Against all Hope
Resistance in the Nazi Concentration Camps
Ratings1
Average rating4
15
Resistance in the Nazi Concentration Camps
Ratings1
Average rating4
"An astonishing mosaic of courage and moral strength, Langbein's moving, invaluable history is the fullest account to date of resistance to Nazi terror by prisoners within the concentration camps . . . Langbein's myth-dispelling book systematically details the resistance activities of Germans, Poles, Austrians, Russians, French, Czechs, Gypies and others".--Publishers Weekly. (starred review).
Reviews with the most likes.
I'm not going to lie and say this wasn't a rough read but I'm glad I stuck with it because I learned a lot and gained a more nuanced understanding of the Holocaust. I knew that the concentration camps were filled with more than just Jewish people but before reading this I probably wouldn't have been able to name all the different types of inmates and their hierarchy within the camps. I also didn't really know about the psychological tactics, with the SS pitting inmates against inmates leading to some inmates becoming as cruel as the Nazis. Most of all I appreciated the academic integrity of this book. I don't think I've ever read something so dedicated to providing an unbiased view of a historical event. Every other paragraph Langbein is judging the credibility of anecdotes of inmates and justifying which sources he uses and which he omits. The book was also organized in a thoughtful manner, giving ample focus to each group of inmates and their role in the resistance. If anyone out there is doing research on the Holocaust, here's a good place to start.
