Hitler's Priest

Meet Hans Keller: he is an atheist, and a highly intelligent man with an eidetic memory who catches the eye of the Third Reich’s Minister of Propaganda, Josef Goebbels. He has been had-selected to be a mole, infiltrating the ranks of the Vatican’s Catholic hierarchy in order to exert influence upon their decisions, thus playing a key role in the shaping of the Nazi’s concept of a new Germany. He attends the same classes and undergoes the same training as anyone studying to be a priest does, at the Gregorian University in Rome. But, instead of focusing on the next world, Hans instead focuses on “his relationship with the Fuhrer and the lofty goals of this world. It is easy for people of today to think to themselves that there is no way that they would ever fall under the sway of powerful, hypnotic leaders like Adolph Hitler and Goebbels; but, imagine that you are living in a country where such rulers hold sway. You are only told things from one point of view, and become indoctrinated from an early age in the beliefs and teachings of the Third Reich. With only a very narrow world view presented to you, and the troubles your nation facing blamed upon one race of people, who hold beliefs different from yours, it likely would not be too difficult to see that a hatred could develop within your bosom for the other race. Being brought up under such a regime would be a terrible thing, as the only “truth,” you would be exposed to would be that of leaders with a definite agenda, bent on ruling the entire world, and molding it to their wills. There is an enormous cast of characters in Hitler’s Priest who add their POVs to the plot. Each one is interesting, and we get to see how various people who were involved in either the regime of the Third Reich or who had lived under it, felt. The chapters alternate between these people and their POVs, and reading about them helps give the reader a fully realized portrayal of how the various players involved viewed their roles. As examples, we read about the real-life, historical brothers, Stefano and Severio Pittelli, and how their courage “changed lives on both sides of the Atlantic.” Also, we read about people like the Roman Catholic, Karl Hunsecker, the German ambassador to the Vatican who lived in Rome. Though Karl is a member of the Third Reich, he feels morally conflicted, and expresses his opinions about the direction that Germany is headed towards in its treatment of the Jews to Cardinal Pietro Agnelli. There are many, many more examples of people who the author writes about and fleshes out in detail in Hitler’s Priest. They help make history come alive for the reader. Hitler’s Priest by S.J. Tagliareni is a page-turning book whose characters will live in your thoughts long after you finish reading it. You will be entranced by the author’s depictions of the characters and events that led up to the rise of Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich, and will want to keep reading until late into the night. I have read many historical accounts of WWII and the Third Reich, but often, you don’t really gain a complete understanding of how it was like to have lived during that time unless you read a novel about people who lived under the regime of the Third Reich, like the great novels The Boy In Striped Pajamas and The Book Thief. If you loved reading those novels and others about the Third Reich, or you’re a history buff, you’re sure to want to add Hitler’s Priest to your reading lists today!

This is a historical novel dealing with the nazi era and the holocaust. The author has done an exceptional job in setting the factual background and presenting the storyline. Like any war time novel there are elements of intrigue, suspense and betrayal however the author remains true to historical accuracy. The story line personalizes the horrors of nazi rule in a very effective manor. The main character is one who gets so overwhelmed by the excitement of the new nazi regime and the prospect of personal power within the government that he loses his moral compass as he climbs the steps of power. In the process he performs acts that he would once consider unthinkable. While the book focuses on the barbaric acts of some it also concentrates on the sacrifices others make to save lives despite great personal risk. It's a powerful story about a horrific era in history. A very worthwhile read.

Hitler's Priest is a fantastic story from beginning to end. The characters come to life page after page and you find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Even though the story of the Holocaust has been told many times before Hitler's Priest adds a new twist to the story as you find yourself there with the characters. I have already told everyone I know to run out and buy it.

Hitler's Priest is a book I couldn't put down and didn't want it to end because I wanted to read more. The connectivity of the characters, chronicles of the tradgic history of the Jews and the amazing realness of the story line made it a book to ponder and pass along.

Hitler's Priest provides insight into how people became involved in Fascism and the Nazi Party, how difficult it was to extricate themselves once involved and how far reaching the network extended - even to the Vatican. Told through the lives of characters spread from Italy, to Germany, to the United States, the book reveals the devastating impact of silence and the courage of resistance. I highly recommend this book.

I found Hitler's Priest to be a compelling series of insights into the Nazi era. Tagliareni has created a seamless series of plots around the Pittelli and Lehman families. The main character Hans Keller searching for a meaning in his life is transformed from a gentle brilliant architect into a monstrous puppet that plays a significant role in the Final Solution. The work is filled with riveting characters that are so believable that I was caught up in a host of emotions while reading the work. Some are heinous creatures that delight in the horrors they perform while others at great peril risk everything for the innocents. The dialogue between church clerics was informative and the question of the silence of moral leadership is skillfully woven into the fabric of the story. I am amazed at Tagliareni's ability to teach so much about the era while never merely stating historical data. The work is exceptionally complex but beautifully written and timeless in the unanswered questions it raises. There is a passion in this work evidenced by the Author's Note at the end. This book will linger in my thoughts over and over again. I would recommend it without reservation.