AVIATION

Book Review: An Obsolete Honor – a Story of the German Resistance to Hitler by Helena P. Schrader

There are two very clear types of Historical Fiction, those that are merely set against a historical backdrop and the historical events are mere bit players recessed into the color commentary. The second type of book is a much different beast, take a historical event, place it in center stage and weave your tale around it using a combination of factual and fictional characters and events. This type of book is far harder to construct, extreme care to detail must be used, particularly if the historical event is well documented. History buffs will have your head if you get the slightest detail wrong!

An Obsolete Honor most certainly falls into the second category. The events of July, 20 1944 in Berlin are well documented. Known as the Valkyrie Plot and subject of a brand new movie staring Tom Cruise, this attempt on Adolf Hitler’s life has been the subject of many history books. Few stones have been left unturned. The facts are well known, yet the forces that drove the plot are much less well understood.

Helana Schrader has done a great job of accomplishing two things in this book. On one level she walks us through the development of the plot to kill Hitler by using her two main fictitious characters Baron Philip von Feldburg, initially an aide de camp to the very factual General Friedrich Olbricht, a very central figure to the Valkyrie plot, and her other main character is Alexandra von Mollwitz, Phillips future wife, and secretary to General Olbricht. Through these two characters and their family and friends a wide canvas is painted.

The author could have stopped at that point, and I am sure it would have made for an interesting story, instead though, she has opted to look at the assassination attempt in a wider context. Portraying Germany as a country that was becoming rapidly polarized as the war progressed. The early elation of victories in Poland and France, soon give way to frustration on the Russian front, and frustration at home as it becomes harder and harder to maintain any sort of normalcy. Goods are in ever increasing short supply, able bodied men are conscripted and sent to almost certain death under Hitler’s stand and fight doctrine, Germany is winning elsewhere, but rapidly losing at home.

The emergence of the SS as the Nazi’s homeland thugs, and the ‘resettlement’ of the Jews all weigh heavily on the professional soldiers and concerned citizens alike. Of course there were others who saw opportunities in this environment.

Helana Schrader explores both sides of the coin, greed versus grief, fortune versus famine, hope versus hell. One aspect that is touched upon, and is a sore subject still, is how did this entire situation unfold, why did the Germans support the maniacal Hitler? Simple, the terms of the Versailles Treaty following World War One opened the door. Through her use of factual events and fictional characters the reader is treated not only to a riveting novel but also a great history lesson into one of the most unfortunate and painful periods in the history of mankind. An enterprising teacher could certainly use this book as a core for teaching a fascinating course, literature, history and social studies all rolled into one.

At 550 pages and small print An Obsolete Honor is hardly a quick, light read. It is however a hugely enjoyable and thought provoking book. It is clear that the author has a great understanding of this story, and the social environment of this area in the early and mid 1940′s. A quick Google of Helana Schrader reveals that she has a PhD in history, and has indeed spent a good deal of time in Germany, so you should not be surprised by the high quality of both the writing and the content. It is rare indeed that I can find only one minor typo in 550 pages of a book, and that mistake likely would be missed by 99% of readers, they use of the word ‘that’ when she meant ‘they’.

You can pick up your copy of this very excellent book from Amazon.

(Originally published at Blogger News Network and reprinted with permission from the author, Simon Barrett).

About the Author

Simon Barrett is the senior editor for
Blogger News Net
and maintains a personal blog at
Simon B
. Now semi retired in the depths of Mississippi he has plenty of time to read books by up and coming authors.

WWII Anti Tank Weapons – Rare Russian ” DOG MINE ” – TOTAL WAR in HD Colour

RARE Russian USSR The Medal For the Defence of Stalingrad WW II Red Army RKKA $14.99

RARE Russian USSR The Medal of Ushakov WW II Red Army RKKA Soviet Union $14.99

Rare Russian Soviet Union USSR Medal For the Liberation of Warsaw WW II Red Army $14.99

Antique Russian Soviet Military Rare Army Leather Visor Hat Cap 1945 CCCP WW II $750.00

RARE! SINGLE! Super Heavy WW2 German Tank MAUS $19.00

RARE! Russian T-34 – the Best WW2 Tank $21.24

RARE Soviet Russian USSR WW2 Great Patriotic War Medal Order Badge # 663434 $400.00

1/285 WW2 Ussr Russian Fighter Plane Lav Lagg Yak ? well painted RARE $7.99

Very Rare SLAVA Collectable Russian Men’s Wrist Watch with Marshal Zhukov WWII $44.50

Soviet Russian WW2 RARE Silver Great Patriotic War Order Medal Badge #193897 $450.00

Russian mechanical pocket watch Molnija STALIN 1941-1945 WWII New Old Stock Rare $142.21

RARE VINTAGE RUSSIAN BAKELITE “LOCKING” COMPASS – MAGNETIC INSTRUMENT – WW2? $11.06

RARE WWI/WWII RUSSIAN USSR CIVIL WAR BUDENOVKA CAP $200.00

RARE RUSSIAN SOVIET WWII WW2 POSTER GOEBBELS CARICATURE $369.00

RARE RUSSIAN SOVIET WW2 WWII PROPAGANDA POSTER $316.99

RARE RUSSIAN SOVIET WW2 WWII MEDAL FOR DEFENSE of POLAR REGION $94.99

RARE RUSSIAN SOVIET WWII WW2 ARMORY SCHOOL SHOULDER BOARDS STRAPS $14.00

RUSSIAN SOVIET WWII WW2 OFFICER w/ RARE AWARDS PHOTO $9.99

RARE SOVIET RUSSIAN USSR LAPEL PIN MONUMENT ETERNAL FLAME WWII $0.90

Roskopf #7 WWII Russian KV 85 Heavy Tank, HO – 1/100, mint in Blister Card Rare! $9.99

RARE SOVIET RUSSIAN USSR LAPEL PIN MONUMENT TO SOVIET SOLDIERS WWII $3.00

RARE SOVIET RUSSIAN USSR LAPEL PIN VICTORY DAY WWII $1.20

RARE SOVIET RUSSIAN USSR LAPEL PIN VICTORY DAY WWII $2.00

Atlantic 1/72 #4054 WWII Russian Red Army, mib. tall long box, Rare! 46 pieces $19.99

FEMALE SOVIET WW2 BOMBER SQUADRON COMIC BOOK RUSSIAN VS NAZIS NIGHT WITCHES RARE $5.88

FEMALE SOVIET WW2 BOMBER SQUADRON #1 COMIC BOOK RUSSIAN PILOT WORLD WAR 2 RARE!! $4.88

Soviet Russian WWII General Major cap hat Military ULTRA RARE ORIGINAL $3,000.00

Rare WWII DRK German Nurse “Elsa” 1942 Russian Front Action Figure $16.99

FED NKVD Rare Russian Leica Copy Camera pre-WWII USSR Lens #70719 $149.99

FED NKVD Rare Russian Leica Copy Camera pre-WWII USSR Lens #152307 $149.99

RARE SOVIET RUSSIAN MILITARY ID USSR. ARMY DOCUMENT. RESERVE OFFICER VETERAN WW2 $29.99

RARE! ORIGINAL WWII RUSSIAN SOLDIER DOG TAG $35.00

RARE!- WWII SOVIET/ RUSSIAN- DP-28 LMG MAGAZINE BAG- UNISSUED WW2- Degtyaryov $39.99

RARE USSR RUSSIAN WATCH WOSTOK KOMANDIRSKIE ”50 YEARS VICTORY WWII” #A325 $24.99

RUSSIAN BOOK ARMS PISTOL REVOLVER BULLETS WORLD ZUK WW2 RARE CATALOG SOVIET ARMS $79.99

RARE! SINGLE! Defence of Stalingrad July-Nov.1942 WW2 $39.99

WWII Russian Liberation Army ROA Vlasov Insignia RARE $250.00

Rare Russian WWII original relictrack link of KV tank $270.00

RARE Line Under # Soviet Russian WW2 Silver Order MILITARY GLORY 3 Class Medal $350.00

[backlinksmage]