The celebration in the city centre for Hitler’s birthday was the largest ceremony staged by the Nazis with 50,000 troops and two million spectators. I can only imagine the spectacle, how enormous this event was. Tensions rose at the parade, some even fainted. The crowds consisted of people throughout Nazi Germany, including Rhinelanders, Saxons, Bavarians, and East Prussians. Not everyone in the crowd cheered for the Fuhrer, some protested. It’s astounding that all of this was done for Hitler’s birthday; it demonstrates the cult mentality of the Nazi state.
What I enjoyed about the reading is how personal the author makes the narrative. While things occur in the city, Moorhouse depicts what the average Berliner would be doing. I found it interesting learning about how citizens received the daily news. The newspaper, not surprisingly, depicted a city in which was unaffected by war. Another example, was when Moorhouse explained the scenario when Hitler spoke at the Kroll Opera, that the day was otherwise ordinary.
That’s what I love about the book; it talks about ordinary people and how they experienced the war. Just what we’re going for. I admit, I’m excited!