How We Squandered The Reich

Reinhard Spitzy

Editions

Review

When this book was first published a few years ago in its original German language version, it became an immediate bestseller.  It’s a fascinating  - and strangely unrepentant - autobiographical account of how a snobbish young Austrian joined the Nazis, and fell into the Reich’s foreign service.  This brought him to London to serve under Ribbentrop -‘Brickendrop’ as he became almost immediately - to witness the steady deterioration in Anglo-German relations.  Even those whose education has barely nodded at 20th century history will no doubt be surprised to hear Churchill dismissed as a ‘warmonger’.  The author’s self-justification is perhaps understandable, although disquieting; nonetheless, his unique perspective on the diplomatic activity leading up to Munich (and beyond) is in itself reason enough to read the book.  The details regarding the truly ludicrous Herr and Frau Ribbentrop are priceless. - review by Dan Fenton