Did any real ideas lie behind National Socialism? Such purposeful material power must have indicated, one might suppose, a corresponding power within. If anyone still credits the movement of Adolf Hitler with a serious ideology, that person's duty is to read Heinrich Himmler's pathetic, pedantic monologues on the principles on which the post-war New Europe was to be rebuilt. Felix Kersten, Himmler's personal manual therapist, has recorded their conversations between 1940 and 1945 as his dreaded patient lay, relaxed and ...
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Did any real ideas lie behind National Socialism? Such purposeful material power must have indicated, one might suppose, a corresponding power within. If anyone still credits the movement of Adolf Hitler with a serious ideology, that person's duty is to read Heinrich Himmler's pathetic, pedantic monologues on the principles on which the post-war New Europe was to be rebuilt. Felix Kersten, Himmler's personal manual therapist, has recorded their conversations between 1940 and 1945 as his dreaded patient lay, relaxed and grateful, under his soothing hands. But there is another side to this astounding document. Holding as he did the keys of Himmler's physical salvation, Kersten became the all-powerful confessor who could manipulate at will the conscience as well as the stomach of that terrible, impersonal, inhuman, but naive mystical credulous tyrant of the New Order. How did Kersten use these extra-ordinary opportunities? Thousands of Dutchmen, Germans. Jews and indeed others owe their survival to his intercession. The Finnish Legation used him to rescue Norwegian and Danish prisoners; the World Jewish Congress credits him with the rescue of 60,000 Jews; he particularly devoted himself to the interests of Holland. Himmler himself .saw perfectly well what was happening, but could do nothing. "Kersten messages a life out of me," he once said, "with every rub." Hugh Trevor-Roper writes in his introduction: "Since historical accident drew me into this controversy, and human interest prevented me from dropping it till I had satisfied myself on every point, I may claim an intimate knowledge of the matter, and it gives me great pleasure to be able to publish the facts in the form of an introduction to this book. . . . As far as honesty of purpose and authenticity of documentation are concerned I am pleased to support with such authority as I possess the accuracy of these memoirs of Felix Kersten."
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Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $23.98, good condition, Sold by Best and Fastest Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Wantage, NJ, UNITED STATES.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $25.48, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. Poor dust jacket. In protective mylar cover. (germany, politics and government, 1933-1945) A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 (Classics of World War to cart. $29.95, like new condition, Sold by Book Trader Cafe rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NEW HAVEN, CT, UNITED STATES, published 1992 by Time Life Education.
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Like New. Size: 8x5x1; Hardly any sign of use with No Writing in text. Ships with tracking the same or next business day from New Haven, CT. We fully guarantee to ship the exact same item as listed and work hard to maintain our excellent customer service.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $30.00, good condition, Sold by Lavendier Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Foster, RI, UNITED STATES, published 1957 by Macmillan.
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Good. Size: 9x6x1; The MacMillan Company; New York, 1957. Hardcover. First Edition. A Good, black cloth binding with silver lettering on front board and spine, binding sturdy and intact, some handling/scuffing to boards, bit of crimping to spine edges, some age toning to pages, previous owner name and date handwritten in ink on front pastedown, some discoloration to pastedowns and endpapers, bottom spine buckram warped, dent bottom text block edge with indent to bottom of some pages, in a Good, some handling/scuff marks to panels, bit of edge/corner wear, few tears and creases along edges, sunning to spine and verso, few small moisture spots on spine and verso, clipped and unevenly cut front flap, Dust wrapper. A good and overall clean copy. 8vo[octavo or approx. 6 x 9], 314pp., appendix, indexed. We pack securely and ship daily w/delivery confirmation on every book. The picture on the listing page is of the actual book for sale. Additional Scan(s) are available for any item, please inquire.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $33.50, very good condition, Sold by Kisselburg Military Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Potomac, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1957 by Macmillan.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $33.95, good condition, Sold by Half Moon Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Kingston, NY, UNITED STATES, published 1957 by Macmillan.
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Good. First Edition. Stated first edition. Dust jacket has a mylar plastic cover which shows some light scuffing and rubbing. Dust jacket shows some scuffing, fading, rubbing and edge wear including some chipping, creasing, rubbing and small closed tears. Edges of book itself show some discoloration, scuffing and wear. Page edges show some light browning from age and some foxing on top page edge.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs 1940-1945 to cart. $42.50, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Ishi Press.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs 1940-1945 to cart. $50.73, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2011 by Ishi Press, Japan.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $54.00, good condition, Sold by Ground Zero Books, Ltd. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Silver Spring, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1957 by The Macmillan Company.
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Good, fair to poor. 314, appendix, index, slight discoloration inside boards, ink name ins fr bd, DJ worn & soiled: small tears, small pieces missing. Larger piece missing front DJ, DJ in plastic sleeve, front DJ flap price clipped and margin uneven. As Heinrich Himmler's personal manual therapist, Dr. Kersten used his powers to intercede on behalf of thousands of Dutchmen, Germans, Jews, and others.
Add this copy of The Kersten Memoirs, 1940-1945 to cart. $60.00, good condition, Sold by Ground Zero Books, Ltd. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Silver Spring, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1957 by The Macmillan Company.
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Good. 314, [6] pages. Occasional Footnotes. Appendix. Index. Slight discoloration inside boards. Felix Kersten (30 September 1898-16 April 1960) was before and during World War II the personal physical therapist of Heinrich Himmler. As Heinrich Himmler's personal manual therapist, Dr. Kersten used his powers to intercede on behalf of thousands of Dutchmen, Germans, Jews, and others. Kersten accepted Heinrich Himmler's request to become his personal physical therapist, writing later that he feared for his safety if he had refused. He was able to alleviate Himmler's severe stomach pains with his skills and gained his trust. During the War, Kersten also provided information to the OSS, predecessor of the CIA. Towards the end of the War, Kersten arranged a meeting between Himmler and Norbert Masur, a member of the Swedish branch of the World Jewish Congress, in Hartzwalde, a few miles from Ravensbrück concentration camp. As a result, Himmler agreed to spare the lives of the remaining 60, 000 Jews left in concentration camps days before their liberation by the Allies. In December 1945, the World Jewish Congress presented Kersten with a letter thanking him for helping to save Jewish concentration camp victims. Derived from a Kirkus review: Himmler's personal physician, until recently a discredited pretender to fame as a backstage humanitarian, is now acknowledged for using his influence to save the lives of Norwegians, Danes, Dutch, and 60, 000 Jews. The entries of Kersten's talks with Himmler show him fearlessly defying the policies and ideology of the tyrant, matching wits with him as Socrates might wrestle with the devil. Himmler orates about German destiny, Jewish corruption, bigamy; he discusses life after death, the function of law, arch-conservatism undermining Nazi ideals; and at each lunatic thrust of his intellect, Kersten politely, deftly parries. The disclosures made here are not essentially new or challenging to the prevailing notions of Nazi belief. But the book does help to enlarge and confirm many circumstances, philosophic and factual, which historians will find valuable.
