"Promise Me You'll Shoot Yourself"

The Mass Suicide of Ordinary Germans in 1945
by Florian Huber
$36.00

Buy from Other Retailers:

Named a Best History Book of 2019 by The Times (UK)

The astounding true story of how thousands of ordinary Germans, overcome by shame, guilt, and fear, killed themselves after the fall of the Third Reich and the end of World War II.

By the end of April 1945...
Read More

Published By Little, Brown Spark

Format Hardback

Number Of Pages 304

Publication Date 03/10/2020

ISBN 9780316534307

Dimensions 6.4 inches x 9.55 inches


"Gripping ... Huber tells the shocking stories of ordinary German suicides with literary power and skill, making excellent use of unknown material."—Richard Evans, The Guardian

"Vivid and disturbing...Though the topic is relentlessly grim, Huber portrays his subjects with empathy and offers key insights into the German mindset before, during, and after WWII. Readers will be convinced that reckoning with the war's legacy requires studying this underexamined tragedy."—Publishers Weekly

"Huber retells the self-annihilation of May 1945 in dispassionate, vivid detail...It's hard not to hear faint echoes in our current plight."—Andrew Anthony, The Observer

"A remarkable book -- grim and fascinating. Florian Huber tells the story well."—Robbie Millen, The Times

"An under-represented history that is equal parts terrifying and tragic...Amid the nearly unbearable darkness, Huber injects notes of hope...Illuminating yet haunting."—Ruta Sepetys, Financial Times

"Huber tells this terrible history with compassion and care. He writes with an ease that makes the book flow smoothly despite the bleak nature of the subject, aided by a fine translation from the German by Imogen Taylor."—Laurence Rees, Telegraph

"A harrowing insight into the psyche of everyday German citizens...Huber's book is extremely well researched ... By drawing on the thoughts, movements and mental state of the diarists, he is able to provide a compelling insight into the minds of everyday Nazi citizens."—Jacob Farr, The Scotsman

"A grimly compelling study of the psychology of fanaticism."—The Economist

"All eyes will be opened by the facts on offer in "Promise Me You'll Shoot Yourself"...Huber follows a cast of real, all-too-human characters as they head into darkness...His terrible evidence is priceless, and belongs on every bookshelf."—James Hawes, The Spectator

"Bleak, arresting...A sobering study of a dark period of Europe's history."
Matt Elton and Ellie Cawthorne, BBC History Magazine

 
Shipping calculated at checkout.