Defying Hitler by Sebastian Haffner: A Book Review

Introduction and Overview

Reflecting on World War II, it is remarkable to consider that one man rallied a nation to systematically exterminate an entire race of human beings in a deliberate and diabolical way. Sebastian Haffner's memoir Defying Hitler, written before World War II even began, provides a fascinating perspective on the psychological foundation that led the Germans — a relatively civilized nation — to accept a racist National Socialist regime. To put this in contemporary terms, it would be roughly equivalent to the United States rapidly and systematically eliminating a minority group — such as Chinese-Americans or African-Americans — simply because the President decreed it.

Historical Context and Structure

In his book, Haffner captures the "big picture" of Germany while also illuminating the role of the individual within it. The book does an excellent job of establishing how the rise of Hitler came about by opening with a prologue that spans 1914 to 1933, covering pivotal events and their effects on Germany, including World War I, the 1918 Revolution, the hyperinflation of 1923, and the sports craze and political leaders that emerged during that era. Haffner's dual status as an ordinary citizen and as a Referendar (a trainee lawyer) in the German courts offers a distinctive vantage point — one that highlights the breakdown of basic human rights and the extreme prejudice embedded in the law. The deteriorating relationships Haffner had with his friends further capture the extreme social changes taking place around him.

The Value of a German Insider Perspective

This book felt unlike anything I had read before, primarily because of its perspective — that of a German fully immersed in the environment of Nazi Germany. Most of the narratives society relies on to understand World War II and the actions of the Nazis come from the victim's perspective. While those accounts are invaluable, it is equally important to understand the other side of the story. History is a two-sided account, and to truly grasp the nuances of any event, both perspectives are necessary.

Haffner observes and records the German experience through the lens of a German — tracing the psychological, relational, and social changes that ordinary Germans underwent as a socialist dictator consolidated power. His position is made even more compelling by his personal circumstances: he was a German man in a relationship with a Jewish woman. This raises a deeply human question — would Haffner succumb to the pressure of Nazi conformity, as some of his fellow law clerks had done, or would he remain loyal to his Jewish girlfriend? Positioned at that moral fence, amid everything swirling around him, Haffner's perspective is simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary — individual yet historically significant.

Conclusion and Recommendation

The title Defying Hitler accurately encapsulates what Haffner did — safeguarding his Jewish friends' possessions and falling in love with a Jewish woman, all while working as a German law clerk within Hitler's government. Reading Haffner's account as the situation in Germany deteriorated is both fascinating and sobering. It provides the kind of perspective that every major historical event deserves: a view from the other side. In this case, that view comes from an ordinary German citizen who witnessed the atrocities unfolding around him and chose, quietly but deliberately, not to participate in them. This is a compelling account, and I recommend it to historians and general readers alike as an essential window into one of history's most tumultuous and consequential periods. For readers seeking additional context on Sebastian Haffner and his broader body of work, further biographical resources are readily available.