced war, he was startled by the overall silence broken only by the sound of women weeping.

Any additional comments?

This book represents a topic rarely covered in WWII literature. The thoughts and lives of Berliners during the war. It is a very unique angle that to me has never been sufficiently covered or studied. I have read extensively about both World Wars, but I never found the information covered in this book. An excellent story, well researched, critical to history and very well performed. Exceptional.

Everyday people speak

The narration is great. The stories in large part are those of everyday people and relatable.