Saturday Biography Review: Hitler, the Pathology of Evil

Title: Hitler: The Pathology of Evil

Author: Dr. George Victor

About the Author: Dr. George Victor, a practicing psychotherapist specializes in evaluation of personality disorders. He lives in New Jersey, USA

Publisher: Potomac Books Inc. 1998

Summary: This unique biography may be termed a psychological history of Adolf Hitler, a leader who turned the history of the world upside down. Dr. Victor explores the psychogenesis of Hitler’s hatred of Jews, rooted in his own self-loathing and rejection of that fact that in all probability, his grandfather was sired by a man of Jewish origins. Sickly at birth, his mother overprotected him and doted upon him while his father, a strict disciplinarian was abusive toward him. Hitler was never able to meet the man’s expectations. Dealing with a country that suffered terribly after its defeat in World War I, the leader of the new Nazi party set out to change the economic and ethnic character of Germany. A charismatic speaker, Hitler was able to entice his followers to accept programs designed to create a perfect race through genocide, involuntary sterilization programs and other practices the we deem to be atrocious in hindsight. Few people, even among his closest followers, we aware of the extent of the plans he had carried out. Hitler's obsession with attaining racial purity led to strategic decisions that resulted in Germany's defeat. The author also explores elements of his personal life such as his bizarre sexual practices, his inability to relate closely to others and his low sense of self-worth.

While not a “quick, easy read” this biography gives an overview of the war in Europe and the psychology of the man behind it. The author avoids highly clinical terminology and his material is organized and presented in a logical manner. The work is well-written and well-documented.

Recommendation: I give this biography ***1/2 and recommend it to those who have interest in World War II, in the psychology of evil or in the roots of Hitler’s choices. I did not in anyway feel that Dr. Victor was trying to defend Hitler’s behavior. He rather presented an objective analysis of the man’s character.

I’m off to read something light and fluffy now!

Review submitted by Victoria Ceretto-Slotto, http://liv2write2day.wordpress.com/