Their Darkest Hour
People Tested to the Extreme in WWII
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Their Darkest Hour
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Narrated by:
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John Hopkins
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By:
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Laurence Rees
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Award-winning writer and filmmaker Laurence Rees has spent nearly 20 years meeting people who were tested to the extreme during World War II. He has come face to face with rapists, mass murderers, even cannibals, but he has also met courageous individuals who are an inspiration to us all. His quest has taken him from the Baltic States to Japan, from Poland to America and from Germany to China.
Here he presents 35 of his most electrifying encounters. Meet Estera Frenkiel, a young Jewish woman given the chance to save 10 fellow Jews from deportation and death; Peter Lee, a British officer brutally treated by his Japanese captors; Zinaida Pytkina, a female member of the Soviet Union's infamous SMERSH organisation, who took pleasure in killing a German prisoner; Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier so fanatical that he refused to surrender until 29 years after the end of the war; and Petras Zelionka, a Lithuanian who shot Jewish men, women and children for the Nazis.
The devastating first-hand testimony in Their Darkest Hour is both a lasting contribution to our understanding of the war and a powerful insight into the behaviour of human beings in crisis.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2020 Laurence Rees (P)2020 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Their Darkest Hour
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-12-20
Captivating
John Hopkins gives a fine reading of this book, managing to present the material as interviews. Rees has written a book that touches the darker side of human nature, and it’s very good.
I was hoping that the enclosed PDF files were pictures, but it’s not.
I’d recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Darkest Hour of humanity, and in “regular “ people, who, due to circumstances discovered the darkest side of themselves.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ludwig van El
- 26-11-21
not for the faint of heart, but good
Rees has here summed up war, from the perspective of it's victims (mainly citizens, also soldiers). For balance, he includes American sirmen in WW2 and British soldiers, though understandsbly his emphasis. is on Germans. Russians and Japanese.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Andy W
- 28-02-21
A hard read
The story is appropriately read. The tone is right for the subject matter. The stories are varied but all carry their own particular horror. And some are almost unlistenable.
I listened over several days and mixed in other books.
There are some stories I will follow up, in particular the British treatment of Russian and Yugoslav prisoners.
It was good to hear the voices of women and children telling their stories.
If I am left with one thought it is “judge ye not, let thee be judged”.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr Alexander R Gill
- 14-06-22
Excellent work of History
I was fascinated by the range of interviewees in this book/recording. The range of views and reasons for people doing, and in some cases defending, amongst the worst crimes in human history really highlight how people can be swept up and then justify their actions. The recollections of people who suffered for no more than their views or the country they were born in are horrifying in cases. Some are clearly speaking so that they can absolve themselves in their latter years.
Well worth getting and listening to if you are interested in history as an archive in itself.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sleepyjacs
- 15-07-24
Outstanding . .
. . and I don't say that lightly. This author has gone to great pains to collect these stories [mostly done in the 1990's] ~ some never heard before. They are from ALL sides & nationalities, and cover both heroic as well as brutal.
I don't care how devoted you are to the history of World War II, I defy you to listen to them all, without, at some point, your jaw dropping, at some of the facts and certainly, in my case, tears in my eyes on more than one occasion.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- colin graham
- 30-04-21
horrific story
so interesting I'll be looking for other titles from this author. I as hooked throughout the book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- nic
- 14-02-24
a must 5*
very sad but true storyline a brilliant book making you think hard about yourself and how you treat others.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Lee
- 23-05-22
Difficult
This is a very difficult book imparts to listen to but it need to be heard. I’m truly shocked at some f the conversations which took place between the author and the interviewees.
Some showed no remorse for war crimes other should receive medals but have gone unnoticed and are forgotten.
This book is warts and all but it’s well worth a listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- BGT
- 08-08-22
Unrivalled story of the human condition
Brilliant narration and like a great book , unable to tear myself from its unfolding tragedies. It also gives an insight into current human behaviour! You
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-12-20
Fascinating
A fantastic look into human beings failings and depth of character. Very thought provoking and at sometimes very upsetting. Felt I was left with a greater understanding of how people can allow themselves to become beasts and hopeless victims at the blink of an eye.
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4 people found this helpful