Product Description

Formerly Hitler's architect, Albert Speer became the undisputed master of the German war machine and was responsible for conscripted foreign labour in the Third Reich. Sentenced at Nuremberg after pleading guilty - the only defendant to do so - he began to keep this secret diary (much of it written on toilet paper) to save himself from being tormented by his demons. Upon his release, after twenty years of imprisonment, at the age of 60 he found 25,000 of the smuggled pages waiting for him. From that he shaped this book - a deeply moving human document, an insight into power bearers who have lost their power, and one of the most convincingly honest accounts of the Nazi era.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #818014 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

About the Author
Albert Speer was unique in the Third Reich. An intellectual architect, he was befriended by Hitler in 1933 and for the next 12 years they maintained one of the most powerful and extraordinary relationships in the Nazi hierarchy. In 1942 Speer was appointed Armaments Minister and became second only to Hitler himself as a power on the home front. But in 1945, Speer defied Hitler's scorched earth policy and began to plan his assassination. At Nuremberg he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Customer Reviews

A facinating, rich, complex and moving human document
Of the 22 men that were put on trial at Nuremberg, 10 were executed, 2 committed suicide, 3 were found not guilty and 7 were packed off to Spandau Prison. This book is about the latter 7 and their day to day lives together in prison.

Through his secret diaries, Albert Speer kept a twenty year record of events and issues. Much time and thought is also spent on past issues during his reflections on Hitler and past events. You certainly feel you know the 7 men by the end of the book and Hitler also, up to a point.

Speer looks in depth at his own morality and at those locked up with him, while keeping a detailed diary of the everyday slog and differing survival tatics, his own being unique (a little matter of stroll lasting sereval thousand miles around the coutyard).

The prisoners have very different views of the war and the trials. Speer's decision to admit guilt was not popular and on occasions leads him to be the outcast of the group.

501 pages including photographs. This is unmissable for anybody interested in the subject material.

Over 100,000 Hardcopies sold.
Albert Speer give a day to day account of what it is like in Spandau. The diaries are divided daily so you soon feel that you are there. You soon feel that his memories are yours and wonder what you would have done. Sure you know now, but wait until you read this book. There are 32 pages of exclusive photos. It is weird win you think what you or a relative was doing on the same days. Albert got out just one month before I went in to the military. Even his epilog is impressive.

Artist turn .....Soldier
“Diaries are usually the accompaniment of a lived life. This one stands in place of a life”
Indeed I read this in the diary of Albert Speer, which he clandestinely organised to compile; day to day; daily accounts of life spent in Spandu jail. I read cover to cover, very moving account of his life, his perils, a true testament of his conviction to the cause he held, as a confessor. As being an Artist, self indignation of guilt caused him great losses to his profession, what he built and what remain at present day is regardless. What remain; his mark on the history is undeniably profound and even in the heat of Spandau which lasted 20 complete years; he shown great courage and in genius to preserve his moral value and meet his self demon of his own truth head on.
In my opinion an Artist born to strife perfect ness, who simply lost in the crowd of soldiers.