KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps

By: Nikolaus Wachsmann

Narrated by: Paul Hodgson

In KL, Wachsmann fills this glaring gap in our understanding. He not only synthesizes a new generation of scholarly work, much of it untranslated and unknown outside of Germany, but also presents startling revelations, based on many years of archival research, about the functioning and scope of the camp system. Examining, close up, life and death inside the camps, and adopting a wider lens to show how the camp system was shaped by changing political, legal, social, economic, and military forces, Wachsmann produces a unified picture of the Nazi regime and its camps that we have never seen before.

A boldly ambitious work of deep importance, KL is destined to be a classic in the history of the 20th century. Many books have explored the general history of the Holocaust and the Nazis, or anatomized individual concentration camps. But there has, surprisingly, never been a comprehensive history of the camps that integrates the stories of both the broad development of the system and daily life in the camps. In KL (the widely used acronym for konzentrationslager, German for concentration camps), Wachsmann offers an unprecedented account of the development of the camps, similar in scope and approach to Anne Applebaum's best-selling and award-winning Gulag: A History (2003). We will publish on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of most of the camps in April 1945.

Wachsmann is the first to synthesize a new generation of original scholarship on the camps, much of it only available in German and little-known in the English-speaking world. And he has unearthed a wide range of new documents, offering startling new revelations about the history of the camps.

©2015 Original Material by Nikolaus Wachsmann (P)2015 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Nikolaus Wachsmann has written an admirable historical overview of the Nazi concentration camps, effectively combining decades of recent scholarship with his own original research. He captures both the trajectory of dynamic change through which the camp system evolved as well as the experiences and agency - however limited - of the prisoner community. This is an impressive and valuable book." (Christopher R. Browning, Frank Porter Graham Professor of History Emeritus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

"It is hard to imagine that Nik Wachsmann's superb book, surely to become the standard work on Nazi concentration camps, will ever be surpassed. Based on a huge array of widely scattered sources, it is a gripping as well as comprehensive and authoritative study of this grim but highly important topic." (Ian Kershaw, author of The End: The Defiance and Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1944 – 1945)

Unflinching

And deep and detailed account of Nazi concentration camps. Giving an inside look at the SS death machine. A must listen.

this was eye opening.

So much detail. I will never look at Russia the same again. For me, that was the most surprising story.

An Emotional, Sobering, Experience.

What a wonderful work! It was sometimes difficult to listen to, not because the production was bad, but because of the heaviness of the subject. This work outlines the decent into madness exhibited by the kL system, and gives a fair representation of the sufferings of all involved. This is a work all should read and understand.

Got more than I bargained for, in a good way.

Something I always hated about history classes was that more often they just glanced over the concentration camps. They just say "Nazis brought people here, put them in gas Chambers and an incinerated the bodies", while showing a couple photographs but they never really went much into it. I've always had a morbid fascination was trying to find out more about the concentration camps but couldn't really find anything pass what I previously said. This book really enlightened my eyes into the camps and show that it was more a gradual evolution of atrocities rather than just right out of the gate horrible worst things imaginable like they try to say in history class.

A must read for concentration camp interest

I thought I knew a thing or two about the concentration camps but this book proves I knew little. This is an amazingly detailed account and history of everything related to the KL.

The holocaust is staggering enough but Nicklaus does a fantastic job at making it clear and absorbable.This is probably the best book out there on the concentration camps and contains a huge amount of material any history buff would appreciate. I would recommend this for sure.

well written

the book is written well, and read well. obviously the subject is tough at times, but if you choose this book, you're going to learn something.

Best ever account that I have heard

A fascinating and amazing accounting of one of mankind's most horrific atrocities. If one could only listen to ONE book on the Holocaust this would be my recommendation.

An exhaustive yet compellingly history of the German Concentration Camps

Exhaustive in detail but with compelling first hand accounts. Extremely thorough and full of insight on the cast of characters who carried out Himmler’s plans to the end even when the war was very much lost. A solid work of research into a very difficult subject, but so necessary.

I Am Grateful For The Narrator

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

Yes, but only to those who want to learn more about World War II and can handle this long grim detailed recount.

What was one of the most memorable moments of KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps?

I got a huge sense of renewed interest when the topic of the book switched to human experiments in the KL. Before listening to this audio book I have always assumed this aspect of it was pure science fiction.

What does Paul Hodgson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Before I got this audio book I read the reviews and noticed a lot of people warning or shunning the narrator for doing this various accents throughout the book. I found his pace, tone, and pronunciations to be spot on. Some of his accents were better than others (I was surprised how well his American accent was). I did not find that it took away from the seriousness or tone of the book, but considered it more of an enhancement. I was able to easily identify which parts of the text were direct quotes and who was being quoted. I am a bit ashamed to admit that was one quote towards the end of the book that actually made me laugh, but after hearing 29 hours of torturous recounts of the going-on's of the KL it was a welcome change.

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

The book was a huge eye-opener for me about that time in history. As a result I did research online and watched a few KL-related movies to get a more personal view of what went on. The content of this book will definitely be on my mind for a long time to come and has permanently altered my view of the world.

Any additional comments?

The content of the book is a tough pill to swallow and with it being over 31 hours long I don't know if I would have been able to get through it without the great narration of Paul Hodgson. Stick it out to the end and you will be grateful you did.

This is a history that needed to be written.

I'm "only" eleven hours into this book. and while I find it somewhat depressing I will finish it. The narrator's German accent is indeed abominable but it has the benefit of putting emphasis that this is a direct quotation. I'm glad I didn't let that deter me from purchasing the book.