Scan barcode
gudgercollege's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. Interesting look at an aspect of the war I never really heard about or thought about much.
camiandkitread's review
dark
informative
medium-paced
3.5
“Hitler’s Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Field” is a difficult book to rate because it was well researched and well written but covers such a heinous topic nobody should really “like” this book.
Wendy Lower did an excellent job of showing that Nazi women who participated in the atrocities of World War II were not just concentration camp guards or the odd statistical outlier. There were hundreds of thousands of women—teachers, nurses, wives, secretaries, and more—who willingly assisted with the deliberate extermination of Jews and any other group the Third Reich deemed undesirable.
Some women were undoubtably just cogs in Hitler’s war machine, but other women took pleasure in assisting in the genocides—whether in an official capacity or not. Many of the specific stories, especially in Chapter Five: Perpetrators, got very intense and deeply unsettling (as they should). But, Lower presented the facts and her take on them in a way that was extremely respectful of the victims and did not glorify the perpetrators intentionally or unintentionally.
Wendy Lower did an excellent job of showing that Nazi women who participated in the atrocities of World War II were not just concentration camp guards or the odd statistical outlier. There were hundreds of thousands of women—teachers, nurses, wives, secretaries, and more—who willingly assisted with the deliberate extermination of Jews and any other group the Third Reich deemed undesirable.
Some women were undoubtably just cogs in Hitler’s war machine, but other women took pleasure in assisting in the genocides—whether in an official capacity or not. Many of the specific stories, especially in Chapter Five: Perpetrators, got very intense and deeply unsettling (as they should). But, Lower presented the facts and her take on them in a way that was extremely respectful of the victims and did not glorify the perpetrators intentionally or unintentionally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Antisemitism, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
celarkobri's review against another edition
3.0
It's a poorly edited organizational mess. Yet the stories are so disturbing and so under-told.
ombraluce's review against another edition
4.0
C'è tutto un immaginario relativo alle donne del nazismo, un immaginario che ne fa delle specie di oggetti erotici per feticisti, ma chi erano davvero queste donne?
Il saggio della Lower ne individua alcune, donne normali ben integrate nella società tedesca, diventate a poco a poco mostri, e, generalmente, non punite per i loro crimini in quanto considerate da chi le doveva giudicare meno importanti per il sistema nazismo degli uomini al cui fianco erano. Si tratta di segretarie, infermiere, maestre, ma anche normali donne di casa, mogli di SS o cose simili.
Alla fine niente spiega perché siano diventate così, forse solo una frase, pronunciata da una di loro: non volevamo essere da meno degli uomini.
Il saggio della Lower ne individua alcune, donne normali ben integrate nella società tedesca, diventate a poco a poco mostri, e, generalmente, non punite per i loro crimini in quanto considerate da chi le doveva giudicare meno importanti per il sistema nazismo degli uomini al cui fianco erano. Si tratta di segretarie, infermiere, maestre, ma anche normali donne di casa, mogli di SS o cose simili.
Alla fine niente spiega perché siano diventate così, forse solo una frase, pronunciata da una di loro: non volevamo essere da meno degli uomini.
njw2's review against another edition
3.0
While parts of the book were repetitive, the overall thesis was well presented and thoughtful. Although I am more surprised at other reviewers who rate the book low because of course women didn't participate in the Holocaust! I resist the urge to flick them in the forehead.
doryreaditalready's review against another edition
2.0
I'm a well-known WWII junkie, be it the European front or Pacific theatre. I'd heard of Hitler's Furies through several articles, and thought it an interesting topic to explore.
Unfortunately, the historical narrative fell flat; the choppy writing style certainly didn't ease my reading. The arguments presented remind me of circuitous college papers, complete with generalized arguments and simplistic examples.
I didn't learn any new information, and would have appreciated a more complex exploration of the subject. I don't doubt Lower's ability to thoroughly research her subject, but I do question the manner in which she presented that research - I didn't appreciate reading a dumbed down text.
Would not recommend.
Unfortunately, the historical narrative fell flat; the choppy writing style certainly didn't ease my reading. The arguments presented remind me of circuitous college papers, complete with generalized arguments and simplistic examples.
I didn't learn any new information, and would have appreciated a more complex exploration of the subject. I don't doubt Lower's ability to thoroughly research her subject, but I do question the manner in which she presented that research - I didn't appreciate reading a dumbed down text.
Would not recommend.
lvalancy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Certainly not an enjoyable read; presents a very dark topic in a scholarly and comprehensive fashion. The author profiles women with varying degrees of complicity in the Holocaust, presenting individual cases alongside archetypes. In addition to my understanding of German women’s complicity in the Holocaust, my understanding of the Eastern front of Nazi expansion was edified by this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Antisemitism, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism and War