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They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45 Paperback – May 19, 1966

by Milton Mayer (Author)

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First published in 1955, They Thought They Were Free is an eloquent and provocative examination of the development of fascism in Germany. Mayer’s book is a study of ten Germans and their lives from 1933-45, based on interviews he conducted after the war when he lived in Germany. Mayer had a position as a research professor at the University of Frankfurt and lived in a nearby small Hessian town which he disguised with the name “Kronenberg.” “These ten men were not men of distinction,” Mayer noted, but they had been members of the Nazi Party; Mayer wanted to discover what had made them Nazis.

“What happened here was the gradual habituation of the people, little by little, to being governed by surprise; to receiving decisions deliberated in secret; to believing that the situation was so complicated that the government had to act on information which the people could not understand, or so dangerous that, even if the people could not understand it, it could not be released because of national security. And their sense of identification with Hitler, their trust in him, made it easier to widen this gap and reassured those who would otherwise have worried about it.”--from Chapter 13, “But Then It Was Too Late”

Print length

346 pages
Language

English
Publisher

University of Chicago Press
Publication date

May 19, 1966
Dimensions

5.25 x 1.3 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0226511928
ISBN-13

978-0226511924
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Among the many books written on Germany after the collapse of Hitler's Thousand Year Reich, this book by Milton Mayer is one of the most readable and most enlightening." -- Hans Kohn ― New York Times Book Review

"It is a fascinating story and a deeply moving one. And it is a story that should make people pause and think—think not only about the Germans, but also about themselves." -- Ernest S. Pisko ― Christian Science Monitor

"Writing as a liberal American journalist of German descent and Jewish religious persuasion Mr. Mayer aims—and in the opinion of this reviewer largely succeeds—at scrupulous fairness and unsparing honesty. It is this that gives his book its muscular punch." -- Walter L. Dorn ― Saturday Review

"Once again the German problem is at the center of our politics. No better, or more humane, or more literate discussion of its underlying nature could be had than in this book." -- August Heckscher ― New York Herald Tribune

About the Author

Milton Sanford Mayer (1908-1986) was a journalist and educator. He was the author of about a dozen books.

He studied at the University of Chicago from 1925 to 1928 but he did not earn a degree; in 1942 he told the Saturday Evening Post that he was "placed on permanent probation for throwing beer bottles out a dormitory window." He was a reporter for the Associated Press, the Chicago Evening Post, and the Chicago Evening American. He wrote a monthly column in the Progressive for over forty years. He won the George Polk Memorial Award and the Benjamin Franklin Citation for Journalism.

He worked for the University of Chicago in its public relations office and lectured in its Great Books Program. He also taught at the University of Massachusetts, Hampshire College, and the University of Louisville. He was an adviser to Robert M. Hutchins when Hutchins founded the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions.

Mayer was a conscientious objector during World War II but after the war traveled to Germany and lived with German families. Those experiences informed his most influential book They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Chicago Press; 0002- edition (May 19, 1966)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 346 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0226511928
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0226511924
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1.3 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #413,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #252 in Fascism (Books)
- #842 in German History (Books)
- #3,586 in World War II History (Books)

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Paul B. Dunlap

Illuminating Perspective, Excellent Analysis

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2010

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I've always been interested in German history, particularly the most eventful, tumultuous, and tragic period between 1918 and 1945. In the western world, the question so often is, "how could it happen," with the implied clauses of "in modern world," "in the civilized west," and so on. I must admit that though I've read some good analyses of the Weimar period, I've never found a satisfactory answer to this important question. Mayer provides one, and his answer is incredible in its simplicity and common sense.

The brilliance of this book can best be summed up with the familiar platitude, "don't tell me, show me." Mayer doesn't describe the mood of the Germans, the feel of the time or the period, or what have you. Like any good interviewer, he gets out of the way and lets the Germans tell their own story. By him doing so, the reader gets to see history through the eyes of the Germans, the way saw it (or the way they remember it), though poignant (even ironically humorous) anecdotes.

As for the answer to the question above, the answer is best summed up by one of Mayer's chapter titles, "What Would You Have Done?" So often we are blinded by the horror and enormity of the Holocaust that we forget the Germans too were ordinary men living ordinary lives. The tendency of the historian is to focus on the events of history that seem most important in hindsight, but lost is the consideration of how important these events were in the lives of the actors at the time.

As one example of many, Mayer discusses the night after Kristalnact, the burning of hundreds of German synagogues on November 9, 1938. How did the ten Nazis in his sample feel about this event? Were they glad? A few were (one actually led it in his town). Were they disgusted? Many were. Could they do anything about it? None could, so nothing was done. The next morning, all following orders of direct superiors, the police in the town gathered up all of the Jewish men, who were then sent away "for their own protection," presumably because they were in danger after the synagogue burnings. Only a couple of the ten sample Nazis knew a Jew. What were they to do?

And I may tangentially add that this should be familiar to us in America. We hear about bombing of civilians, or unlawful detainment, or abuse of prisoners, or violation of civil rights. What do we think? "Outrageous! Attrocious! Egregious!" What do we say? "It can't be helped," or "It's a necessary evil," or "I can't stop it." What do we do? Nothing, because of course we're right about the last statement. The lives of the Germans should be eminently relatable to the average American, if he'll admit it to himself.

Back to the book, aside from the interviews with the Nazis, the second part, which consists of analytical essays of the German character, and how it was shaped in modern history. The analysis is good and insightful, and answers a lot of questions, not about the Germans having a culture of obedience, for indeed any course second-rate historian can make such a statement, as many have, but WHY the Germans have a culture of obedience, and how it developed over time and under what conditions.

All in all, the book is excellent, full of excellent analysis and original points, and it answers many crucial questions that are not answered to satisfaction elsewhere. I highly recommend this.

45 people found this helpful

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Garrick Berger

Necessary reading

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013

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The first part of the book is the meat, where the author relates his conversations and observations with the ten people with with he forms relationships.

After that, he dissembles into a lot of topical analysis of the "German National Character" - their religious views, their world views, etc., etc.

Still, it's valuable insight into how a presumably enlightened society can tacitly support a repressive totalitarian regime, and think everything is just fine. A priceless quote from one of the subjects, "Twice we had to fight the world and twice we won - but then we were betrayed [from bad advisors, conspirators, or ?]"

If we don't think it can happen here, we should remember that the Germans looked at despotic third world countries and shook there collective nationalistic heads: It can't happen here!

But it did.

10 people found this helpful

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D. Nelson

They Thought They Were Free-the germans 1933-45

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2011

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They Thought They Were Free-the germans 1933-45
Milton Mayer - author. Published by the University of Chicago Press

First published in 1955 the book has the advantage of being a collection of recollections about the conditions of life in the small town of Kronnenberg. The citizens of Kronneberg were of the most conservative of ordinary people. In fact they were not even Germans, according to `real' Germans. Kronnenberg was in Hesse. Its people were sometimes referred to as blinder Hesse - Blind Hessian - when needing to call some one backward or stupid.

Milton Meyer interviewed ten members of this community, as he said in his forward "It was the newspaperman's fascination that prevailed. . . and left me dissatisfied with every analysis of Nazism. I wanted to see this monstrous man, the Nazi. I wanted to talk to him and to listen to him. I wanted to try to understand him.. . . In 1935 I spent a month in Berlin trying to obtain a series of meetings with Adolf Hitler.....but without success. . . Then I travelled in Nazi Germany for an American magazine.....for the first time (I) realized that Nazism was a mass movement and not a tyranny of a diabolical few over helpless millions...By the time the war was over I had identified my man: the average German." He goes on to explain that "I never found the average German, because there is no average German. But I found ten Germans sufficiently different from one another in background, character, intellect, and temperament to represent, among them, some millions or tens of millions of Germans and sufficiently like unto one another to have been Nazis."

Mayer begins his book with a short historical over view of Kronneberg. The date is November 9, 1638 and all is well in Kronnenberg. The town watchman is calling out the hour and walking the streets of the town. The picture is of a very old and very proud people and town. Times have been hard. "Pestilence and famine recur in Kronnenberg - as where don't they? - and where there are Jews, what is one to expect?" As this scene unfolds the reader becomes aware that the German people have long had a dislike and distrust for the Jew. As far back as one can remember - problems follow the Gypsy and the Jew. Next the history lesson brings us to November 9, 1938. The scene is pretty much the same. But this night November 9, is "the greatest of all National Socialist Party celebrations. January 30 (the day the Führer came to power) and April 20 (the Fuehrer's birthday are national celebrations. November 9 is the Party's own."

One of the themes that sounds so familiar to my American ears is that this is a quiet country town. Small in size and population. Described as ". . .old and changeless, off the main line and the Autobahn, is conservative even for Hesse. But its very conservatism is a better guaranty of the Party's stability than the radicalism of the cities, where yesterday's howling Communists are today's howling Nazis and nobody knows just how they will howl tomorrow. A quiet town is best." Kronnenberg had a Catholic Church, a Protestant Church and a Jewish Synagogue. It was the Synagogue that would signal the change that was settling over the Nation. November 9, 1938 - it was burned to the ground by a group of local members of the Party at the Command of the head of the SA Kronnenberg.

Having lived in both large metropolitan cities, Tulsa, my birthplace in 1942 and Oklahoma City where my undergraduate B.A. degree was earned and in such towns as Enid - where I earned my graduate degree M.Div. and Ada, Okemah and Covington and presently in a place that has the desire to be metropolitan but has yet to achieve that status, I can attest to the `stability' of the small community. Oft times comfortable in the seclusion from the `hustle and bustle' and `business' of places with more people and diverse views. It's just a better, less confusing, existence when one does have to be bothered with the ideas of a `big city.'

Kronnenberg was such a small town.

Attempting to review this book thoroughly would take more time and space than I have inclination to invest. So, I am going to pick and chose my high points - with the hope that you, the reader, will have your interest aroused.

Before diving into my review I want to state my only criticism of this work. Mayer, it seems to me, presumes to describe a vastly diverse population using his interviews of ten very specific `ordinary germans' supported by other research that serves as a frame work for his book. Seems to be a bit like coming to rural Oklahoma and selecting ten diverse individuals of conservative mindset and trying to understand why the State is run by Republicans. I realize there is or ought to be a discernable difference between rural conservatives in Oklahoma and rural conservatives in Germany - but then, again, maybe not.

To the points of interest - and since I am driving - they are my points of interest.
Germany was and is a country on the defensive. Mayer traces this characteristic back to the date 9 A.D. and 1555 in the twice plundering of Rome. "In year 9 the Germans expelled the founders of secular Europe; in 1555 they cut themselves loose from the Weltanschauung which the age of the Mediterranean fused in Italy from the Greco-Hebraic break with Syria and Egypt." Mayer in his research points to the history of German Nationhood going back to 1871 when a sort of forced unity was enacted by Prussia over dozens of sovereign German States. It was here that the diverse nature of the population originated. Not even the language was unified, but a Mischmasch as it was called by Leibniz.

This diverse character contributed to a separateness that eventually led to a Nationalism that was the door through which the NSDAP was able to enter. As Mayer, at one point, writes, "Hitlerism was a mass flight to dogma, to the barbaric dogma that had not been expelled with the Romans, the dogma of the tribe, the dogma that gave every man importance only in so far as the tribe was important and he was a member of the tribe."

Geographically Germany had, sense anyone had memory, been on the defensive. National security required a strong defense. Theirs soon became an offense for defense.
Nazism did not show up in the life of the ordinary German as a theory. It first engaged the ordinary German as `practice.' It - "Nazism, as it moved from practice to theory has to deny expertness in thinking and then (this second process was never completed), in order to fill the vacuum, had to establish expert thinking of its own - that is, to find men of inferior or irresponsible caliber whose views conformed dishonestly or, worse yet, honestly to the Party line." It is an unfortunate fact of history that Adolf Hitler was correct when he observed that Germany was encircled and, of necessity had to defend herself. That defense was to go on the offense.

The practice was to infiltrate every fiber of the ordinary germans life with the power and control of the State. That did not always manifest itself in brute force - but oft times in much more subtle ways. Joining the Party often meant having a job. Joining the party could mean gaining new status, though that sometimes had a negative outcome. It wasn't the big man Hitler that spread the Party line through out Germany. It was the countless numbers of `little Hitler's' that were the source of Nazism success. It was only for the ordinary german to go about their daily lives and not get in the way. I was sort of reminded of the admonitions heard in the US of A when catastrophe strikes - natural or man made - "Go about your Business" "Don't worry" "Go shopping, Go out to Eat" "Do what you always do to occupy yourself." In Germany, in these days it was not for the ordinary german to be concerned about anything - the State would take care of them.

Mayer discusses, at length the topic of how the Jewish people were part of the German experience off and on through the history of the Nation. Anti-Semitism was nothing new for the ordinary german. As in most developing Fascist or Totalitarian States there must be a scapegoat on which all the blame for all that is wrong, can be placed. Germany had more than just the Jew. There were the troublesome Gypsy Bands - that were reviled and hated. There were the Russians, whom many ordinary germans blamed for the Jewish problem. . . . "they knew Bolshevism as a specter which, as it took on body in their imaginings, embraced not only Communism but the Social Democrats, the trade-unions, and, of course. The Jews, the Gypsies, the neighbor next door whose dog had bit them, and his dog; the bundled root cause of all their past, present, and possible tribulations."

Needing a scapegoat, upon which to load all of the problems, one had only to look next door or across a convenient border and the Big Men in the Nazi Party did just that.
Mayer wrote, at the end of one of his chapters: "I asked my friend Simon, the "democratic" bill-collector, what he liked best about Hitler. "Ah," he said at once, "his `So -oder so,' his `Whatever I have to do to have my way, I will have my way.' "

This in no way adequately covers a review of this book, but it is my hope that some interest has been created. Milton Mayer has written a book that tells a story. It is a story that is as timely today as it was when he first wrote it.

15 people found this helpful

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Dag Magnus Nielsen

Good, but to much authors interpretations

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2013

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The book was interesting and fascinating, but in the laste half the Author goes haywire on his own interpretations og the German society. Long, speculative, passages (often quite good ones) clutters an otherwise exciting book.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

....A direct comparison to present times

Reviewed in Canada on May 17, 2009

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In spite of the fact that the translation of this text is less than perfect, this is a 'must read' for everyone. The parallels between the people of Nazi Germany and those under the US administration of 2000-20008 is striking. The high level of racism, the complacent attitudes towards national politics, the failure of both societies to become educated in national and world affairs and the sense of 'being too busy' with day-to-day life to involve oneself in matters much greater and larger than their trivial lives is stunning! No, the USA does not see itself as being powerless against its own government but when told, like Nazi Germany, that it is unpatriotic to speak out against its government, there is no difference in the results. Criminality, war crimes and corruption existed in both countries with little, or no, criticism of its leaders.
As was said in the famous Pogo cartoon; We have met the enemy and he is us.

2 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Whitewash

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2017

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Gave up before the end as it comes across as justifying the actions of "innocent" nazis

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