Few historical subjects are so emotion-laden as the Third Reich, and few have generated such general interest. The extermination of the Jews has, understandably, commanded considerable attention from historians and the general public, but this preoccupation with Nazi anti-Semitism has led people to overlook other aspects of life under the Third Reich.
This collection presents a broad view of life in Nazi Germany, describing the ways ordinary Germans perceived the policies and actions of the Third Reich, as well as how they lived their daily lives. Articles by noted historians provide fascinating insights into the character of the German people, describing such phenomena as the satisfaction German nationalists took in the orderliness of Hitler's takeover; the contradictory reactions of Germany's young people to the Nazi state; the powerful popular image of Hitler, created by the then new techniques of propaganda; and the way Germans today regard their experiences under Hitler. The articles presented here offer new perspectives on some of the most challenging questions of our time, and enrich our understanding of an awful chapter of German history.