Germans of many persuasions resisted Nazi rule for many different reasons, but, until recently, political considerations often determined who were regarded as genuine resisters and who were not. The Encyclopedia of German Resistance to the Nazi Movement does justice to all facets of the opposition to Hitler and his regime. Approximately seven thousand individuals known by name come under the broad notion of resistance governing this volume. The encyclopedia is divided into three (copiously cross-referenced) parts, moving from general overviews to highly specific short entries.
In Part One, ten long essays survey the main groups of resisters and opponents of the Nazi regime, including Communists, socialists, Christians, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, the military, women, young people, and emigres. Part Two contains shorter articles on specific topics, groups, and events, ranging from the Confessing Church and the Jewish Chug Chaluzi to military sabotage, desertion, everyday disobedience, and assassination attempts. Part Three consists of 550 short biographies of the main opponents of National Socialism mentioned.
