Helmut Ortner

This book is chilling!

I didn't know much more than the title going in, but I was intrigued. Just translated for the first time ever into English, this book tells a unique story in the history of the Nazi Party.

Here is Georg Elser, a quiet, introspective, almost apolitical citizen of Nazi Germany from its start to almost its end. With barely a grade school education this man saw the Nazi reich for what it was, through the propoganda and determined how poorly German citizens had fared under their rule. In an effort to remedy this intolerable system. he takes action. Meticulously planning, building and finally detonating an explosive device in an attempt to wipe out the top leaders of the Nazi government in hopes that a less radical group would take over and finally fulfill some of the promises made to the German people.

He is not a 'hero'. He sought no personal glory. He championed no particular cause. Simply a man who determined to do what he believed necessary. On November 8th 1939 he took a step that history tells us would have changed the course of world events in inconceivable ways. To eliminate Hitler almost at the start of his rise, along with other Nazi leaders and save the world from six years and millions of lives extinguished, erasing the horrors of the Holocaust and the terrible events that transpired during WWII.

Now much like the man himself, the book sneaks up on you. I was tempted to not finish or at least skim some of the background information to get to the 'good stuff'. Boy am I glad I didn't!

I learned just how truly this man is a common man who acted on his conscience and almost was lost in the horrible morass of Nazi history. It touched my heart, mind and made me somewhat introspective about what I might have done in similar circumstances. I doubt I would have been as brave and directed to even think of doing what Georg Elser did.

I'm truly grateful that this unknown man, Georg Elser is finally getting his due as what he was, a true 'hero'.… (altro)