The Fall of the Empire: Memoirs of Hitler's Female Secretary

Author: (German) Jung, (German) Müller, translated by Chen Wan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The film adapted from this book, "The Fall of the Empire," is a grand German masterpiece reflecting on World War II in 2004. It was nominated for the 77th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2005 and had a special screening at the 8th Shanghai International Film Festival in 2005. People realize that war is not just a struggle between giants and demons, but how do those ordinary people, those who lived in the war zones during the war, see their roles in the war? For 60 years, they have also been reflecting. In this book, we dedicate it to the 60th anniversary of the victory of the World War II against Fascism. "I let go, only letting guilt, pain, and sorrow consume me. Suddenly, as a witness, I became the center of attention, which made me face even harsher self-examination. Because in those interviews, no one ever asked me if I felt guilty; they only discussed historical facts. The guilt I carried grew heavier, urging me to reflect endlessly. Today, I feel deeply guilty about two things: the fate of millions of people who died at the hands of the Nazis; and for Traudel, a young girl who lacked confidence and didn’t dare to say 'no' at a critical moment." — Traudel Jung The book is neither a late self-defense nor an admission of guilt. I do not intend to live a life of repentance for it. Rather, it is an attempt at reconciliation, not with the world outside, but with myself. It does not seek forgiveness but only helps with understanding. For two and a half years, I was Hitler’s secretary. It is easy to imagine that my life has been turbulent ever since. From 1947 to 1948, my memories were still fresh, and I wrote about the days I spent closely with Adolf Hitler. In those years, "we all" looked forward, as fellow travelers were purged and driven out—the movement unexpectedly succeeded. Back then, when I wrote, I had to remain serious, whether it was the main theme or small anecdotes, to hold onto them firmly, so that one day, those details that might still be useful would not scatter with the wind or be buried in the graveyard of oblivion. The narrator in the book is sometimes young Jung and sometimes old Jung. Young Jung transformed her increasingly intense curiosity about the supposed inner workings of the Nazi regime into a published memoir, trying to defend herself in the process, as if young Jung had already died. Old Jung, however, no longer wanted to play the role of a moralist. She simply hoped to reflect even deeper, rather than just vaguely as she had initially attempted: a gentleman’s appearance is too easily deceptive, so it is always necessary to see through it. One should listen to the voice of one’s conscience. Guilt and repentance do not require much courage. People always have to pay the price while improving themselves.