Book News: “Bombing Hitler”

Feb. 4, 2013
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Imagine how the course of history might have changed if Georg Elser, a German woodworker, had been successful in his attempt to single-handedly assassinate Adolf Hitler. 

“Elser’s plan centered on the Bürgerbräukeller, the Munich beer hall where he knew Hitler would be making a speech. Working slowly and in secret, he started to assemble the bomb that he would use to try to kill Hitler. When finished, the bomb was hidden in a hollowed-out space near the speaker’s podium. The bomb went off successfully killing eight people … but Hitler was not one of them.” “Bombing Hitler” is the English translation of Hellmut Haasis’ biography of Georg Elser “Den Hitler jag ich in die Luft”. It “… is an incredible tale that takes you back to 1939, and recreates the steps that led Elser from the Munich beer hall to his attempted escape across the Swiss border, and sadly, to the concentration camp where his heroic life ended” (quotes from book cover). The book was translated by William Odom, Professor of German at the University of Southern Mississippi, and was published by Skyhorse Publishing early this year. Peter Ecke of the Department of German Studies had the opportunity to collaborate with Odom and compare his translation with the original text. More on “Bombing Hitler” can be found at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-odom/meet-the-man-who-almost-a_b_2366057.html
http://www.amazon.com/Bombing-Hitler-Almost-Assassinated-F%C3%BChrer/dp/1616087412
http://www.amazon.com/Bombing-Hitler-Almost-Assassinated-F%C3%BChrer/dp/1616087412#reader_B00B4S4ZHG