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| Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 6 reviews)
Sales Rank: 49103
Category: Book
Author: Hilmar Von Campe
Publisher: HighWay
Studio: HighWay
Manufacturer: HighWay
Label: HighWay
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 300
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.3
ISBN: 0981509193
Dewey Decimal Number: 261
EAN: 9780981509198
ASIN: 0981509193
Publication Date: October 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The main preoccupation of my parents during the Nazi years was to save us children from Nazi indoctrination says Hilmar von Campe. At 10 years old, like every other child, he had to enter the Hitler Youth and at 18 he was conscripted into the army. He was a gunner in a tank in the Yugoslavian theatre fighting the Soviet army, became in 1945 a prisoner of war of the Communist Tito government and in the same year staged a sensational escape crossing seven borders. His reports about the Nazi years and the war are a lesson of history as he brings facts unknown to most Americans. He describes the whyit came about, his own moral responsibility and how his life changed. The Nazi system, like any other totalitarian system, he says, is based on lies. Lies are at the root of the problem in the world. You cant defeat them with money or armies but only with the truth. Hilmar compares developments in American society and in the world today with what happened in preNazi Germany and warns America to turn away now from the destructive ideological path we are on.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 "Religion & morality are the strongest pillars of good Government"...George Washinton January 2, 2009
Hey, the one star obviously did not read the book and rants from a position of ingenuousness.
A most intriguing, informative and troubling book; in spite of dozens of small grammatical and punctuation errors, which should be blamed on the proofreader not the author. This book paints a very sad picture of how influential politicians, the media and entertainment and judicial entities can manipulate the true representative principles of a political party, people, and nation into destroying true freedom, liberty and prosperity. This book is a great piece of history and a justifiable forewarning about possible futures, in America and elsewhere. It is odd that when I was still in the military several decades ago I told fellow commanders that if the Soviets wanted to defeat us.... All they needed to do was to join us and pretend to become us. Hmmm ESP or what?
The fact that we have "Rich" Hollywood stars and other notables like: Danny Glover, Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Harry Belafonte, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Sheehan and Cornel West supporting the likes of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, is indicative that we are moving down the path of Neo-Nazism even today. It may be long in coming but the proverbial "ball" is dropping...if you can excuse the pun on New Years day.
I guess too much money (isn't it interesting that those who scream about people having too much money...are the ones who ensure that they have "lots" of it...particularly on the left)...makes liberal's dream of Totalitarian Regimes. It is interesting that on page 139 Von Campe indicates that the Socialist/Green government coalition holding power for many years in Germany came much closer to the Neo-Nazi definition than any other. And wouldn't you know? That seems to be who is taking the reigns of power in America in just a few weeks. If we remain as timid towards the evil that is the neo-liberalism of today, as we seem to be becoming, especially in light of our last election cycles. Then we will undoubtedly replay this terrible chapter in history in our own country.
I have to say that when I arrived at the "End of the War" Chapter and read a few other passages farther on where Von Campe continually tried to turn the attention from the German death and destruction machines to the Soviet death and destruction machines. I was a little put off. For it seemed he was trying to make excuses for his countries actions at the expense of the Soviets. Russians being "so terrible" and "cruel" in the treatment of the Germans before, during and after the war and Germans being victims.
However he later, on page 113, allayed my uneasiness about his overall intentions by setting the record straight. He did this by showing how he took that excuse about "hey the Russians were worse than the Germans" attitude and turned it into a self-examination of "How could it have happened in Germany?" And finally when he brought God into the mix he placed the blame correctly on himself, his countryman and their apathy towards events happening around them. In addition their tendency to participate as simple sinners in their daily lives, accepting decadence from others, like most people do, who do not want to get involved in social issues or make waves contributed to the German tragedy.
It reminds one of the religious organizations in America today who are always made to apologize by a deviant, unscrupulous press interviewer or some political special interest groups who corners them on some mindless liberal talk show where the host has set them up. Religious leaders and conservative politicians of the day continue to compromise on one issue after another until there is no difference between the two sides or parties. On that note I give you Rudy Julianni and John McCain. Neither of them represented the "American Values" of 68 percent of the American people. They were simply "Clinton, Pelosi, Reed or Obama-lite" in our view. That is why so many stayed home and so many of them-hated Sarah Palin...she actually believed more of the conservative principles than her running mate did. So she had to be destroyed.
In short the candidates, the press gives to us to vote for, (Von Campe explains how this can easily happen) seem timid in their defense of right over wrong, good over evil and family principles over chaos and those other issues we believe the moral majority should stand for. They actually come to accept those unseemly actions, ideologies and philosophies, which in years, decades and centuries past we were against. Von Campe does an excellent job of showing how this happens and how it is happening to us also.
Campe's only real error in this entire book is on page 149. When he states that "our" politicians have not studied Marxism and Leninism enough to understand Lenin's philosophy that states "we must use trickery, deceit, law-breaking, concealing truth and also sow the seeds of hate, revulsion and scorn towards those who disagree with us." I would submit that after watching the democrats' actions during this last eight years...and during the last election cycle that Nancy Pelozi, Harry Reed, Hillary Clinton and countless others on the left, have learned the lesson "very well" and are very good little Leninist.
I do totally agree with his basic social evaluations however, of political correctness gone mad and the false premise that has allowed for the devastating removal of God from the public square in his country. And now threatens ours through the likes of the ACLU, NOW, NAMBLA, but mostly a Godless Supreme and Appeals Courts in America as well as other media outlets. A corrupted judiciary is absolutely necessary for these things to succeed however.
I was reminded when I read these passages about that famous movie "Judgement at Nuremberg" with Burt Lancaster. He played Judge Dr. Ernst Janning who was tried along with other judges for crimes against humanity, for their failure to uphold basic human ideals and laws in supporting Hitler. They thought they were doing the right thing when they allowed people to be considered non-humans. How sad it is that we, in America, have allowed our judges to be so barbaric in the murder of innocent children and now is considering euthanasia. How far down the path are we in "Slouch towards Gomorrah and Nuremberg?"
Von Campe is very moving in his moral certainty about so many issues troubling and being fought over in American society today. And by tying them into a movement deemed "progressive", that in fact moves us towards totalitarianism is a valid point for us. There are no longer any gray areas in politics, the courts or social concerns. You are either a supporter of unfettered liberal social degradation or you are not.
Many of the important issues of the day have led a blinded uneducated movement of the American voter towards a more totalitarian regime of our own in the very near future. Von Campe was correct by saying, "he who controls the education systems...controls the country." Can you guess who owns America's education system?
In spite of the hope many American seem to have, or seem to be trying to sell to the rest of us, about a "change...you can count on"; Von Campe's experiences seems to point to a possible "change...we will be sorry for later." In light of the recent government bailouts (takeovers) it seems more possible than not.
We are on the verge of letting it happen all over again. In other words repeating history. Only this time it will be here in America. Look at the hate filled postings on web sites today and the hate, hypocrisy and utter biased positioned freely spewed on the TV talk shows like the View, MSNBC and NPR and the FM radio stations and others mediums about this entity or that person. Look at how divided we have become in politics where an entire eight-year period was not used by those in power to fix upcoming and well-known problems...but the entire time was taken up with one party attacking and assassinating the character of the other parties elected president. Von Campe may be the harbinger of what could be happening to us and what could be the political scene in our nation within a decade or two. The political "stars" of the left are now positioning and aligning to make all this come true if we are not careful.
This country, because of a failing legal system, corrupt politicians, a ridiculous politicization of education along with an information system totally dedicated, like puppets, to the ultra-left ideologies of the rich and elitist of their party. Seems to be moving this nation towards a similar fate as Von Campe recalls, in the not too distant future.
After listening to "A Leading Christian Thinker on America's Moral Free-fall" and watching "The Case For a Creator" by Lee Strobel, and Ben Stein's "Expelled...no Intelligence Allowed." I am shocked and saddened by the direction America is going socially. That is, if the policies of the misfits now in power persist in being implemented under their current plans and goals we are certainly farther down the path than most will admit.
Those who scream about the current administration's "wrong direction" and advocate the "new direction" of the upcoming administration; and those who will control key positions in government, the congress, the judiciary and the White House. Cannot possibly be thinking clearly about where we are going to go with this group of "socialist democrats" who are coming to power. If they think, even the remotest of improvements, to the average citizen will happen after January 20, 2009. They are as foolish as the German people were in Hitler's day. It will do nothing but solidify the power of those who would plunge us into a socialist or communist Nazi like state.
One need only listen a few times to a recently captured tape of Maxine Waters's outburst in a House or Representatives Investigative Committee...where she threatened to socialize (take over) the production engines of America. Will we also wait until it is too late to do anything about this type of person making our laws?
I certainly hope not...but with the media in their pockets. The same type of one-sided propagandist news coverage that Von Campe experienced is already in place. My God, look at that babbling buffoon Keith Oberman. Or Chris Matthews who was once heralded as an Independent (an obvious falsehood) who supposedly gets to the truth...now without shame totally supported the democrat candidate only and indicates openly that it is now his "duty" to make this new Presidency "succeed" for heavens sake! Wasn't it in the American Peoples interest for all journalist and independent thinkers to make every Presidency succeed? This is a most telling failure on the part of the media and that this mentality infects 90 % of them is a bad omen of things to come. His "unbalanced" opinion and conduct during this election cycle (like those of Dan Rather in past cycles) is indicative that the slide has already begun. The current guy (conservative) or party is bad...the new guy (democrat) and party can do "no wrong", could be taken from a German Propaganda Pamphlet.
That is not fair and balanced reporting...it is Gestapo like tactics all over again. He should be ashamed of himself and go hide in a whole somewhere for a decade or two. His attitude and those like him are simply ridiculous and exactly what this author is warning us about in his book.
The next four years under the powers coming into existence will be the most dangerous I have ever seen for a repeat of the past and a perfect opportunity for that movement of oppression, prejudice and hate to succeed here. Look at the way Pastor Rick Warren is being treated. I can imagine in the not too distant future. If those who claim they are insulted...get their way...a "star" (color to be determined later) will be handed out to people like him, so those criticizing him the most...due to his failure to totally support their life style...can immediately identify their enemies...the Christians! Good lord, have we become so decadent that a man of God cannot give an invocation without some special interest group screaming the world is at an end? "Get a life people."
Von Campe is correct also in talking about the loss of God from the public square. Or those totally insane entities like the Atheist Michael Newdow, who tries to sell and force the lie upon us that America is a Secular nation and no prayer should be given at an inauguration stand on no basis in fact. How mindless is that? 250 years of these activities at every swearing in ceremony, and then to say that our entire history never happened and is wrong! This is indicative of the mentally ill and a defective thought process.
Hilmar Von Campe gives us a better understanding of the deviant side of mankind and shows us that evil exists in this world in all ages and in all countries and that people, even in America, can go down the same path that the ultra-leftist party of Hitler took. Unchecked by virtue, morality and a good religion...mankind will sink...like water...to its lowest level possible and justify its fall by finding someone to hate and abuse. For Hitler it was the Jew's and peoples of color, for Stalin anyone he did not like, for the current terrorist around the world it is Israel and America. For Hollywood it is religion, for the liberals of America it appears to be Bush, Republicans, Christians, Sarah Palin (a true patriot), Dick Chaney (the best Vice-President we have ever had) and all Conservatives.
By being passive towards these progressive attitudes, which take representative government towards tyranny and totalitarianism, we are committing the same mistakes Von Campe and his countryman made so long ago. It would appear that Lincoln was correct when he indicated that we would not fall from without...but from within...from our own failure, actions...or inaction.
This is a wonderful book Mr. Campe, my compliments on your take on history past, present and that yet to come. And although you fail to give a substantial, believable or truly possible national solution to the upcoming doom, in the face of the "monstrous evil" we face and the overwhelming support thoughout our society for it. I have taken up your challenge in my own personal sphere. This is a good read for anyone.
Defeating the Totalitarian Lie December 14, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I highly recommend this book for anybody that has a deep hunger for honest truth.A well written and deeply informative and revealing book.You won't be disappointed.
Leaders Reflect the People Governed December 5, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I lived in West Germany for 8 years before the fall of the Berlin Wall and spoke with Germans who had experienced Hitler first hand. Hilmar von Campe's story and explanation for what happened sounds remarkably like theirs. Some people would like to say that this book is warning of the perils of unbridled Democratic Party power; others of unchecked Republican Party exploits. Campe, like those German citizens I knew, argue otherwise. They would say -- look in the mirror. The Bible says (and I'm paraphrasing here) that people get the leaders they deserve. If George Bush bothers you -- look in the mirror. If Barrack Obama bothers you -- look in the mirror. Campe's central premise is that the collapse in moral standards has set the stage for the rise of National Socialism (NAZI) / Communism / Liberal Fascism, (or some other brand of radical socialism)in the United States. If you didn't get that when you read the book, then re-read it with an open mind. The past 20 years of national politics have seen ever greater abuses of power, a more and more dumbed down electorate, elections based increasingly on cult and not substance, and a progressive collapse of morality. This goes beyond political parties; beyond the Republicrats we are force fed every four years; to the heart of what is ailing America and how to get back on track. This book represents hard core analysis from an insider who lived it; not theoretical intellectual hype. Get the book. Read it. And THINK.
Frightening Parallels Between Nazi-Germany and Today's Red, White and Blue. America Be Warned! November 19, 2008
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
Hilmar von Campe was seven years old when Hitler took over Germany. "The main preoccupation of my parents during the Nazi years was to save us children from Nazi indoctrination" says Hilmar. At 10 years old, like every other child, he was required by law to enter the Hitler Youth, and at 18 he was conscripted into the army. He was a gunner in a tank in the Yugoslavian theatre fighting the Soviet army, became a prisoner of war of the Communist Tito government in 1945, and in the same year staged a sensational escape crossing seven borders by following the North Star by night and hiding in bushes by day. The destruction of Germany, the loss of his father in a Soviet concentration camp, the death of his elder brother in the war with the Soviet Union, and the expulsion from their home in Eastern Europe, had a profound impact on von Campe. His reports about the Nazi years and the war are a lesson of history as he brings facts unknown to most Americans.
As a student of economics at the University of Hamburg, he had to come to grips with the question, "How could this happen?" and reflects upon his own moral responsibilities for the atrocities of a godless government. He discovered that the Nazi system was built on lies and contempt of human life and that his link, as well as that of millions of Germans to the Nazis, was the lie. "I lied for personal gains and they lied for political power. But a lie is a lie," he stated. "The bystander is as responsible as the criminal."
"All materialistic totalitarian ideologies, the Nazis, the Communists, and the radical Islamists are based on lies and hatred," von Campe maintains. "They have a common source." His comparisons of the National Socialist ideology and society with the other ideologies and modern society are unique. Having lived nearly thirty years in various countries of Latin America, and equipped with the experience of one who has traveled the world, resulting in a broad basis of political comparison, Hilmar speaks to warn America in this book, Defeating the Totalitarian Lie, linking shockingly similar developments between Nazi-Germany and America today.
"America needs a God-inspired ideology - only on that road can America fulfill her destiny and as a nation under God, give moral leadership to the world and make truth the basis of all human relationships."
A MUST READ!!!
 Ironic that he hasn't learned the real lesson of history November 18, 2008
4 out of 32 found this review helpful
It is a sick twist of irony that von Campe fails to identify the real cause of the Nazi era horrors: heightened, and forced, patriotism; the myth of cultural purity; increased appetite for violence and military "revenge" overseas; a populace too afraid or unwilling to criticize the government; and, importantly, an overemphasis on ideology over practicality in solving the problems of society.
In all cases, the principal movement behind these ideals in modern-day America is the *right-wing*. It's so uncanny that part of me wonders if von Campe still carries Nazi ideals within him that he has appeared to have expunged. And by "part of me", I mean "most of me."
Thanks to a heavily-coordinated propaganda campaign, at one point, 86% of the US supported attacking Iraq because Hussein harbored WMDs, even though the existence of the weapons was disproven. More scary was the near-unanimity for support (this, in a country where we are constantly divided 50/50 over everything!); the Nazis could have only wished for the same level of support.
Secular ideals, those that have served the US well for more than a couple of centuries, are under attack by ideologues who are convinced that they speak for God and who are impervious to reason.
Fortunately, our nation seems to have regained its common sense, so this book will only appeal to an embittered minority who have proven themselves to be on the wrong side of history, time and time again.
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