Bombing Hitler: The Story of the Man Who Almost Assassinated the Führer by Hellmut G. Haasis, (translated by William Odom) is the true story of Georg Elser and his failed attempt on Hitler’s life.
In the book author Hellmut G. Haasis tells of Georg Elser’s decision to assassinate Hitler in a Munich beer hall. Elser’s said that he simply wanted to "prevent even greater bloodshed through my act.” Elser, a blue collar worker, worked and planned for months in order to plant a bomb in a pillar which supports the roof of the beer hall. The bomb worked, killing eight people, but missing its intended target who had to leave early for Berlin (cutting his speech from two hours to a mere hour).
Bombing Hitler is a well researched book, using interviews from first hand sources as well as historical documentation. The author is not afraid to also provide some commentary as well as objective analysis which is a pleasure to read. Haasis takes the reader on a journey through a frightening police state, Elser’s brutal interrogations (with Himmler’s personal involvement), until he is executed in Dachau.
One of the book's main goals is to resurrect Elser’s reputation. In the years after the war, Elser has been accused to being an SS agent; however through research and documentation, Haasis shows that he was anything but. In fact Elser put in danger all those he came in contact with and the whole town he grew up in.
Mr. Haasis does an excellent job recreating the steps Elser took in his attempt to assassinate the oppressor, his escape attempt, and time at the hands of the brutal SS. Bombing Hitler is an inspiring story about a man who stood up for what he believes in, disregarding the odds and almost ending single-handedly the biggest war the world has ever seen.
- 240 pages
- Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1616087412
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