My Battle Against Hitler by Dietrich von Hildebrand
The philosopher and devout Catholic theologian Dietrich von Hildebrand told one of his students in 1924 that 'the Nazis are the most vicious animals'. Brought up in a well-off family that loved beauty and art, he could see the danger of the growth of the Nazi movement at a young age. He knew that its 'nationalism, militarism, collectivism, materialism, and anti-Semitism were unbridgeably antithetical to Christianity'.
Von Hildebrand's opposition to the Nazis caused huge problems for him, affecting his lecturing career adversely. He had to escape to Vienna and then he spent time in hiding in France. Eventually, he was lucky enough to get to the United States. It had caused him great sadness in Austria to watch many important people compromise with the Nazis, including Catholics and law lecturers.
The first part of this book consists of von Hildebrand's memoirs, and the second consists of some of his philosophical writings. He was certainly a hero who had some hair-raising escapes from his Nazi enemies, but the problem is that his memoirs are rather dry and factual. His essays are also heavy reading, unless you are extremely interested in philosophy.
Von Hildebrand's opposition to the Nazis caused huge problems for him, affecting his lecturing career adversely. He had to escape to Vienna and then he spent time in hiding in France. Eventually, he was lucky enough to get to the United States. It had caused him great sadness in Austria to watch many important people compromise with the Nazis, including Catholics and law lecturers.
The first part of this book consists of von Hildebrand's memoirs, and the second consists of some of his philosophical writings. He was certainly a hero who had some hair-raising escapes from his Nazi enemies, but the problem is that his memoirs are rather dry and factual. His essays are also heavy reading, unless you are extremely interested in philosophy.
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