John Toland's "Adolf Hitler"...

Much has been said in many books and articles concerning the time between Adolf Hitler's birth and his death at the end of a war largely caused through his totalitarian rule of Germany...But it's likely that no author has said as much in more words, and in greater detail than John Toland in his two-volume biography, "Adolf Hitler"...Forty years after its initial publication, it may seem to be aging, but it is aging well indeed...

It was the first serious study of Hitler's life that I read upon becoming more than casually interested in the causes and effects of the European war...Certainly not his first book, nor his only analysis of mid-twentieth century conflict, Toland demonstrated to this reader that few details, if any, could ever escape his attention...Toland's pictorial documentary published two years after the text adds life to the telling, and contains photos I've seen nowhere else...

Exposing the maleficence that made up the persona that was Hitler was never Toland's goal, as millions of words had already reached print demonstrating that Der Fuehrer was the custodian of one of the most evil souls housed in a human being in this millenium...The author stated clearly in his prologue that he began the project with no preconceived notions, and no preformed opinions, wanting only to present the evidence and testimony of others, allowing the reader to draw his own conclusions...

I applaud Toland on this ability, and in re-reading some of my own articles, I know my lack of objectivity would prevent my ever becoming a seriously considered historian...He drew not only on established sources representing the viewpoints and opinions of other researchers, but also conducted hundreds of personal interviews with surviving contemporaries, both those he admired, those he antagonized, and those who worked in close proximity with him...Before publication, he contacted each of the interviewees again with a copy of what he had written for verification and corrections...

He uncovered documents and dossiers all but forgotten and gained access to previously classified intelligence...He read unpublished foreign government files stored and forgotten in dusty boxes...His research found undiscovered letters, diaries, memoirs and notes, even receipts that yielded valuable information...

As a dedicated historian, Toland knew his research would outlive him, and arranged for its storage in the Library of Congress for use by investigators who would follow after him...His dedication to the truth, no matter where it took him, is one of the hallmarks of a true historian...He knew that analysis is merely the opinion of others, and he arranged his writing in a manner that is not only very readable, but is uncluttered with misleading distractions...For his allegiance to accuracy, both serious students and casual observers such as myself will always be grateful...

Published in two volumes to make its thousand-plus pages more manageable, it begins long before the dictator's birth, covering generations and naming likely suspects in the doubtful parentage of Hitler's father...I find documented information such as this valuable for another article in composition now concerning Herr Hitler's bloodline...As usual in his style, Toland goes into exacting detail, allowing this reader to imagine I am there as a witness to some of the research...

The rarely spoken of periods in Hitler's early growth come to life as the author painstakingly assembles the bits and pieces of testimony from those who witnessed his initial development...Toland offers a timeline in this history almost unbroken as he finds obscure passers-through in Hitler's life who left behind some documentation of the events which affected his psyche...

I will not attempt to detail the contents of the book any further, as it will speak for itself to any reader...Having read, and re-read it several times, I always come away with new insight on other volumes I've read, as well as renewed information on Adolf Hitler himself...

Any bookshelf within reach of any student of twentieth century history, regardless of the level of serious interest, is incomplete without a well-thumbed copy of John Toland's master thesis, "Adolf Hitler"...And no, my first editions are not for sale...

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