Thank you to Netgalley, Pen & Sword History and the author for an e-copy. This book was released February 2020. I am providing my honest review.

This was an immensely interesting and emotionally challenging read. Also the title is a bit of a misnomer as the book covered some social histories of women ( married, widowed, divorced and single), as well as teenage girls and children of both genders during the rise of the Nazi Party and World War 2.

The author also took care to include both urban and rural settings as well as a cross-section of working class, middle class and upper class individuals. The stories are told through interviews as well as excerpts from personal journals and diaries. These are" herstories" of a very difficult and horrendous time in history where millions of Jews, LGBT, Roma and others were tortured and massacred.

I very much liked how the author/researcher allowed these voices to shine through without sociological theories or feminist overlays. I was very impressed with his neutral approach to this subject matter neither absolving nor condemning these everyday people who initially benefitted by Nazi machinations only to then be betrayed by their own evil and deteriorating government as well as decimated by the Allied forces.

The journals and interviews painted a very vivid picture of what life was like for various (mostly) female persons under the Nazi regime. The duties to care for children, sex lives, work and daily grind are all explored. The lack of knowledge of what was really happening, the stepping up of women to take over many traditional male roles (as male members were off at war), the cruelties done to "loose" women by other women, illicit extramarital affairs, betrayals of every kind. Also the emotional roller coaster of fortune to destitution, the hysterical adoration of a regime that relegated other races and ethnicities as deficient, undesirable and evil. The role of denial in complicity to human atrocities and the everyday survival of wanting the best for their children and hoping the best for their husbands and brothers. All these happenings are expressed in these journals and interviews. Also their own victimization by husbands, the Nazi regime, each other and in the end Allied Forces and the burdens of their complicity.

A book that adds both context and some understanding to this most brutal and evil of time periods.

Some photographs, pictures, maps as well as a summary of who was to be written about would have made this 4 star shine even more brightly.

this was a really interesting read, that was both informative and kept me reading. I look forward to more from the author.

This was so interesting! I never considered what life was like for the women that were in Germany while their male family members or friends were fighting in the war. I liked how the author included differing views versus just those that were against the war from the start. I learned a lot from this well written book.

I had never heard about this aspect of Nazi Germany and found this book well written and researched i finished it in one day.

The title of this book is largely misleading as the women whose testimonies are featured are wives yet are part- or full-time employed. They are working in small shops, bakeries and employed in secretarial work that once the manpower is short, do adapt for working on production lines.

Besides the testimonies and some basic historic research the author is using no archives and other published works on the topic. Therefore, from an academic perspective, the testimonies do have a limited impact.

However, after a well-deserved filter of too much irrelevant information for the topic - including about the everyday marital interactions - the book can be used as part of a wider research about the role and social function of women during the 1939-1945 Nazi Germany. It starts from the membership into various girls´ organisations whose membership was based, among others, on the proof of ancestry, and the highly political/propaganda whose educational chore was to project an ideal of womanhood which was ´fit, healthy and beautiful´. The young women were supposed to help the ´survival of the nation´ through childbearing and intensive homecare activities.

Interestingly, the testimonies are offering insights not only into the daily lives of women, but equally proves the rift between the generations and the slow wearing away of the social fabric during the last years of Nazi regime.

It is an informative read but should be understood within the limits of the choice of testimonies themselves.

A bit of a choppy narrative, but interesting stories. It gives the reader insight into the hope the Germans had in the political rise of Hitler, and his great deceit of the German citizens.

Focusing on the women of Germany, I found this collection of tales from women of all ages fascinating. I think history buffs and those interested in World War II will enjoy the stories in this book.

I really enjoyed this collection of accounts from women and girls who lived in Nazi Germany. The accounts ranged from BDM girls, single girls and wives/widows. The accounts were very honest and no attempt was made to excuse early acceptance of the Nazi regime. These woman lived very ordinary lives in extraordinary times. Most recount the level of male dominance they encountered including rape and in some cases the constant threat of it from first their own nationality and later the invading armies. I received a free copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

First of all, let me say, this is not an easy read - it is powerful and emotional but so so brilliant

Part of WW" history I was not aware of, I learnt so much
It gives another view of WW2

Loved it

*Many thanks to Tim Heath, Pen & Swod and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
The Author presents us with an interesting book that deals with the idea of 'Hitler's women', their ordinary lives, expectations and failures.
Women constituted a high percentage of the voters that Hitler won through the promises of order and stability. Those young enough to remember the hardships during the Weimer Republic felt grateful to the Nazis for the 'new order'.
This book is based on interviews with several German women whose memories are the canvas for the portrayal of the lives ordinary Germans led before and during WW2. The memories are honestly presented, with some dose of sentimental note, which is understandable. The initial enthusiasm gives way to disappointment as the war progresses and self-denials.

5 Stars: 5/5 Star Rating Scale
These women and young girl's voices reach across time and space to share with us the horrors, joys, sorrows, laughter, hopes and fears of Hitler's reign of terror. Heath interviewed women and used journals, photographs, and the like to put together a very real look at what life was like for the average housewife and young girl in Nazi Germany. I never realized that the women wanted Hitler in office. They voted him in ! He promised prosperity and they wanted it! He encouraged them to quit their jobs and give them to men; stay home and have babies; grow little Nazi children for him, and THEY DID! Gladly! Well, some didn't go along so willingly but a large majority did. He wanted the children and youth to be part of his youth organizations and the parents went along with it. The children enjoyed it. They had fun! They liked the uniforms, much as a Girl Scout in America does. They seemed to be brainwashed to me even though they would say they weren't. They loved the new wealth and health that Hitler brought to Germany after WWI until WWII began to go wrong, so very very wrong, and then reality hit. The rationing began. They were hungry. The women had to grow vegetables and give up meat. They had to cook one-pot stews with the vegetables and the young children did not like them for the most part. The Germans heard rumors of what was going on in the camps but if they asked too many questions, they would disappear too. So they shut up. They knew families would be taken away by the Nazi police but again, they knew that they had to be quiet or they could be next. It was unbelievable and fascinating to read, all at the same time. I could feel for these women and girls as they lost fathers, husbands, homes.....even while they seemed to close their eyes to the horrors around them.
I highly recommend this book. There are some references to sex and some sexual scenes so fair warning.
I received a digital ARC of this book from netgalley and Pen and Sword History. All opinions expressed are my own.

Reading the synopsis this sounded like a very interesting book that would give a different perspective on World War 2. Based on journals, diaries, and interviews, the author indicated that the reader would find out about the life of German housewives during this time period. But this book was definitely not what the synopsis indicated. It began with chapters on how the wives had to take the place of their husbands/boyfriends at the munitions plants etc., and the daughters beginning to take part in the various Nazi girl youth groups which I found interesting. But from then on, it went downhill talking about various women's infidelities in descriptive detail while their husband's were fighting at the Russian front as well as explicit sexual encounters by single women. After a couple of pages, I felt this book was good for nothing but the trash.

I do NOT recommend this book and would give it a zero if I could.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gilead Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I recently read a fictional book called The Traitor by V.S. Alexander which was historical fiction based on real people and events and I found it so interesting reading about the normal German citizens and how Hitler affected the way they lived under his Nazis regime. It made me think about World War 2 from a different angle, that of the “normal” citizen and what was expected of them along with the consequences that could be doled out if they did not fully conform. When I saw this book, I knew I really wanted to read it to learn more. The title drew my eye, “Hitler’s Housewives”, the cover features a typical blonde hair blued eyed woman, the look of the “perfect race” according to Adolf Hitler. The cover also shows the strong image of young looking, female saluting Hitler which stands out from the bottom section of the cover that shows females looking carefree and happily reading newspapers/magazines. The cover fits the book really well as it covers the authoritarian aspects that were expected from the women yet, at the same time it represents the small pockets of life and fun within the book. The by-line of “German Women On The Homefront” also suits the book content well too. I have seen many books both factual and fictional of British Women on the Homefront but being totally honest this is the first factual one centred of German Women that I have come across.

As with British Housewives, Hitler’s Housewives experienced mixed fortunes with loved ones going off to war never to return. As the British had losses from German bombing attacks, Germany also suffered losses from the Allied bombing campaign too. Some women could also claim to have lost their children to the influences of the Hitler Youth. These women “left behind” struggled on alone, or on some occasions found comfort in another mans arms whilst their husband or boyfriend was away fighting. This book tells the story of the German home front and the many roles Germany’s women took to survive and help their war effort.
The author of this book, Tim Heath has used diaries written by the housewives of the time that have been shared with him either by the women themselves or their families.

The book explains “Mothers Crosses”, which was something I had never heard of prior to reading this book. Hitler wanted good strong Germans to marry and produce many children to strengthen Germany even more. The Official name was “The Cross Of Honour Of The German Mother” it was a civil state of decoration, something to be proud of gaining. The award had three classes, Bronze, Silver and the highest being Gold. A woman having 5 children received the bronze, a woman having 6 children recived Silver and a woman having 7 children would be awarded the Gold.

Families in Germany had their own version of “rationing”, Hitler encouraged all housewives to create a “one pot meal”, he was also vegetarian and encourage the German population to become vegetarian too. Which most ended up having to be partially vegetarian due to the shortages of meat. It was either that or to add meat to the fruits and vegetables in the one pot meals they would have to catch rabbits or other small animals. Another option was the “black market” but if found to be supplying or purchasing from the black market had severe consequences.

The Koerg family story that is shared in the book, could quite well seem pretty similar to a family living in England. Helena is 24 yrs old and married to Reinhardt, they have three daughters, Gertrud, Helga and Ilsa. Reinhardt works at a pharmacy and when the girls are all taken to school, Helena works at a local bakery. When Helena finishes work, she picks up her girls from school and rushes home to have her husband’s dinner ready for when he arrives home from his work.

When war breaks out Reinhardt, Helena and her family discuss the possibilities for the future. Reinhardt is not concerned about Germanys invasion of Poland, telling Helena its nothing to be worried about, that even if the English and France intervene it is not something to worry about. He thinks France can easily be defeated and if the need arises so can England. When Gertrud has her tenth birthday, which is the age youngsters expected to join the Jungvolk organisation. Gertrud is naturally excited to join as all her friends are and I guess she see’s it more as an “after school club” than anything political. However, Helena’s father really disagrees with any talk of allowing Gertrud to join, wear the uniform and take part in all it entails. Helena’s father is more outspoken about his displeasure, stating children should not be involved with politics or war. When Gertrud comes home from school one day saying a teacher has questioned her about why she has not yet joined the Jungmadelbund Reinhardt makes the decision to allow his daughter to join as the alternative would make them stand out as a family, and it is not a good time to be seen as non-conformists or to stand out in any way or to be seen to disagree with anything Hitler says or stands for. Reinhardt is of the opinion it will be good for Gertrud, even when Helena brings up the “politics” Reinhardt dismisses her worries saying if things work out for Germany, then educating the German youth against social pollution, minorities may be responsible for then so be it. He really doesn’t seem overly concerned at all. When once again Helena’s father disagrees, they have a falling out and don’t see or speak to each other for a few weeks.
To join the Jungmadelbund there are detailed forms to be filled in detailing ancestory to make sure there is no Jewish bloodline within Gertrud or her family. She also has to undergo a medical examination. Gertrud is accepted and becomes part of the Hitler Youth. When Gertrude’s Grandmother see’s her in the uniform of dark skirt, white blouse, black tie with leather ankle boots and a brown jacket with a diamond-shaped badge pinned to the left breast of the jacket she cries saying her grand-daughter looks like a soldier!
The war soon progresses and it is not long until Helena’s brother Peter is called for military training to serve in the Luftwaffe. Peter starts out a rather proud, boastful man setting out for training but by the latter parts of the war he is a changed man, more like a shell of his normal, original self. It isn’t long until Reinhardt also has to be sent off to war, leaving Helena and his girls behind to manage alone at home. Helena like a lot of other women have to take over the jobs vacated by the men who have gone to war so Gertrud has to “step up” and help more at home with chores and caring for her sisters.

The book reveals a story of Adolf Hitler visiting the home of Adaline Seidal who lived in a poor district of Kreuzberg. She remembers Hitler coming into her home, going upstairs to see her mother who was ill in bed. Then afterwards she remembers the week after Hitler’s visit seeing bundles of new clothes, shoes, coal and food they would never have been able to afford arriving. Adaline’s mother was also supplied with any necessary medicines and her health slowly improved. The other poor people of Kreuzbergs lives were also improved with supplies sent by Hitler.


As we see from Helena’s story when men went of to war, the women had to fill the jobs they left. The Nazi motto of “Children, Church and the Kitchen” was soon abandoned. Females were not born Nazis, they were created and nurtured. Due to the alternatives being severe punishments many were pressured to conform. Girls from the age of 10 were expected to join the “Jungmadelund” until the age of 16 when they progressed up to the “Bund Deutscher Madel”. The older girls were expected to help put out the fires and rescue people and give them first aid when the Allied Forces bombed the factories etc. As in England there were civilian losses in Germany too.

One such story told in this book is that of Adelaine Seider who was living in a Hitler Youth camp. Adelaine instantly knew something was wrong when she saw her aunt enter the camp, she sat her down and told her that her mother and father had been killed drugin an Allied bombing. They had been working in a factory, the early warning had sounded telling them enemy planes were on their way but rather than evacuate immediately as they were supposed to, Adelaine’s parents had stayed to finish what they were doing before running outside as the first bombs were falling. Sadly, they died in the bombing whilst hiding behind a wall.

To say I enjoyed this book seems the wrong thing to say, how can you “enjoy” reading about losses at war, losses of childhood and the hardships that the people in the book were place in. I felt like I read through this book much quicker than I expected to in comparison to the non-fiction one called Holocaust by Stephen Wynn, also by this publisher. I think the reason behind that is that though both books have facts and statistics within them and I found them both interesting, this book seems to be on a more personal level as it is taken from diary entries of the women that lived, worked and tried to survive in Germany under Hitler’s rule and at time the rule of the man of their household too. There are many similarities to be drawn from the Home Front in Germany and the Home Front in the UK. Women filled the jobs left empty by the men going to war. Men were conscripted and had to go to war whether they agreed with it or not. To voice any opposing opinion would at the very least result in peer pressure, never mind what else. I found the photographs at the end of this book were a great addition as it put faces to names and really drove home that these girls & women were just like 'you or me' in the UK.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that the book was both interesting and enlightening. This book reveals what life was like for the everyday, working class women in Germany under the rule of Hitler during the second world war.

I know I seem to find my self saying this about a lot of the non-fiction historical books I read, but I will say it again, these are the type of book that should be used in school history lessons. Perhaps then we will become a better society, that remembers errors of the past that should never be repeated. I found it interesting to learn how World War 2 and Hitler affected both those Germans that supported them, those that really did not, and those that had to be seen to support them even if deep down they had doubts or different opinions.
I hope you don’t feel I have revealed too much about the book, as there is lots more content and women’s stories contained in this book just waiting to be discovered and read. It was difficult to illustrate the book is about real, normal everyday women of all ages without using a couple of examples from the book in my review. There is much more within the book both in detail and other women’s stories.

Hitlers Housewives is more than an eye opener of a read. It is the events of what really happened told by women. The book was engaging and gave me thought to how these women really did handle the war. So much more was expected of women, and even more so by themselves.

An interesting read to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Halocaust and worth the read if you are into the history.
I personally loved the read and would definitely recommend this

This was the review I gave on Goodreads:
This is a book that I was fortunate enough to get through Net Gallery.
I had argued with myself over giving this three or four stars. Then I had decided that I was being too technical and the content of the book outweighed slight differences in presenting said content.
My first criticism is the title. Nit picky? Maybe. I would have lost "Hitler' Housewives" and went with the subtitle: "German Women on the Home Front." However, I am sure that the chosen title was picked to get the books in peoples hands. It definitely stands out. Keep in mind this criticism is from a historians point of view.
My second criticism is that I wished we had some background on the people in the book. Who were they? And where was all this coming from? One eventually ascertains that it from interviews with the author, he does signify diary entries. But how did this come about, what about getting in touch with these people and how did he find them? That would have been a more interesting Introduction. I also felt that a lot of the material in the Afterword would have worked in an Introduction.
My final criticism, and again this may only be because I am a historian, but the author talks about how the Soviet army had vented its anger on the German civilian population. And then he moves on. He states that he talked about it in another book. Ok. But I am reading THIS book, why bring it up and not elaborate on it?
Now the positives. It is difficult to find an unbiased account of the war from the German perspective. Last year I had read an amazing book, "D-Day Through German Eyes." It gave one the same perspective that "All Quiet on the Western Front" did, maybe more so. Normally people see Germany, WWII, Nazis = evil. Clear cut. The Allies were the heroes and all things German was evil. This is simplistic and erroneous. Not all Germans were Nazis. Not all Nazis, including SS, were evil. It is so much more complicated than that. People ignore what the Allies did to a lot of the German population, or some of the African for that matter. This book sets out, I would assume, to clear this myth away ad present the facts. The humanity of the German people. On a personal level I am grateful for this. While my father was in the USAAF, as a mechanic who never left American soil, a lot of the family was in Germany and we do not know much about them. It was not talked about after the war. What did they feel? Who did they support? Etc. I have met some of these relatives, they were not evil. This book was honest, raw and human. I found it hard to read the sections on the bombings and then what happened with defeat. In the history books we just learn that Germany lost and then we move onto the camps. Books like this fills in the blanks. This is why I gave it four stars, without some of the technical issues I would have rated it five. I also love how it ends with the criticism of Merkel, a criticism I wholeheartedly agree with. Overall, this is a great addition to the historical record. It says a lot that the author let the words, the women, speak for them self rather than add page after page of analysis.

"Hitler's Housewives: German Women on the Home Front" was published in 2020 (May) and was written by Tim Heath. Mr. Heath has published nearly a dozen books and novels.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence, Mature Situations, and Mature Language. This book tells the story of several young German women. It follows them from Hitler’s rise to power until Germany is defeated in May 1945.

Hitler was welcomed as he rose to power. Changes the Nazi party put into place benefited the common worker and Germany was prospering. Women were a large portion of his voter base that put him into power. They saw the Nazis as stabilizing the country. Soon though their outlook began to change, but by then it was too late. The strict control of the Nazis prevented any from speaking out or asking questions without punishment.

The book describes the hardships the women experienced. All of the women are in their twenties or younger. Some were wealthy at the beginning of the war, others were barely making ends meet. The first year or so of the war caused them little discomfort, but as the war progressed there were shortages, the loss of loved ones, and the Allied bombing to contend with. Their lives were drastically altered by the war.

I enjoyed the 6.5 hours I spent reading this 232-page history. This was a different look at WWII. Not many books I have read have dealt with the war from the Axis civilian point of view. The story is a combination of author narrative, interviews, and letters. Not only are the memories of the “housewives” presented, but often memories from their children are included. If you are interested in the human impact of WWII, you will find this book of interest. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

This title had me hooked. Hitlers wife’s!

Great story, read this quick on my kindle paperwhite.

I love history and this time era so this was a perfect read for me

This popular history details the experiences of German "housewives" during the Third Reich based on the author's interviews with a small number of German housewives and girls years after the war and on the notebooks, journals, diaries, photograph and personal letters that this same group of women kept during the war and shared with the author. While these women's experiences offer a fascinating glimpse into the everyday reality under Nazism, the author's narrative is flawed by his failure to consult any archives or published works on the topic at hand.

This decision to not read the existing literature appears to be an outgrowth of his negative school day experiences in the 1970s: "I felt that school, for me was a place where it was unwise to question authority...I also recall how, even then, and despite women fighting for equality in society and the workplace, that Home Economics classes for girls were tailored towards domestic servitude. At the time it was how I imagined it might be like to live under a dictatorship." This disdain for academia and by association other scholarly works means that the author's account fails to address both the benefits and problems of relying on oral history to reconstruct the past. Memory is not static and over time people forget specific details. More importantly for historians, with the passage of time, their narrative of events cannot help but be influenced by the memories of others as well as by the changing climate of the times. Obviously, in the case of these women, the status of Nazism today, could not help but subtly shape how they tell their stories now. Moreover, it is important for the historian as they listen to interviewees tell their story to keep in mind two fundamental questions: What is the motive behind granting the interview? And what events and stories are they choosing not to speak about? It is highly likely that some of these women may have chosen to skip over or remain silent about certain things that they may have taken part in? After all, it is only natural to want to keep some things private and to be reluctant to reveal painful details to a stranger. Finally, the form that an interview takes (free form v. structured) also influences what information the historian may learn. But the author largely fails to problematize any of the challenges of conducting oral history and completely ignores the vast literature on this subject.

The author's failure to engage the existing primary and secondary literatures also means that some of his claims are problematic. Certainly the volumes written on the military battles of World War II and on Nazi extermination camps outnumber those written on German women's experiences of the war. That said, there is hardly a dearth of primary and secondary literature on German women's experiences of the war and immediate postwar era. For example, he might have used Melita Maschmann's firsthand account of her years in the BDM (published in English in 1965 as Account Rendered: A Dossier of My Former Self) to present a more complex less idyllic, account of the racially-informed colonization of the East in which the BDM was intimately involved. Other published primary accounts the author might also have found helpful Fraulein: German Women Recall the Third Reich (1995) by Alison Owings and What We Knew: Terror, Murder, and Everyday Life in Nazi Germany by Eric A. Johnson and Karl-Heinz Reuband. HIs discussion of Nazi ideology on women, of Nazi fashion, and of women's experience, would have benefited from engagement with relevant secondary literature, such as: Mothers in the Fatherland: Women, the Family, and Nazi Politics (2013) by Claudia Koonz, Nazi Chic: Fashioning Women in the Third Reich (2004) by Irene Guenther, and Female Administrators of the Third Reich (2017) by Rachel Century -- to name only a few.

This is not to say that this book is without merit; however, there are multiple better options out there for those wishing to learn more about the experiences of German women under Nazi rule.

5 stars

To some he was a saint. To some he was a demon.

This book is a very good telling of the differing views of the German women whose fathers, husbands, friends and siblings fought the war. The views told are from a wide variety of both married and single women and a few children.

Everyone had an opinion about the war. Some viewed it with despair and gloom while others practically rejoiced – at first.

At the beginning of the war, food was still plentiful. As time went by, meat was no longer available except on the black market. Vegetables were still plentiful, as the German citizens were encouraged to plant them. Many did not care for the vegetable stews, calling them disparaging names. People started to capture birds and other small animals to put in their pots. Of course, Hitler's inner circle of cronies did not suffer. They still gave lavish dinner parties and had plenty to eat – as evidenced by Goering's continuing expanding waistline. This double standard was obvious, and it did not go unnoticed by the populace.

By 1944, an aura of paranoia took over. Neighbors began telling tales about other neighbors, some of it was true, much was not. It didn't matter to the Nazis though, those accused were guilty whether true or not. People became far less sure that Hitler was the right man to lead the nation. But, of course, they had to keep their doubts to themselves. It was clear to many that Germany was losing the war. Fear became rampant.

“Women and girls were the bearers of our nation's pain.”

Very well written and put together, this book is a captivating read. I had not given much thought to the ordinary citizens (read: women), of Germany during the war. It was so overshadowed by the atrocities committed by the Nazis. This is an eye opening book and I encourage all WWII aficionados to read it. It is filled with the reality of how war touches the homefront and the courage of these women to go on in the face of adversity, pain and deprivation.

I want to thank NetGalley and Pen & Sword/Pen & Sword History for forwarding to me a copy of this touching and informative book for me to read, enjoy and review.

This book was such a good read, I couldn't put it down! The story and the characters were so well written it felt as if you were actually in the story!