Book of the Week

Occasionally we are faced with moral dilemmas that define our character. For example, in Nazi Germany during the 1930s, thousands of Germans faced such a dilemma. In the book “Defying Hitler,” these dilemmas are illustrated in the life of Sebastian Haffner, who must decide whether to support the National Socialist government. Haffner and others could choose to live higher moral principles, thus being willing to sacrifice their lives for a greater cause: individuality of self and nation. Nevertheless, a responsibility to family out weighs the responsibility to preserve individuality. In choosing whether or not to support the Nazi government, Germans weighed potential risks in opposing the government including: the possibility of being sent to a concentration camp or even death. In contrast, supporting the Nazi government made it possible to continue with everyday life and have the opportunity for a successful career.