Martin Bormann was a man who had so much power because of his closeness to Hitler. He used his pen and power to forward his agenda. Hitler trusted him without question to further his plan. This book offers new insight into the organization of SS and how Martin used his closeness to Hitler to abuse and kill so many from the safety of his office.

Martin Bormann became such a crucial cog in ensuring that the Nazi war machine kept turning and was responsible for some of the biggest and most devastating decisions the party made whilst in power. He quickly rose through the ranks to become one of Hitler’s most trusted comrades, his right-hand man and, without question, the second most powerful man in the Third Reich. It becomes immediately clear just how manipulative a person he was and was apparently someone who would do anything to get to the top. Legend says he escaped, alongside other Nazi officers, to South America when Hitler suicided himself in the bunker, where a large clandestine network of communists resided, and settled in a house in the Teyu Cuare provincial park following the fall of the Third Reich. However, on 7 December 1972, construction workers uncovered human remains near Lehrter station in West Berlin which were conclusively identified as Bormann's in 1998 when German authorities ordered genetic testing on fragments of the skull.

This is an engaging and extensively researched account of the life and times of one of the evilest men in history and from the very beginning, I found myself fascinated. You know you're in safe hands when a book is written by award-winning Nazi investigator and prolific history writer Volker Koop and whilst it is accessible it is extremely dense and in some parts quite academic. It's one of the strongest biographical accounts I've come across and explores Bormann’s life before and during his years as a high-ranking Nazi and gives both a personal and professional look at the life of a power-hungry manipulator. Eminently readable and flowing well from one page to the next, this is a book history connoisseurs should definitely pick up. I appreciated the inclusion of newly discovered archival information which held intriguing facts that were previously unknown and this new insight only added to the authenticity of the book.

Overall this is an interesting and thoroughly detailed account of Bormann which is well written and illustrates just how influential he was in the party. Having become Hitler's gatekeeper whereby any and all communication had to go through him and he was in the position he wanted for the time being. Prior knowledge of the Nazi regime and its set up would be preferable before jumping into this biography. Koop even includes a bibliography and points you in the right direction should you wish to read more on the subject. A superb book. Many thanks to Frontline Books for an ARC.

I will never understand the mind set of Hitler and his cronies! I will continue to read everything I can around WW2 and the horrific treatment of innocent people, including those on the Nazi side. While I will never ever condone such harassments and punishments, we need to learn from the past to prevent such atrocities from happening again. I just hope we do.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

Really dry read about a figure I thought was going to be more interesting than he was. Turns out he was just a power-hungry toady, climbing the ranks like any other careerist. Writing felt rushed and vague so I never got a strong idea of the sequence of things or a more three dimensional view of Bormann. Not much fun to read even for someone interested in this era of history. More like Bore-man.

PDF : je suis malheureusement incapable de lire ce format. Ça me vexe car ce livre avait l'air vraiment bien.

A fascinating look at an awful human being. Koop details the meticulous rise of Bormann to his position as Hitler's right hand man. It convincingly argues that Bormann can be considered the second most powerful man in the Reich (while other more infamous names might more readily come to mind). Koop's use of correspondence and newly discovered archive materials add to the personal examination of Bormann the individual and lend new insight that expands the existing historical record. The book is well written and accessible to the general reader, but a familiarity with literature on the Third Reich, and the elaborate structures of the Nazi military and political hierarchy is helpful. This book was interesting to read while considering Ian Kershaw's concept of 'Working toward the Fuhrer' which postulates that those closest to Hitler worked to please him by carrying out his will without Hitler having to state orders directly. Bormann certainly exemplified this, and arguably used his position to ensure others "Worked towards Bormann' as he solidified his position as gatekeeper to the Fuhrer

This was a deep and thorough biography of the second most powerful man in the Third Reich. It gives a personal as well as a professional picture of Bormann, his way to success despite all odds, his (not so amicable) personality and more.
I appreciated the use of his letters as well as other sources from WWII, it made the book much more believable and reliable - not that it would not have been so without them, it was written very, I would say, reader friendly and although the reader must have certain knowledge of the Regime before reading, Volker Koop explained anything that the average person might not have known.

I recommend this book to everybody who is fascinated by history - if I were to be honest, everyone should read this book, even to simply understand human character better, but who am I kidding. People would rather read about Kylie Jenner's newest outfit. How sad.

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via netgalley!

This book is recommended for individuals with background knowledge on the subject matter as it is heavily academic. However, if you are a history buff, this book is right down your alley. I was pleasantly surprised to learn a lot of new facts even thought I have previously read many books on the matter and didn’t think I would! The author researched well this book, yet made it easy to read.

Very interesting to read. The book was very well written. It flowed well. Lots to think about. Interesting subject to learn about.

248 pages

4 stars

This is a very detailed account of Martin Bormann and his rise to power. He was to become the man closest to Hitler.

Mr. Bormann strikes me as a slimy manipulator. He weaseled his way to become Hitler's gatekeeper. All communications went through him, whether addressed directly to Hitler or not. This was a perfect set up, for Hitler didn't want to deal with domestic affairs, or be bothered with ordinary citizens. He was too busy “directing” what he saw as his brilliant strategies for conducting the war.

He was nicknamed by the other Nazi officials, “The Brown Eminence.” (Make of that what you will.)

This book contains notes and a bibliography for those who wish to further explore Martin Bormann's life and times. Fascinating and full of minutely detailed information about Bormann's actions – mostly to protect his own position as Hitler's confidante – this book is easy to read and understand. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the personalities of those whom Hitler chose to surround himself.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword/Frontline Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very nice explication for me to read, enjoy and review.

A fascinating account of the rise and life of Martin Bormann. His death was in doubt but Mr Koop has reports that evidence for his death was found in Berlin years after the war. It is amazing to me that someone so powerful could die so unnoticed and uncared for after years of rulership and largesse. Mr Bormann was a loyal mouthpiece for Hitler but it seems he was also power hungry and had hopes of leading the Reich after Hitler killed himself in the bunker. This book covers it all in a readable way. Reading this book made it clearer than ever that some politicians and power hungry people exist and should be avoided. Some of Bormanns children survived the war and went on as best they could. A very interesting book that highlighted mans worst offenses against other humans.