Hanns and Rudolf
The German Jew and the Hunt for the Kommandant of Auschwitz
(Author) Thomas HardingTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE JQ WINGATE PRIZE 2015 SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD 'A gripping thriller, an unspeakable crime, an essential history.' JOHN LE CARR Hanns Alexander was the son of a prosperous German family who fled Berlin for London in the 1930s. Rudolf H ss was a farmer and soldier who became the Kommandant of Auschwitz Concentration Camp and oversaw the deaths of over a million men, women and children. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the first British War Crimes Investigation Team is assembled to hunt down the senior Nazi officials responsible for the greatest atrocities the world has ever seen. Lieutenant Hanns Alexander is one of the lead investigators, Rudolf H ss his most elusive target. In this book Thomas Harding reveals for the very first time the full account of H ss' capture. Moving from the Middle-Eastern campaigns of the First World War to bohemian Berlin in the 1920s, to the horror of the concentration camps and the trials in Belsen and Nuremberg, Hanns and Rudolf tells the story of two German men whose lives diverged, and intersected, in an astonishing way.
Thomas Harding
Thomas Harding is a British author and journalist known for his works of non-fiction, particularly focusing on history and biography. His most notable works include "Hanns and Rudolf: The True Story of the German Jew Who Tracked Down and Caught the Kommandant of Auschwitz" and "The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History."
Harding's writing style is characterized by meticulous research, compelling storytelling, and a deep exploration of personal and historical narratives. His contributions to literature lie in his ability to bring to life complex events and individuals, shedding light on lesser-known stories from the past.
Harding's impact on the literary genre of historical non-fiction is significant, as he has brought attention to overlooked aspects of history and humanized the individuals involved. His most famous work, "Hanns and Rudolf," has received critical acclaim for its gripping portrayal of two men on opposite sides of World War II and the Holocaust.