No comments about German Pride: 101 Reasons to Be Proud You're German.

3 comments about Dictionary of German Names.

1. For anyone who is researching German names and family genealogy this book is the definitive, in-depth, and scholarly work in the field of German names. A "must own" book for the serious researcher of German families and names



2. A great book for the amateur genealogist. It is light enough that, unlike many books on the subject, it is readable, yet it contains a wealth of information. The book description says "some entries will provoke a chuckle, others a bit of embarrassment, still others a sense of wonder and pride." This is certainly true. As a person of German heritage who (sadly) does not speak German, I was indeed filled with a sense of wonder when I looked up my great-grandfather's name, Hundesauger.



3. I gave this book 5 Stars because it IS a very GOOD book, unfortunately it is also a book that did not meet my needs. My hobby is local history in a predominantly German county in Illinois. I was hoping to find a lot of the local surnames, as a reference for spelling and to provide insight to their origins. No such luck. Many local surnames ARE in the book --- but enough are missing to disappoint me. I have the feeling this book was written for a more scholarly application than mine.

1 comments about Prague in Black and Gold: The History of a City.

1. Millions of visitors come to Prague each year drawn by its rich cultural heritage and visual splendour, yet knowing little of its extraordinary past. In this erudite, paradoxical history Peter Demetz dispels the popular sentimental image of his hometown as he tells the story of this great city from its origins through the devastation of the Thirty Years' War, the elegant eras of Mozart and Dvorak and the bleak, modern city depicted in Kafka's work, to the euphoria of the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
   --- from book's back cover

No comments about Victoria Cross WW I: WWI Airmen and Their Aircraft.

3 comments about Finding Your German Ancestors : A Beginner's Guide.

1. I am just beginning to trace my ancestors to the French-German border area. I found the background history in this book to be helpful in giving me insight into why my ancestors may have left their homes to come to America. The contacts and sources suggested later in the book likewise provide me a good starting point for dealing with foreign leads.



2. It IS inexpensive, so that's a good thing. However, the book was about 50% history from the Roman Empire to the formation of the German state. None of this historical information would be of use to a beginner since it does self-identify as a "beginners guide". One thing that would be of obvious benefit would be for the book to include comprehensive examples of common german language documents such as birth, death, baptismal, etc, records. Nope. No such things. As someone who is doing family research with German documents, there are about 10 documents that are similar and are used over and over again throughout the German world. How about a translation of said documents?? How about explaining why, in some instances, the maiden name is omitted for the mother in birth documents? The book does have a bunch of contact information that anyone could amass in an afternoon on the internet. However, it was written in 1999, so who knows how valid the information is at this point. If I had to choose again, I'd go to the library and read it in about an hour. After that, I would photocopy the pages with contact information for a dollar and then be done with it. Don't buy it, but if you do, understand what you are getting and know that it isn't a reference book in any meaningful way. It really made me think that I could write a much better guide over the summer that would truly be useful for the beginner. Hmmmm...



3. This book truly lives up to its name. It is full of useful information and and addresses. It also shows samples of some of the records you may come across in your search.

5 comments about A History of the Habsburg Empire, 1526-1918.

1. This text is not a good history text. Any good text book will make the subject come alive, this book kills it. It is, however, extremely informative, if you can get through the introduction without dieing. NOT recommended for anyone who is not a post grad! (and even then, only if required for a class).



2. I am a history major at Indiana State University. In my spring term, I used the book (as one of my sources) for my research paper on the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. I will agree that this particular book is not the greatest reading in the world, but generally historians write books for historians. Also, I will agree with other reviewers that the book's title is misleading because it does not focus on the 16th century compared to others. The book was used in my research to help explain the rivilary between Charles V of Spain (the Holy Roman Emperor) and Francis I (King of France). The cause of the rivals were not because of the grudge with Charles V winning the election for the Holy Roman Emperor or Francis I imprisonment in 1525, but Francis saw the danger of the Habsburg Empire surrounding France.

   I will recommend this book for people needing information on the Habsburgs for research and to get it at your library or buy an used copy.




3. I was a History major in college. Though fascinated by the subject matter, I kept thinking that this was a complex topic made more difficult than need be. It makes one pine for the likes of B.Tuchmann or W. Bruce Lincoln or L.S. Stavrianos. If I can find a more readable work, I will buy it........otherwise, back to the slog!



4. a bit too , highly detailed , for someone with prior knowledge of the subject , with lots reading time. will read some day when I have lots of time .



5. Thorough treatment of a fairly arcane historical subject, this book shows it's age big time. This is your father's (or grandfather's) history- names, dates and little context to wash it all down with. Kahn skirts issues like anti-semitism that were to have a profound impact on the rest of Europe after the time of this book, and he doesn't even attempt to explain why the period of disintegration of the empire led to a corresponding rise in Austrian culture. Not worth the time it took to read.

5 comments about InSearch of Your German Roots. Fourth Edition, Updated (In Search of Your German Roots).

1. This is a great place to start for German genealogy. Mr. Baxter gives a brief history of Germany (including the Soviet breakup) and locations of record repositories. As in all of his other book, he tells you how to start your research (talk to Grandma before it's too late!), an overview of the LDS organization and tips and guides to doing research in Germany. He also gives you information on the languages of the area and what types of records you might expect to find. Do not despair of finding people in Germany-Mr. Baxter can help. You'll never regret buying this book.



2. The sub-title of "A complete guide to tracing your ancestors in the Germanic areas of Europe" is rather misleading. It is not "complete" by any stretch of the imagination.

   This is a very brief introduction (103 pages of text) to a very large topic. Some aspects of German research are treated in only the most cursory manner - the Lutheran church covered in a chapter of a single page while the Germans in Canada are dealt with in only 3 pages.

   The section on German record types leaves the reader wishing for more information. Which is the feeling the entire book gives "I wish there was more here".

   While this book has been updated to reflect the reunification of Germany, this is not Angus Baxter's best book. His "In Search of Your British & Irish Roots" and "In Search of Your Canadian Roots" are much more comprehensive in their scope. Because this book compares poorly with his other works, I have given it only two stars.




3. If you're researching German ancestors who emigrated to the U.S. or Canada, then this book is a good place to start.
   Baxter provides a brief history of Germany and describes German migrations over the centuries to specific areas of central Europe such as Silesia, the Banat, parts of Slovakia, the Ukraine, and southern Russia. Baxter also traces migration patterns into North America where many Germans settled in Pennsylvania, the mid-West, and the Kitchener area of Canada.
   He describes the different groups that settled in specific areas, including their place of origin, religious background, and dates of migration.
   There is also a lot of useful naming information, which includes the changing of names' spellings, the system of patronymics used in some areas of northern Germany, the use of 'von' or 'Von' in one's surname, and the use of diminutives in first names.



4. Terrible waste of money. The first third of the book is a history of Germany, which anyone could find on Wikipedia. Do not buy this book.



5. Now in an updated fourth edition, In Search of Your German Roots is a guide created to help readers track their German ancestry, regardless of their personal familiarity with the craft of genealogy. Chapters walk one through conducting research via correspondence and e-mail; working at home on an ordinary personal computer with internet access; and tapping into the resources of libraries, archives, and church and state records. Filled with useful websites and e-mail addresses as well as the newest facilities and records available, In Search of Your German Roots is a solid, easy-to-use, plain-terms manual, highly recommended especially for anyone just starting a research project.

5 comments about Voices From The Third Reich: An Oral History.

1. This book is an excellent work that shows the German side of World War II. Through many accounts, the tome reveals slices of German life from the rise of Hitler to the toppling of the Reich. It shows that the German people, even during the monstrous horrors of the Holocaust, were still just people trying to survive. It is a fine work and is worthy to be included in any library.



2. This was perhaps the best of Johannes Steinhoff's books, since it does not deal with his own stellar yet tragic WW II and post war career. The insights of the average person living in Germany are of great importance to both social and military historians alike. Steinhoff offered this collective testament as a warning to all of us regarding war and the rise of a dictator. As Johannes said in an interview, "It is always the civilians who suffer the most, yet are remembered the least."



3. The book allows us to witness World War II through the experiences of German soldiers and civilians. These first hand accounts are remarkable and somewhat chilling at the same time. For example, there are accounts that talk about the success of the German military in Europe, and accounts that describe the Russian front in great detail. I found the accounts on about the Russian front to be very disturbing. The soldiers suffered through many ordeals that its amazing they survived at all. Overall, this novel would be a welcome addition to anyone's library.



4. Steinhoff, Pechel, and Showalter's Voices from The Third Reich contains more than 200 gripping oral histories from people who survived and/or supported Nazi Germany.

   In an effort to show the intricacies of such a perplexing part of world history, the editors present an incredibly diverse group of voices: Jews who supported Nazis, Germans who hated Nazis, and people who simply joined the Nazis to be part of a social circle. With chapters as varied as Jews Get Out, The Children's Crusade, and German Women in Total War, readers learn from those in the Reich of why they participated in such a tyrannical regime. Often, the answers are too human to believe.

   Voices of the Third Reich presents a horrific history by those who lived it and almost answers the question of "How could it have happened?"




5. I have always enjoyed oral histories of warfare and this one told from the German point of view did not disappoint. The book is a perspective of the war based upon interviews with young boy-soldiers, housewifes, the typical adult soldier as well as political prisoners held by the German state.
   
   The most interesting chapters dealt with the submarine warfare and the stories told by the soldiers who fought at the Russian front. I was surprised to learn that not all Germans treated Russians like animals, and vice versa.
   
   However, the book has a major flaw that, I think, takes away from the overall flow of the book. There are way too many people interviewed for the book. Consequently, some of their stories come across as rather disjointed and much too precise to offer any good reading. I would have preferred longer stories which would have lead to a more cohesive story. Some people tell their story in one part of the book and then part of their story is related in another chapter. The problem with this is that when the person is first introduced, there is a very short biography of the person. When that particular person's text is related later, the biography is omitted which forces the reader back to the original location of the person relating the story in order to re-read their bio. Hence, the three star rating.
   
   All in all, the book is definitely worth reading for the WWII buff.

5 comments about The Swan King: Ludwig II of Bavaria.

1. I had read previous reviews that this was one of the best biographies on Ludwig II. While the information is quite thorough and it gives some good insight to Ludwig's character (such as why a grown man would have commissioned such beautiful, fairy-tale like castles complete with pictures from such stories), it was a bit dry to read. I think the subject matter and research is very complete, I just wished it was presented in a more fluid style.



2. I've been a tour guide to Neuschwanstein for several years now and explained Ludwig II's life to hundreds of tourists each year. This is the book that I have found most useful in my tours. If you only read one book on King Ludwig II of Bavaria, this is it.
   
   I've read many books on the subject (as explaining Ludwig II's life is my job), and this is the only one I recommend.



3. McIntosh does an excellent job of providing an easily readable beginning spot to anyone interested in the life of the "Swan King." The book provides insight into his family life, motives, and gives personal details that help one understand his actions and story a little bit better. The book is not so introductory, however, that readers with knowledge about his life will find it boring or tedious. The author did an excellent job with his investigation, and even provides information about monetary values. The bibliography is comprehensive and the book, overall, is well researched.



4. I have always been fascinated by this fabulous King, and found this book very enjoyable to read. I liked the entertaining little stories of random things he had done in his life--my favorites were the story of how as a child, he stopped a man to ask for a few coins to give to a woman who was poor, and also how a woman who wanted his attention (when he was older) jumped over the side of a boat they were in, hoping Ludwig would rescue her, but instead he called one of his men to dive in for her. I also liked how it was packed with facts about him, including things that I had not known about. And, it was nice how the book was written like a novel rather than a history book type of thing.
   
   My two complaints about it though, was that it would have been more correct to refer to him as bisexual considering the book mentioned quite a few ladies he was fond of to some degree or another, and I doubt the idea of him never being with any of them in an intimate way. Also, to make the book more correct, the fact that it came out that he was murdered should have been mentioned rather than just the suicide idea. A half a century after his death it was discovered that the coat he wore the night of his death had two bullet holes in the back (easily explaining why he had blood trickling from his mouth) but the coat was later destroyed in a fire.



5. Having visited Linderhof with a guide, my wife and I wanted to know more about Ludwig II. We chose this book in Amazon because it was both recent and seemed complete.
   I read the book during my holidays and was not disappointed. I appreciated that the author is sticking to the facts and inviting the reader to draw his own conclusions without speculating too much beyond the obvious reasons for Ludwig's behaviour.
   Ludwig lived during an important period for the stability of Europe. Until I had read this book I did not quite realize how the unification of Germany under Bismark sowed the seeds that would ultimately result into the two World Wars.

5 comments about The Habsburgs.

1. Agree with reviews that the book is challenging in the way it's organized: around the figures rather than a chronological series of events. This can be confusing, and the family tree is very helpful in sorting out all the Rudolfs, Ferdinands, and Francis'. But I've always found history more interesting this way. Wheatcroft more or less achieves an overall character of the house of Hapsburg, a family that has lasted for the good part of the last millenium, never wavering in the assurance that its members are ordained by God to rule and to serve the people with their best interests. it is the blend of divine right and self-sacrifice that lends the Hapburgs their unique character. The opening of the book reads almost like historical fiction, but this narrative technique never reappears. And because of the scope of the subject, opportunities to delve into any one figure, no matter how important, are rare. But I found the portrayal of the family as a whole satisfactory, and the book can be read as an introduction to any figure interesting enough to warrant further research, such as the ill-fated Don Carlos.



2. I wanted to read this book as i am getting ready to visit Vienna in April. The book by Mr Wheatcroft is good because his account touches on several things that were really interesting.For example, the author explains the different personalities of the Holy Roman Emperors and Emperors of Austria.He also does a good job in explaining the times in which this emperors reigned which gives you a very good view of the circunstamces at that time. I also enjoyed the motivation behind important buildings for the Habsburgs like El Escorial in Spain and the Catacombs in St Stephen Church in Vienna.For someone who wants an introduction to the Habsburgs is a good books altough it has several flaws. One is that the author " jumps" from one event to another or from one emperor to the other.For example,he'll be talking about Charles V and all of the sudden he starts talking about his sons or future emperors without letting you know about it.I found myself going back several paragraphs to understand why he was doing that.Second, he doesnt really explain how the Holy Roman Empire gets started.He just mentions Charlemagne several times and the reader has to imagine the rest.His account sometimes is fast and sometimes is detailed which forced me to use other books with genealogies to help me understand which emperor is which and where does he come from.The other problem with this book is that it looks like the author thinks that the reader knows a lot of things so he doesnt describe or gives definition to events,people and places that i didnt know.For example, Metternich is mentioned really fast and just by his last name, so if you dont knoe who Metternich is, you'll have to look for him in another book to know who he is.Besides it's flaws, is a good book to get you started.



3. Those who are seeking an magisterial overview of how one dynasty came to control both Spain and parts of German-speaking Europe will be sadly disappointed. There is little analysis that adds any fresh insights.
   
   The writing style does not achieve the easy grace of Alison Weir, Diane Preston or David McCullough. Indeed, the sentence structured is tortured. Look up the genesis of the First World War, and this is what you get: "Although the line of succession had been assured, first to his nephew Franz Ferdinand (although that was to be overturned by the archduke's murder in Sarajevo) and then to his great-nephew, Karl, and eventually Karl's son Otto, Franz Joseph had come to see himself as standing at the end of the line."
   
   This is an unreadable book that should be avoided.



4. This book gives a reasonably coherent overview of a dynasty that was eminent and influential in European politics from the 13th to the early 20th centuries. The author maintains a more or less chronological order of who followed whom and presents a concise history of the events that occurred during their reign. He also presents some insights and facts about the personal characteristics and traits of the more noteworthy Hapsburg (or Habsburg, if you like) rulers. At appropriate places in the text he inserts applicabnle commentary and quotes by contemporary observers. The book also includes numerous paintings as figures throughout the book.
   
   The book is not as bad as some reviewers would lead you to believe. What I liked about it is that (to me, at least) it didn't get bogged down in tedious detail of each Hapsburg generation but gave the major facts and figures in an informative manner. Given that the Hapsburgs wielded power in Spain and Austria at the same time, I thought his treatment was informative without being boring. It would be nice if the author had inserted the applicable figure number for a view of the subject as he presented him (or her) but this is a personal preference.



5. Unlike most histories of the Austian-Spanish-Burgundian-Low Country-Holy Roman Emporers, who were the Habsburgs, this is the story of how they saw themselves (as working for their people at the behest of a Catholic God). Much is made as to how they viewed themselves and how they wanted to be viewed by posterity. In many ways they continued to 'right write' their history in the same manner that the Soviet Union did. It's not always what you put in a story that's important, it's how you present the information in the story that remains.
   
   Beginning with the small castle in Switzerland, the Habsbierge (hawk's mountain), they ruled over parts of Austria (originally Styria) for over 700 years. In between the scrupulously married and made dynastic mergers that would place them on the thrones of Spain (and most of the Western Hemisphere, parts of Africa and India),Portugal,Burgundy (parts of Belgium and the Netherlands), the Palatinate, Tuscany, Venice, Two Sicilies, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia-Moravia, Slovakia,half of Rumania(Transylvania) and most of future-once-Yugoslavia. In addition they married into every royal family in Europe.
   
   In fact, until the Napoleonic Era they never even used a title that refered to Austria, and only began because of the rise of nationalism and the growth of ethnicity. They were always trained to be a caretaker and to present the most benevolent face to their people, 'Empire and Father' was the byword. In the end they were outdone by the multi-ethnic problems of their empire and the changes wrought by the 'Great War'.