Defying Hitler

Defying Hitler is a memoir by German journalist and author Raimund Pretzel, published under his pseudonym Sebastian Haffner. Written in 1939 and only published posthumously in 2000, it is Haffner’s first-hand memoir of the lives of ordinary German citizens between the wars and the rise of Hitler, as Germany descended into chaos and radical right-wing groups developed social and political power. Exploring the economic and sociological factors that led to the rise of Hitler, Defying Hitler explores themes of radicalism, racism, anxiety, and what ordinary people would do when faced with the rise of an evil government. Covering events from 1907 to 1933, it is considered one of the most thorough and acclaimed memoirs of the era leading up to Hitler’s term in power.

Defying Hitler takes place over twenty-six years and serves as an attempt to characterize the rise of National Socialism as a manifestation of the German population’s inter-war apathy and collective trauma. The book opens by detailing the events leading up to the Great War, as intertwined alliances and rivalries exploded and led to Europe erupting in violence. Haffner argues that the true Nazi generation was born between 1900 and 1910, just old enough to view the First World War with true gravity and horror. Younger Germans like Haffner tended to view the war with casual nostalgia, and Haffner describes how he anxiously awaited war bulletins as if they were chapters in a local drama rather than a true war. By 1918, as the Great War wound down, wartime hysteria had run its course. The armistice was signed, and various political factions struggled for footing in the chaotic post-war era. After a brief, aborted coup, a semi-stable government took hold, until the interim leader was murdered. Haffner points to 1923 as the year Germany was radicalized, as the Treaty of Versailles was signed and the German economy was devastated, leading to hyper-inflation and bank collapses. Countless people were suddenly plunged into poverty.

Athletics had their moment in the sun as the new public obsession of Germany, and sports idols became the new public heroes. But underneath this, a discontent with the modern, democratic Germany was brewing. Right-wing youths longed for a Germany revered for its military strength and were quick to find scapegoats. Communists, foreigners, and of course Jews were the frequent targets of these roving gangs, and Haffner frequently encountered them as an employee of the Weimar Republic’s courts, as well as someone dating a Jewish girl at the time. Haffner saw the growing radicalization around him and sought to avoid getting involved. Haffner portrays himself not as part of the anti-Nazi resistance, but as one of millions of ordinary Germans who had no love for the Nazi forces, but simply tried to stay under the radar and not contribute to the growing hatred. However, he says that these decent, compassionate people suffered from weak self-images and were slow to actively resist, and this allowed the ruthless, persuasive Nazis to take advantage of the collective malaise and replace it with a cold-blooded nationalism.



As the Nazi party gained power and popular support, but remained a strong minority, it became harder to avoid any involvement. However, Haffner’s path eventually crossed with them when he took his civil service exams. Before, he had avoided any involvement with the party, ended friendships with Nazi Party members, and avoided saluting their flag. However, the local civil service bureau had been taken over by the party, and as such Haffner was required to socialize with them and undergo their training. He came in thinking he was above their influence, but underwent weeks of indoctrination, first beginning with mainly housekeeping chores and free time to socialize with the other people in the camp. Then the training took a militaristic turn, and they learned to fire guns. They watched speeches by Hitler, and Haffner found himself shocked by how compelling the man was. He started to become indoctrinated himself, and by the end of the camp he was close to being a true believer. However, after leaving the camp, his mind cleared, and he was filled with shame. Haffner describes how Hitler and the Nazi Party exploited the German desire for unity, for something to take pride in, and used that to bind them to a hostile, xenophobic, and ultimately self-destructive philosophy that would destroy their country from within. Written in the days leading up to the outbreak of World War Two and once Hitler was firmly in control of every aspect of German society, the book was written after Haffner and his Jewish girlfriend immigrated to London, although it was never released and was only found after Haffner’s death and published by his son.

Raimund Pretzel, better known as his pseudonym Sebastian Haffner, was a German journalist and author who wrote on German history, particularly the Nazi era and the events leading up to it. The author of sixteen nonfiction books, three published after his death, he is best known for his short biography of the Nazi leader, The Meaning of Hitler.