The Theory and Practice of Hell [Paperback]

Eugene Kogon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998

Originally written in 1945, this extraordinary book is an intimate account of Eugen Kogon, prisoner at Buchenwald and assistant to the infamous Nazi human medical experiments.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

Product Details

• Paperback: 333 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425164314
• ISBN-13: 978-0425164310
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,832 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful Analysis..., May 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Theory and Practice of Hell (Paperback)

This is the best book written about the psychology of the SS and the concentration camps. It demonstrates that the concentration camps were well known among the German population, purposely, as a form of terror to keep them in line. Kogon's status as a German gentile lends extra credibility, as the Holocaust is too often portrayed as a private party attended only by Jewish victims. It also effectively captures the pointless cruelty, mindless ineptitude and irresponsible stupidity of the SS, whose mismanagement of the camps contributed nothing to the German war effort. The Final Solution and concentration camp system proved a logistical nightmare that helped bleed the eastern front to death of its needed supplies. Kogon also describes how camp resistance relied on corrupting SS guards, and how the SS kept forming bureaucracies and prolonging the camps' existence to avoid going to the eastern front. I read a crumbling paper back I picked up second hand. I'm glad Kogon's masterpieces hasn't gone out of print.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read to truly understand the concentration camps, October 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Theory and Practice of Hell (Paperback)

I own approximately thirty books related to concentration camps and the Third Reich, and this book by Kogon is the most informative. He succeeds in describing the death camp system from every possible angle, and without emotional outbursts or condemnation so typical in other less scholarly accounts. His style is simply straightforward with no other intention than to tell it like it was.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars horrifying, September 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Theory and Practice of Hell (Paperback)

This is the most horrifying book I've ever read. The individual acts of violence portrayed in the book are bad enough. The fact that they are all true is worse. However what sets this book apart from other stories of mass murderers is that all the murderers (SS-men, Kapos, etc.) are all part of one SYSTEM, specifically designed to carry out the disgusting acts described in the book.

This is the reason we must never forget what happened to Germans, Jews (of all nationalities), Gypsies, Russians, Ukranians, French, Italians, Austrians . . .