Has anyone read I Knew Hitler: The Story of a Nazi Who Escaped the Blood Purge by Kurt G.W. Ludecke, published in 1938?
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I did a bit of research and found an OLD Time Magazine article on Ludecke. According to Time Magazine he was an early crony of Hitler's who apparently fell out of favor and was thrown into a concentration camp. After eight months he escaped and on the day he reached Manhattan he read the headlines announcing the "Blood Purges".
I also found a U.S. Supreme Court case: LUDECKE v. WATKINS, District Director of Immigration. He was apparently arrested as a German enemy alien on December 8, 1941, went before an Alien Enemy Hearing Board on January 16, 1942 and was ordered to be interned. On January 18, 1946 the Attorney General ordered his removal from the United States. He asked the U.S. Supreme Court for relief. He argued his case on May 3 & 4, 1948 and the court rendered its decision on June 21, 1948 (which has to be a speed record for the Supreme Court). Judgment was affirmed and he was deported.
I found a copy of his book, which is quite a tome at 715 pages. It looks like it may be an interesting read. He seems to be a committed nazi, at least when he penned the book, he was simply disillusioned with Hitler. -
A few years back i looked for this book but it was a bit pricey then.
It sounds interesting and at 715 pages is seems he had somthing to get off his chest.
If you are interested in similar books that are now forgotten:
A few books I did find in a similar vein were :
Reed, Douglas. "Nemesis? The story of Otto Strasser." pub. in 1940. Leader of (the pre -nazi org.) the Black Front and enemy of Hitler and brother of Gregor Strasser whom Hitler had killed.
and of course,
Rauschning, Hermann. "The Revolution of Nihilism: Warning to the West." pub in 1939. Ex- president of the Nazi Danzig state who took off after seeing up close what Hitler was like. His books for years were thought as self-serving propaganda for the west by historians, but have now been reconsidered for his actual first person accounts of the nazi leadership.
-MichaelComment
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I managed to find a cheap copy of the book. It contains some interesting candid photos of Hitler in the 1920's that I've never seen before. The author claims to have met Hitler after a rally in Munich on 11 August 1922 and joined the party shortly thereafter, which at the time had less than 1,000 members.
I'm only 66 pages into the book but so far it is very interesting.
I've heard of the two books you've mentioned but haven't read them.Comment
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