''Berlin Embassy'' is a non-fiction book written by American
diplomat
A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or internati ...
William Russell (1915–2000) which was first published in late 1940. Russell, who worked at the
American Embassy in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, details his experiences of living and working in
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
between August 1939 and April 1940 during the early phases of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
The work
The book describes William Richard Russell's experiences between August 31, 1939 to April 10, 1940, dealing with long queues of desperate people seeking emigrant visas, the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the
German invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week afte ...
and
Phoney War
The Phoney War (french: Drôle de guerre; german: Sitzkrieg) was an eight-month period at the start of World War II, during which there was only one limited military land operation on the Western Front, when French troops invaded Germ ...
, as well as touching on the beginning of the
invasion of Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
.
Russell was a clerk on the consular staff of the
American Embassy in Berlin. The book consequently reflects his personal experiences of life in Berlin during the early stages of the war through anecdotes, press cutting, rumours and jokes rather than covering the political and diplomatic aspects of his job in any great detail: The bilingual Russell socialized extensively with random Germans in pubs and nightclubs, on trains while conducting business, in rural villages as well as in the capital.
Despite this professed objective, the final chapter is devoted to a study of the character of
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
.
Main argument
![Bundesarchiv Bild 102-02016, Berlin, Blücher-Palais, neue USA-Botschaft](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-02016%2C_Berlin%2C_Bl%C3%BCcher-Palais%2C_neue_USA-Botschaft.jpg)
The central argument which Russell attempts to communicate in his work is that, contrary to opinion in America and elsewhere, the majority of Germans were politically apathetic or even anti-Nazi, with only a small minority actually being overtly in favour of the status quo:
"There are, perhaps, 2 million members of the Nazi party. That is not many in a nation of seventy million people."
However, he also argues that a large number of Germans (regardless of their political views) chose to side with the Nazis temporarily for the duration of the war:
"For what exists in Germany today, I have ... a simple illustration:
...Imagine that Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...
were still president of the United States, and as unpopular as he was at the time he was defeated for the Presidency. Imagine that the United States had been forced into a war under his leadership. He would be supported by every man, woman and child...
Many people feel that way in Germany today. They will support Adolf Hitler until the war is won; as soon as it is over, they have the firm intention of getting rid of him."
Russell attempts to highlight the cynical view of many Germans towards the Nazi régime. In particular, he focuses on the popular views of key Nazi figures - including
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...
("When Goering appears on the movie screen...Berlin audiences usually snigger."
),
Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position unt ...
,
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
,
Julius Streicher
Julius Streicher (12 February 1885 – 16 October 1946) was a member of the Nazi Party, the ''Gauleiter'' (regional leader) of Franconia and a member of the '' Reichstag'', the national legislature. He was the founder and publisher of the virul ...
("...has committed so many crimes and stolen so much money from the Party that even the Nazis could not cover up his crimes any longer"
) and
Hans Kerrl
Hanns Kerrl (11 December 1887 – 14 December 1941) was a German Nazi politician. His most prominent position, from July 1935, was that of Reichsminister of Church Affairs. He was also President of the Prussian Landtag (1932–1933) and head of ...
("...a gay old rascal frequently seen in Berlin dives until the wee hours of the morning").
[ Above all, ]Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazi politician who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, and then Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to 19 ...
(whom Russell describes as "...the most hated man in Germany...") is seen to elicit the most hatred. "In three years spent in Germany," Russell wrote "I have never heard one kind word spoken on his behalf."[
Jokes of the time are frequently inserted to summarise the contempt of many ordinary Germans to the Nazi leaders.
]
Other themes
Several factors of the everyday life of Germans during the period which Russell writes about extensively were shortages of food and clothing owing to rationing (even though the war had just begun), the shortage of home heating fuel, breakdowns and freezing conditions in train service, and the lack of proper information on current affairs, owing to censorship and propaganda in the German media. This led, in Russell's belief, to over-reliance on both frequently incorrect rumours and the (officially prohibited) BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
German-language radio service.
*The first edition of ''Berlin Embassy'' was published in the United States by E.P. Dutton & Co in 1940/1.
*An unedited reprint was produced (for the United Kingdom market exclusively) by Elliott & Thompson in 2003.
*Basic Books produced another reprinted version in November 2006.