Julie “Musemanias Books”, blogger and contributor to the 20 Minutes Books reading group, recommends “You are the unhappy love of the Führer” by Jean-Noël Orengo, published on August 28, 2024 by Éditions Grasset.
His favorite quote:
« With Albert Speer, it’s different. His version of himself prevailed despite the divergent versions produced by historians and investigators, so that the biographies concerning him too often appear as paradoxical rewritings of his own Memoirs. » »
Why this book?
- Because despite his high office in Hitler’s inner circle, Albert Speer claimed, during the Nuremberg trial, to know nothing about the Final Solution, which allowed him to escape the death penalty. He declared himself “responsible, but not guilty”. Sentenced to “only” twenty years of imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity, he maintained this speech in his memoirs, published in 1969, under the title At the heart of the Third Reichwhich was a bestseller in Germany.
- Because this positioning was, repeatedly denied by historians. However, Albert Speer became a guest star on many TV sets. Author Jean-Noël Orengo returns to this charade orchestrated by one of the greatest liars the world has ever known.
- Because this book, very well documented and supported, offers another version of History than the watered-down one of the main protagonist, Albert Speer.
- Because it’s not a classic fictionalized biography and this is what makes it rich. Firstly emphasizing this highly ambiguous relationship in many respects between Hitler and Speer, it is also the demonstration of Speer’s lies and omissions (supported by the archives) which he also kept in his memoirs, where the “fake” is king and is a rewriting of his life.
The essentials in 2 minutes
The plot. Returning to these “famous” Memoirs of Albert Speer, Jean-Noël Orengo highlights the elements demonstrating numerous fantasies, improbabilities and embellishments of reality by the person concerned, without judgment.
The characters. Adolf Hitler, Albert Speer who was one of the favorites of his restricted circle of friends, just like Goering or Himmler.
The places. Germany.
The era. 1930-2012.
The author. Jean-Noël Orengo is a film columnist for the magazine Defector. Sharing his life between Paris and Bangkok, in 2015, he published his first novel, The Flower of Capital. He is the author of an essay on art, Living in paintingpublished by Les Cahiers Dessinés in 2023.
This book was read with fascination. Ultimately, this historical account is similar to the best essays on the subject and offers us in a fascinating manner all the elements to better understand one of the greatest lies in History.
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