I Will Bear Witness: 1933-1941The publication of Victor Klemperer's secret diaries brings to light one of the most extraordinary documents of the Nazi period. "In its cool, lucid style and power of observation," said The New York Times, "it is the best written, most evocative, most observant record of daily life in the Third Reich." I Will Bear Witness is a work of literature as well as a revelation of the day-by-day horror of the Nazi years. A Dresden Jew, a veteran of World War I, a man of letters and historian of great sophistication, Klemperer recognized the danger of Hitler as early as 1933. His diaries, written in secrecy, provide a vivid account of everyday life in Hitler's Germany. What makes this book so remarkable, aside from its literary distinction, is Klemperer's preoccupation with the thoughts and actions of ordinary Germans: Berger the greengrocer, who was given Klemperer's house ("anti-Hitlerist, but of course pleased at the good exchange"), the fishmonger, the baker, the much-visited dentist. All offer their thoughts and theories on the progress of the war: Will England hold out? Who listens to Goebbels? How much longer will it last? This symphony of voices is ordered by the brilliant, grumbling Klemperer, struggling to complete his work on eighteenth-century France while documenting the ever- tightening Nazi grip. He loses first his professorship and then his car, his phone, his house, even his typewriter, and is forced to move into a Jews' House (the last step before the camps), put his cat to death (Jews may not own pets), and suffer countless other indignities. Despite the danger his diaries would pose if discovered, Klemperer sees it as his duty to recordevents. "I continue to write," he notes in 1941 after a terrifying run-in with the police. "This is my heroics. I want to bear witness, precise witness, until the very end." When a neighbor remarks that, in his isolation, Klemperer will not be able to cover the main events of the war, he writes: "It's not the big things that are important, but the everyday life of tyranny, which may be forgotten. A thousand mosquito bites are worse than a blow on the head. I observe, I note, the mosquito bites." This book covers the years from 1933 to 1941. Volume Two, from 1941 to 1945, will be published in 1999. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
3rd Reich afternoon already Annemarie April Aryan August believe Berlin Blumenfelds coffee completely couple Curriculum Dember depressed Der Stürmer diary Dölzschen Dresden drive Eighteenth Century emigration England English Eva's everything fear feel Frau Schaps Frau Voss Fräulein French Friday Führer garden Georg German Gestapo Grete Gusti Wieghardt half past heart Heidenau Hitler hope Isakowitz Italian January Jelski Jewish Jews July June Kipsdorf Klemperer's Köhler Kreidl Kühn lecture Leipzig letter Lingua tertii imperii longer March Marta Meyerhof Monday months mood morning Munich National Socialist Natscheff Nazi newspaper November NSDAP October once Party perhaps Pirna Poland police political prison professor reading aloud Reichswehr Rousseau Russia Saturday Sebba September Stahlhelm Strasse Sunday Sussmann talked things Third Reich Thursday tion told Tuesday Victor Klemperer victory Voltaire Wednesday weeks Wengler whole wife write wrote yesterday