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There's a small stain on the bottom of the last few pages. Book otherwise is in fantastic shape. Dust jacket and cover are in fine shape. Inside pages are unmarked and are otherwise in great shape. Tight binding. There's a small stain on the bottom of the last few pages. Book otherwise is in fantastic shape. Dust jacket and cover are in fine shape. Inside pages are unmarked and are otherwise in great shape. Tight binding. See less
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Robert Scott Kellner
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My Opposition: The Diary of Friedrich Kellner - A German against the Third Reich Hardcover – January 25, 2018

by Friedrich Kellner (Author), Robert Scott Kellner (Translator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 132 ratings
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This is a truly unique account of Nazi Germany at war and of one man's struggle against totalitarianism. A mid-level official in a provincial town, Friedrich Kellner kept a secret diary from 1939 to 1945, risking his life to record Germany's path to dictatorship and genocide, and to protest his countrymen's complicity in the regime's brutalities. Just one month into the war he notes how soldiers on leave spoke openly about the extermination of the Jews and the murder of POWs, while he also documents the Gestapo's merciless rule at home from euthanasia campaigns against the handicapped and mentally ill to the execution of anyone found listening to foreign broadcasts. This essential testimony of everyday life under the Third Reich is accompanied by a foreword by Alan Steinweis and the remarkable story of how the diary was brought to light by Robert Scott Kellner, Friedrich's grandson.
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  1. Print length
    520 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Cambridge University Press
  4. Publication date
    January 25, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1108418295
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1108418294
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

‘What is it like to be an isolated democrat in a highly popular dictatorship? This wartime diary will tell you. Just how this keenly observed book came to be published is an extraordinary story for itself. And Friedrich Kellner's day-to-day encounters with enthusiastic, gullible Hitler supporters in his hometown reveal a morally steadfast, but basically lonely German citizen whose perspective is bracing, incisive, and still pertinent to our times.' Peter Fritzsche, University of Illinois

'An important piece of historical literature … this book has vital things to say not just about the history of the war but what it was to be a decent human being and yet be forced to live through terrible times.' Laurence Rees, Daily Telegraph

'A remarkable testament … Reading it is a reminder that not all Germans under the Third Reich were Nazis; some at least managed to retain a sense of decency and human values.' Richard J. Evans, Guardian

'Deftly compiled and expertly edited by Robert Scott Kellner, My Opposition: The Diary of Friedrich Kellner - A German against the Third Reich is a truly unique and impressively informative account of Nazi Germany at war and of one man's struggle against totalitarianism. An absolutely essential and unreservedly recommended addition to both community and academic library World War II History collections and supplemental studies reading lists …' Micah Andrew, Midwest Book Review

'[Kellner] berates Germans for their blind gullibility, incorporating newspaper propaganda and detailing daily life, his diary like someone to confide in: its existence, an act of stirring, quiet defiance.' Steven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald

'Reveals to devastating effect just how very much the average German citizen did know - even near the beginning of the Second World War - about Hitler’s genocidal madness.' Jane Warren, Daily Express

'Kellner’s diary is a necessary cornerstone addition to the vast WWII library.' David Hendricks, San Antonio Express-News

'Should My Opposition be on everyone’s reading list, even if uncomfortable? Yes!' Jerry Klinger, The San Diego Jewish News

‘What is extraordinary is how well-informed Kellner is about geography in general and the detail of the progress of the war, in both Europe and Asia, in particular.’ Jill Stephenson, European History Quarterly

Book Description

A unique account of everyday life under the Third Reich and one man's opposition to the Nazi regime.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press; First Edition (January 25, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 520 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1108418295
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1108418294
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 132 ratings

About the author

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Robert Scott Kellner

Robert Scott Kellner

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Co-editor of "Friedrich Kellner, 'Vernbebelt, verdunkelt sind alle Hirne,' Tagebuecher 1939-1945," published by Wallstein Verlag, Goettingen, Germany, July 2011.

ISBN-10: 3835306367, ISBN-13: 978-3835306363.

Available on Amazon.de (Deutschland).

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
132 global ratings

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Customers find the book intelligent and interesting. They find it readable and a great read.

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4 customers mention "Intelligence"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's intelligence and prescient writing style. They find the insider's view of WWII interesting and praise the excellent interview with a professor.

"The author of this diary is quite intelligent and somewhat prescient...." Read more

"There was in excellent interview with Prof. Kellner on podcast from BBC History Magazine...." Read more

"As a WWII buff, I found it extremely interesting to get an insider's view of Nazi Germany...." Read more

"To expensive, interesting but not enlighting as expected" Read more

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Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it easy to understand and say it's a great read.

"...Well worth the read if you interested in subjects like this." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • MYCROFTXXX
    5.0 out of 5 stars Anti-Propaganda
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2023
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    It is very important to challenge the opinion of the masses and Friedrich Kellner did so, while a German under the National Socialist German Workers Party’s regime. Most Germans did not oppose the Nazi’s out of fear or the propaganda. His diary reminds us that we should listen to those with a difference of opinion, because it might just help us realize the price we could be paying for going along with the crowd.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Karen Lorraine Hall
    5.0 out of 5 stars A New Prospective
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2019
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    Aside from the forward that sets the time, place and preservation of the original diary, this is pure history. There is no commentary. There is no slant. Mr. Kellner's efforts to warn the next generation, at great risk to himself, has forever changed me.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Frank
    4.0 out of 5 stars Recognized Nazism for what it was.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2019
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    The author of this diary is quite intelligent and somewhat prescient. He was one of those few who saw National Socialism, otherwise called Nazism, for what it truly was and that it was and is evil and recognized this from the start. One gets the feeling that he was the lone voice in the desert warning people against it but few if any paying heed. He refused to join the party and therefor came under suspicion for not having done so. Through the pages of his diary he relates instances of willful blindness and outright naivety of party members as to the true nature of Nazism and their incredible willingness to believe party propaganda no matter what was said or printed. He also relates the pressures that the war has on the German populace such as shortages and other restrictions and the like. His criticism of the party leaders and members is a recurring theme throughout. All in all his diary relates what it was like for the German civilian to endure this war and how someone like himself could see through the thin veneer that was the party’s propaganda machine and not be taken in by it. Well worth the read if you interested in subjects like this.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Searching
    5.0 out of 5 stars There was in excellent interview with Prof
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2018
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    There was in excellent interview with Prof. Kellner on podcast from BBC History Magazine. The heroism of the author of these diaries is commendable and a lesson from those who witness the terrors of a corrupt government seeking to hide its villainy.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • James W. Hartley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nazi Germany Exposed
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2018
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    As a WWII buff, I found it extremely interesting to get an insider's view of Nazi Germany. And I saw some parallels with what is currently happening in the US today. That part of it is sort of frightening.
    18 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2021
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    Excellent perspective from some living it at the time
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Rene Childress
    5.0 out of 5 stars perfect condition and delivery
    Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2019
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    great condition and a great read
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Andy in Washington
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Incredible Diary
    Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2018
    There are any number of literary treatments of the descent of one man into madness. Those, more than anything, are what Friedrich Kellner’s wartime diaries reminded me of. Kellner is a mid-level civil servant in 1930’s and 40’s Germany, living and working in a small town near Frankfurt. And everyday he watches in disbelief as society and civilization around him crumble into madness. You can almost feel him struggling to keep a handle on his own sanity, while he tries to navigate and survive a brutal regime.

    === The Good Stuff ===

    * I have read a number of wartime diaries, including those of citizens, concentration camp inmates and soldiers. This one was one of the best. Friedrich Kellner was a dedicated diarist recording his everyday thoughts from 1939-1945. The diaries have been edited and translated by his grandson, Robert Scott Keller. While no doubt some detail and nuance has been lost during the translations, the end result is a staggering account of the incredible changes in Germany during this time.

    * The most fascinating parts of the book, at least for me, were the interaction of Kellner with ordinary citizens of his small town. Even as the American artillery was dropping into the town, the dedicated Nazi followers were sure that Hitler was just biding his time, waiting to unleash his master strategy for victory.

    * I took the diaries at face value, and assumed that they were written on the date indicated. Still, it is hard not to be amazed at how prescient Kellner could be. For example, he seems to have clearly foreseen the German invasion of the USSR several months before it happened. That is quite a feat for someone whose only news is either Nazi-controlled propaganda, or the occasional foreign broadcast (listened to under penalty of death). There were numerous other, equally amazing predictions, including some on post-war Europe.

    * When I first read the book, I questioned whether the remarkable predictions in the diary were somehow helped along by the translator's knowledge of how history actually turned out. Luckily I had the chance to exchange correspondence with the author on this very subject. Robert Scott Kellner detailed his translation process, and the safeguards that were put in place to guard against this very phenomenon. Further, he also shared images of some original diary pages so that I could perform my own analysis, which is somewhat hampered by my inability to understand German. Finally, the author shared the comments and analysis of other translators, which agreed with his results.

    === The Not-So-Good Stuff ===

    * Much of the book contains Kellner’s musings over the content of German news broadcasts. Specifically, he can’t help but comment on the obvious lies and half-truths that are being distributed. While these can be quite enlightening, and you can’t help being impressed by his courage in committing these thoughts to paper, they can become a bit tedious.

    * Kellner seems very well informed. Obviously ,he has some other source of news beyond the government-controlled German press. I would have liked to see some explanations of this.

    === Summary ===

    This is one of those books that will pick you up and shake you. Watching the local needlepoint group turn into blood-thirsty racists right before your eyes has to be a terrifying experience. Kellner does a masterful job of describing how a reasonably liberal and democratic Germany morphs into one of the most repressive and violent regimes in history, and of its fall from power.

    But perhaps the most interesting thought of the whole book is regarding what the German population knew about the holocaust. In the author’s own words: “If an ordinary person such as Friedrich Kellner, a mid-level official with a high school education, living in a small country town away from any major city could know so much of what was happening in the supposedly secretive Third Reich, then people everywhere had to have known far more than they admitted of the brutality and genocide waged by their forces in every precinct of a ravaged Europe”.

    === Disclaimer ===

    I was able to read an advance copy through the courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.
    25 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Marian Atkinson
    4.0 out of 5 stars There was pretty much no disgust
    Reviewed in Canada on March 1, 2018
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    A very interesting insight into the mind(s) of the few who opposed Hitler and his minions, And nothing unexpected at least by me as regards the views of the majority as someone who has read extensively over a period of 40 years on WWII and the plight of the Jews, Roma, Partisans etc in the German occupied countries, I wondered if this diary would provide any further insight of how a whole population could claim ignorance. And How, Why a whole population followed Hitler so blindly (sour grapes over WWI aside). I wanted to see if there were any references to this in this book. There were a few BUT only as barely a 'mention'. There was pretty much no disgust. But all in all, it is an interesting book. I'll have to continue to seek answers to my 'adult-life-long' quest elsewhere. One thing tho', Friedrich Kellner was a rarity amongst the German population. Too bad he was so alone with his thoughts and opinions of the circumstances surrounding him.
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  • Boguslaw Katny
    5.0 out of 5 stars A memory from the first hand.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2022
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    Extremely good edition. The first impression is good.
    Book printing is medium-sized for easy reading. So, the subject of this book is an individual point of view! Let's go enjoy reading your book!
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    Boguslaw Katny
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    A memory from the first hand.

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2022
    Extremely good edition. The first impression is good.
    Book printing is medium-sized for easy reading. So, the subject of this book is an individual point of view! Let's go enjoy reading your book!
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  • ES
    4.0 out of 5 stars Most Germans knew Jews were being exterminated, their bodies burned in concentration camp ovens.
    Reviewed in Canada on June 19, 2020
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    It finally told the truth: that almost all Germans knew about the Jews being exterminated in the concentration camps.
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  • Catman
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book should be more widely known
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2018
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    My goodness, what brave people Mr and Mrs Kellner were. This book gives a fascinating view of life in Nazi Germany, and how effective Goebbels' propaganda was. I am surprised that this book is not more widely known. This is essential reading for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of everyday life in wartime Germany.
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  • Stephen Andersen
    5.0 out of 5 stars First hand account...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 23, 2021
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    A must if want to read first hand what it was like in Germany during the war. Terrible times. A lesson for us all.
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