Although I managed to escape the Nazi trap for a while — thanks to you, Helga, more than to any great wisdom on my part — eventually I was blinded by my selfishness. I let my own angers and fears ensnare me and become my master. The demon was not Hitler. It was me.
(from Shadows Walking, page 173)
Shadows Walking is a detailed character study that spans the world wars and focuses on a physician who must come to terms with the horrific things he’s done. Set right after World War II in Nuremberg during the war crimes trial of nearly two dozen Nazi doctors, the novel focuses on Johann Brenner, a physician turned custodian who writes a letter to his wife to explain how he got caught up in Nazi politics and allowed himself to violate the Hippocratic Oath. Author Douglas R. Skopp presents readers with a portion of the letter at the start of each chapter, then takes readers back in time to show the man Johann was and the idealistic life he lived before World War I and how the economic downturn in the wake of Germany’s defeat and the war reparations sparked so much anger and shame and paved the way for Hitler and the Nazi Party to take control, building the nation up before leading it and its people to ruin.
Skopp shows how Johann was slowly pulled toward the Nazis, how overzealous patriotism was rampant following World War I, how his studies led him to the field of eugenics, and how he so easily came to believe the arguments that Jews (and gypsies and people of mixed race, etc.) were polluting the Fatherland and were to blame for all of Germany’s ills. He describes how shops went out of business and food became scarce, and he personalizes all this by having it happen to Johann and his family.
But not everyone falls under Hitler’s spell. Johann’s wife, Helga, is distressed by her son’s excitement with the Hitler Youth and urges Johann not to join the Party, and Skopp juxtaposes Johann’s experiences as an “ordinary” German with the experiences of his best friend, Philipp Stein. Philipp grew up in the same town as Johann and also became a physician, but as a German Jew, his experiences are dramatically different than Johann’s. With the Nazis in power, Johann’s personal and professional horizons are broadened, but Philipp’s world gets smaller and smaller.
Skopp performed years of research to write Shadows Walking, and it shows. There is so much history within these pages, and Skopp does a great job merging the fictional characters with the real people, from Karl Brandt to Josef Mengele. The only problem I had with the book was the passage of time. If I wasn’t familiar with the events leading up and through World War II, I wouldn’t have known how much time had passed between chapters and what year the characters were in. But that’s only a minor issue with a book that likely will make my list of favorite books read during 2012.
Shadows Walking addresses how people could believe the Nazi propaganda, how they could believe that Jews were less than human, and how and why doctors could willingly harm their patients. It wasn’t an easy book to read, having to get inside Johann’s head and see why he does the things he does. It’s like you can understand how he could do it, what led him to do it, but at the same time you don’t and could never understand him, if that makes any sense. And with detailed descriptions of medical experiments, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. About halfway through the book, I had to put it down and read something lighter, but I also couldn’t wait to get back to it because I wanted to know what happened.
This book made me sad, angry, and sick to my stomach. I hated Johann, his faulty thought processes, and his evil actions, and I also hated that by the end of the book, I realized there had been times when I felt sorry for him. Of course, the extent of my sympathy toward him was nowhere near the sorrow I felt for the victims, but the fact that I felt it at all was disturbing. But I think that’s what Skopp intended, for readers to see that people just like you and me got caught up in all the madness. Johann was smart, he was a decent husband and father who worked hard to support his family, and he had the same worries about money and health that we all have. Yet Johann was a Nazi, he was so quick to blame other people for his problems, and he took it all to the extreme. No one wants to believe they could ever sink as low as Johann did; just the mere thought of it is downright frightening.
Shadows Walking is a heavy, heavy book, but I highly recommend it if you want to delve deeper into medical ethics during World War II or see just how the post-World War I environment set the stage for the Holocaust. I know some readers are wary of self-published novels, but I want to stress that this book is well researched and well written. Skopp told me that he decided to self-publish after he became ill, realizing he’d rather get his book out there sooner rather than later. It’s the kind of book you want to talk about while reading — believe me, my husband knows all about that! — and it’s the kind of book that will haunt you long after you’ve finished it. For more information about the historical aspects of the novel, visit Skopp’s website.
Courtesy of the author, I am offering three signed copies of Shadows Walking to readers with U.S. addresses. Those who are interested will have three opportunities to win: by commenting on this review and on part one and part two of the guest post by Douglas Skopp. I will choose one winner from the pool of commenters on each post. Simply leave a comment on this post about what intrigues you most about the book, and be sure to include your e-mail address. This giveaway will close at 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, May 13, 2012.
**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**
Disclosure: I received Shadows Walking from the author for review.
© 2012 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I’m personally fascinated by the post WWI period and how it led up to the atrocities of WWII. Thanks for the giveaway and I will post it in my sidebar for you
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Thanks, Serena. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this book.
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This book would be hard for me to read. The psychological portrait of this man must be fascinating and downright scary but I could see how this must have made it appealing to read. I have always asked myself how the Nazi doctors did what they did.
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It was very difficult to read and scary to think that pretty much anyone could make the transition Johann did if the conditions were “right.”
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I think this one would be really hard for me. I’m sure it’s really interesting to read the thought process, but difficult to get through.
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Yes, it was both fascinating and hard to read. Totally worth it, though, for all the questions it raised.
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Thanks for this fascinating feature. I have read many novels and non-fiction about the Nazi’s and the Holocaust. This World War 11 period is so important and vital to learn about. I constantly immerse myself within the pages of any book related to this era. Being Jewish makes it even moreso. This book sounds incredibly difficult but unforgettable as well. Many thanks.
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I’ve read lots and lots about this period, too, and this book was unique.
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This deep and profound book which delves into the depths of depravity sounds hard to take but necessary. Many suffered and reading the accounts of the minds that were twisted and believed the propaganda is sickening but intriguing. Many were so easily mislead which shows how weak people are and what damage a forceful leader can do. Your depiction of this character is vivid. Thanks for this opportunity.
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I’ve always wondered how people believed the propaganda, so Skopp’s focus on the period right after WWI is really enlightening.
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A gripping, realistic historical/memoir that would ensnare me for hours. Having read so much about this topic, Eichmann and his henchman etc. this one would be new and different especially from this new perspective. I don’t know if The House on Garibaldi Street interests you but this book was great.
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I’ll have to look up The House on Garibaldi Street. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Not an entry as I’ve read this excellent book and suggested it to several medical personnel as an excellent basis for a discussion of ethics.
Posted review on:
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You’ll have to let me know if they read it and get back to you!
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Thank you so much, Anna, for your thoughtful and perceptive review of my novel, Shadows Walking. I know it is a painful story, painful to have written, painful to read. Still, I believe its underlying message is one of hope–that the events and the choices they provoked in Nazi Germany will not occur as easily again, or at least we will be better on our guard when they do; that empathy and compassion must overrule our baser inclinations.
Viktor Frankl, in his extraordinary, powerful memoir, Man’s Search for Meaning, describes his determination to survive the the loss of his family at Auschwitz. He wisely warns us that “No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same.” This timeless insight is at the heart of my endeavor.
Alas, I know that the conditions that Johann Brenner and Philipp Stein faced, and the choices that each of them made are not just the stuff of history, over and done with. These conditions and potential choices are still with us, perhaps even more sinister than ever before, given our increasingly sophisticated technologies for destruction. We all have the capacity to hear only what we want to hear; to find the views and values expressed by “the other” and “the outsider” unacceptable to the degree that we would be willing to do her or him great harm; and to turn our back on our victims in the belief that they are not, like us, human beings.
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Thank YOU Doug for taking so much time to chat with me about the book through e-mail and the guest posts. I really appreciated learning about why you wrote this excellent book.
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I am a bit wary at times, but I am glad that he did his research and that the book turned out well
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I can see why you’d be wary, it’s not easy subject matter, but I hope you’ll give it a try at some point.
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[…] Comments « Review: Shadows Walking by Douglas R. Skopp […]
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I just finished a WWII novel set in Italy and one of the main characters was a Nazi doctor whose remorse nearly killed him and led him to assist the Jews being hidden by the partisans. This book sounds like a great follow-up. Thanks for the giveaway.
lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com
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Please tell me, Linda, the author and title of the WWII novel set in Italy. I am especially interested in seeing how it treats the Nazi doctor… Thanks, Doug Skopp
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I also am curious to know what book you’re talking about!
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I hate to admit it. I was like one of Mr. Skopp’s students when I was in high school. I had not opened up yet to appreciating history and understanding how it would apply to MY life. I just wanted to make an “A,” be considered an excellent student, and get out of class. It was not until MANY YEARS later when my step-daughter was doing a history assignment, I asked about the subject of the assignment. She said it was about one of the wars. World Wars I and II immediately came to mind. She said it was about the Vietnam War. I was stunned. I had no idea that THAT war was in students’ text books. Heck, THAT war was in MY lifetime!! How could that be “history”? She noticed my surprise and asked why. I told her that I lived through that war as an adult and had protested and remembered hearing the reports of the progress (or lack thereof) on the evening news every night. About 10 years later, I went back to college to complete my degree. THIS time around I was definitely interested in history and American government. THIS time I could see the connection to my life. When the subject of World War II came around, I could definitely visualize the impact Hitler had on the entire world. Zoom now to present day — it breaks my heart and makes me sick when I think of the hundreds of thousands of peoples’ lives that were shattered and disappeared. I cannot imagine saying goodbye to my parents not knowing if I would ever see them again. The medical experimentation was horrendous. Ooops, sorry to go on for so long. I suppose I should save something for tomorrow.
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It can be pretty weird to hear something you lived through referred to as history. I didn’t learn enough about WWI and WWII in school, so I’m making up for lost time on my own.
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I’ve often wondered how “regular” German people fell for the propaganda. It sounds like this author does a good job explaining the unfathomable evil that occurred.
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It’s hard to believe, maybe because we’re coming from the point of view of knowing what happened in the end.
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Having just recently visited the Holocaust Museum in D.C. and starting at the beginning of the tour with the propaganda exhibit, I can absolutely understand why and how the German people were mislead. I, myself, was overwhelmed with the sheer amount of propaganda that was churned out with an alarming speed. We (those of us thinking of judging) need to put history into context and remember that in that time people relied on newspapers, radio, and what people of authority told them. Teachers were huge supporters of Hitler and taught his doctrine to students on a daily basis. I try not to judge those people as I didn’t live during this time. I wasn’t put into their positions. This whole period in history is so horrific for all involved.
This sounds like such a powerful and important book…what a wonderful review of this one. You have a gift for writing yourself, Anna.
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I try not to judge them either, especially since my grandparents lived in Germany during that time and I have no idea where they stood. (Of course, we don’t like to think badly about our grandparents!)
I hope to visit the Holocaust Museum this summer. Living so close to D.C., I can’t believe I haven’t been yet!
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[…] Those who are interested will have three opportunities to win: by commenting on this post, my review, and part one of the guest post. I will choose one winner from the pool of commenters on each post. […]
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This sounds like a heavy, heart wrenching read. Very impressive about his being self published!
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Yes, though I could easily see this book being published by a major publisher.
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Wow, what a powerful and fascinating book, Anna. Thank you for such a wonderful, thoughtful and honest review. My first response to hearing about someone like Johann Brenner is how could he? and what an awful man. But there is a part of that can, not understand so much as see that on some level some people get brainwashed into believing the arguments for Hitler’s ideas. It’s hard to explain it. I know I would have reactions similar to yours while reading. Mostly I’d hate Brenner but at times I would probably feel sorry for him.
I think it was Schindler’s List in which there’s a doctor who helps someone escape. The dr. did a lot of errible things but during his time with the Nazis he got a clue and knew what he was doing was wrong but was weak.
I’m surprised that Johnn went against his wife’s wishes and beliefs so much that he goes to work for Hitler. That surprises me and intrigues me!
I’d like to read this book over a long period of time. I don’t think I would be able to read it all at once.
Thank you for a great post, Anna!
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I forgot my email address!
Aimala127@gmail.com
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Johann was very much the kind of man who didn’t think women could have anything important to say about politics, so it’s not surprising that he goes against his wife. It is a very complicated book and just goes to show you that nothing is black and white.
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This giveaway is now closed. The winner will be chosen via Randomizer.org, notified, and announced shortly.
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[…] Amy, and Libby have won Shadows Walking by Douglas R. […]
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I’ve added this to the reviews page on the war blog.
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Thank you for your attention to my novel, Shadows Walking. I am so gratified by the many positive responses I have had to it. I know it is about a painful topic–painful to have written, painful to read–but that so many find it worthwhile gives me hope for a kinder, more tolerant and responsible future for our children and grandchildren. With every good wish, Doug Skopp
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[…] Lest you think I am an overly picky reader, two of the best books I read this year — Shadows Walking by Douglas R. Skopp and Across the Mekong River by Elaine Russell — are […]
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[…] Penguin Book of World War I Poetry edited by Jon Silkin 7. The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey 8. Shadows Walking by Douglas R. Skopp 9. Archie’s War by Marcia Williams 10. My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by […]
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[…] Shadows Walking by Douglas R. Skopp […]
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