Born Guilty: Children of Nazi Families [Hardcover]

Peter Sichrovsky (Author, Editor), Jean Steinberg (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Published last year in Germany, this became an immediate sensation. The book documents 14 interviews by Sichrovsky with children (and grandchildren) of Nazi war criminals. Because the perpetrators have shrouded their past in silence, vaguenesses, and lies, their descendants are cut off from any kind of productive dialogue with their parents. The interviews reveal the struggles of a generation caught between fascist family ideals and the realities of a new society committed to democracy. The spontaneous and expressive language of the original comes through very well in the translation. Essential for most libraries. Ulrike S. Rettig, Wellesley Coll., Mass.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 178 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; First Edition first Printing edition (March 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465007422
• ISBN-13: 978-0465007424
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,377,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Commentaries on Generational Guilt, June 12, 2002

By 

Katherine Keirns (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Born Guilty: Children of Nazi Families (Paperback)

To expect a diverse people like the Germans to have a unified response to the dark legacy of National Socialism is to carry a deep naiveté as to the character of the people.

Sichrowvsky avoids the pitfalls of sensationalism found in more publicized work focusing exclusively on the children of the Nazi leadership by examining both the children of leading nazis and the children of people who were simply "following orders." Though I would like to think that the majority of such children (and grandchildren) in the Federal Republic are like Anna, the decent woman feeling distance from the man who's denials represented the lies of her childhood, I fear that is not the case. The strength of denial and ignorance, of anger and disenfranchisement that leads to dangerous right wing activity are more prevalent in the story of Stefanie that directly follows Anna's.

Perhaps it is far past time that Western democracies face the danger we ourselves have created in the concerted effort to destroy the Junker class as well as the growing Neofascist trends in modern Germany.

The English translation of this book originally published in German is very good, and unlike many books does not suffer from the terrible awkwardness, which often happens in German to English translation.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended., November 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Born Guilty: Children of the Nazis (Hardcover)

I am very glad to have read this book. The "children" interviewed here tell their own stories in their own way. They appear as individuals to me, not spawn of a nazi machine. Most are horrified when they learn of what their parents had done, especially since the information had been hidden from them by their parents (who continue to lie to them). Therefore it is unthinkable to me that these children would be like their parents. The common thread appears to be how does a person relate to one's parents after finding out the truth.